A Civic Pulse publication
The accountability feed

News

Vetted coverage of Governor Hochul's administration, grouped by day. Every item names its publication and carries a source-credibility tier — Tier 1 primary/wire, Tier 2 established outlet, Tier 3 secondary. No spin; each story links to its original source.

61 items

Sep 11, 2026

3
La Voce di New York / The HillTIER 2High

The ceremony happened without incident: Mamdani attended Ground Zero as planned, shook hands with Giuliani on arrival, and no turned backs or protest were reported; Hochul, Vance, Bush, Clinton, Obama and Biden were in the elected-officials section

After a week in which Blakeman, Giuliani and Pataki urged Mamdani to stay away (Blakeman suggested attendees "turn their back on the mayor"), the 25th-anniversary reading of 2,753 names went ahead with the mayor and governor present. Footage shows Mamdani approaching Giuliani and the two shaking hands; Mamdani later said they exchanged pleasantries and kept the focus on families. No elected official spoke, consistent with the Memorial's post-2012 rule. Trump was at the Pentagon after reportedly being refused a speaking slot. Relevance to the governor's race: the walkout/protest Blakeman floated did not materialize, and Hochul's "voices of hatred should not prevail" line was not tested by any disruption. Secondary source: thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6084719-mamdani-and-giuliani-shake-hands-at-9-11-commemoration/

City & State (Sophie Krichevsky)TIER 2High

Three firefighter unions endorse Hochul on the anniversary: UFA, UFOA and the NYS Professional Fire Fighters Association cite the revived September 11th Worker Protection Task Force and Tier 3/Tier 6 pension reforms in this year's budget

The Uniformed Firefighters Association (Bobby Eustace), Uniformed Fire Officers Association (James Brosi) and NYSPFFA (Sam Fresina) issued a joint statement backing Hochul for reelection, released exclusively to City & State at 5am on Sept. 11. They point to the reconstituted 9/11 Worker Protection Task Force and the Tier 3 and Tier 6 retirement changes in the FY27 budget. Context from C&S: UFA and UFOA also endorsed Hochul in 2022, NYSPFFA's political arm spent on her then, and all three are affiliates of the state AFL-CIO, which endorsed her July 1 over TWU objections. Timing matters more than novelty: the endorsement lands the same day Blakeman had urged 9/11 families and first responders to shun the governor and mayor at Ground Zero.

Gothamist (Jimmy Vielkind)TIER 2High

On the morning of the 25th anniversary, Gothamist reports the Ground Zero ceremony has lost its apolitical footing: Giuliani, Pataki and Blakeman urged Mamdani to stay away, Hochul says "the voices of hatred should not prevail," and a Suffolk poll finds 74% of city voters think the mayor should attend

Gothamist's Sept. 11 morning piece frames the run-up to the commemoration as unusually political. Giuliani, Pataki and Blakeman all called on Mayor Mamdani not to attend; Mamdani is attending and seated in the elected-officials section near them. Hochul said this week it would be wrong for Mamdani to stay away: "This is a time when the voices of hatred should not prevail over the voices of those who say, 'Let us come together.'" The 9/11 Memorial and Museum says no elected official has spoken at the ceremony since 2012 and officials are invited "simply to bear witness." The story also notes the Democratic attack on Blakeman for appearing with congressional candidate Joel Anabilah-Azumah, who posted in 2024 that 9/11 was "an inside job"; Blakeman's representatives did not return a request for comment. A Suffolk University poll of NYC voters released this week found 74% said Mamdani should attend and 74% said the event should focus on victims and survivors. Trump is at the Pentagon; Vance is at the WTC site.

Sep 10, 2026

1
amNewYork / City & StateTIER 2High

Blakeman filmed an endorsement of Brooklyn congressional candidate Joel Anabilah-Azumah, whose 2024 post calling 9/11 "an inside job" is still up; Nadler and Velázquez call it appalling two days before the 25th anniversary

City & State's First Read (Sept. 9, Rebecca C. Lewis) reported an unlisted YouTube video in which Blakeman records an endorsement of Anabilah-Azumah, the Republican and Conservative nominee against Rep. Yvette Clarke, saying he "is going to make a great member of Congress." Anabilah-Azumah's 2024 X post says "9/11 was an inside job" and "history is pretty clear on that." The same video shows endorsements of Asm. Michael Novakhov and Sen. Steve Chan. Blakeman previously filmed with Rochester GOP leader Marcus Williams, who had shared a video blaming "Zionists" for 9/11. On Sept. 10 amNY reported Reps. Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velázquez condemning the endorsement; state Democratic spokesman Addison Dick called it "disqualifying." Neither the Blakeman nor the Anabilah-Azumah campaign responded to City & State. The story lands the same week Blakeman told 9/11 attendees to turn their backs on Mamdani. amNY article body could not be fetched; row built from the City & State text and search excerpts.

Sep 8, 2026

1
Fingerlakes1.com (campaign release)TIER 2High

Blakeman campaign releases a McLaughlin internal showing Hochul 49.6, Blakeman 45.7 among 800 likely voters (Aug 27-31); release omits margin of error, mode and question wording

On Sept. 8 the Blakeman campaign released a McLaughlin & Associates survey of 800 likely voters fielded Aug. 27-31: Hochul 49.6%, Blakeman 45.7%, undecided 4.7%. The campaign called the 3.9-point gap inside the margin of error but did not publish a numerical MOE, survey mode, weighting or question order. Other toplines from the release: Hochul 42/55 favorable/unfavorable, Blakeman 40/30 with 30% unfamiliar; 56% "time for someone new" vs 38% "deserves reelection"; among the 80% who said they knew both candidates, Blakeman led 52-44 (threshold undefined). Context: this is a campaign-sponsored poll from a Republican firm. The most recent independent poll, Siena Aug 3-6 LV, had Hochul 49-39; a Democratic-aligned Concord/ERN poll Aug 19-21 had 50-34. Logged in the polls table flagged is_partisan. No Hochul campaign response in the release.

Sep 4, 2026

1
Inside Climate NewsTIER 2High

Federal judge strikes down the Climate Change Superfund Act: NDNY Chief Judge Sannes rules the $75B polluter-pays law is preempted by the Clean Air Act; Hochul says the state is "looking" at "options of appeal"

On Monday Aug. 31, Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes (N.D.N.Y.) granted summary judgment to 22 Republican-led states, the American Petroleum Institute, the U.S. Chamber and the Business Council of New York State, holding that the Climate Change Superfund Act (signed by Hochul Dec. 26, 2024; $75B over 25 years from fossil-fuel companies) operates in an area where federal interest is so dominant it cannot be enforced, relying on the 2nd Circuit's 2021 City of New York v. Chevron ruling. Hochul told reporters the state is "looking" at its "options of appeal"; her energy adviser Ken Lovett said taxpayers should not foot the bill for polluters and the decision is under review. Sponsor Sen. Liz Krueger said the AG "needs to appeal" and that losing shifts roughly $75B in planned resilience costs to taxpayers. The Business Council and Upstate United called the law an overreach; DOJ's Adam Gustafson said the ruling delivers on Trump's April 2025 order against state "overreach." A separate DOJ suit against the law is pending in S.D.N.Y., a Vermont challenge is pending, and the Supreme Court hears Suncor v. Boulder County in October on the same preemption question. Any appeal goes to the 2nd Circuit. Backfill: ruling landed Aug. 31, reported Sept. 1, missed by the Sept. 1–3 runs.

Sep 3, 2026

2
City & State NYTIER 2High

Blakeman campaign mails official-looking "memorandums of tax assessment" to NYC homeowners, soliciting donations off the pied-à-terre list he criticized the city for releasing

City & State obtained a Blakeman for New York mail package sent to a Queens couple: a letter headed "memorandum of tax assessment" saying "according to our records, you own a secondary property" subject to the pied-à-terre tax, plus a Blakeman letter blaming "Kathy Hochul and Zohran Mamdani" and a $50+ contribution ask. The header reads "Not official government business" and the footer carries the required "Paid for by" disclosure. The recipients own one home and are not subject to the tax; the source who shared the photos said they panicked. The campaign did not answer how addresses were chosen; the likely source is the ~950,000-address Department of Finance list Blakeman had attacked the city for publishing. Election lawyer Sarah Steiner called it "manipulative scaremongering" but said it is technically legal. Note for readers: the tax is a city law the governor signed, but the rollout was the city's, not the state's.

ABC7 New YorkTIER 2High

Hochul answers Blakeman on the headscarf: "that says more about him than it does anybody else"; office cites 2022 Ronkonkoma mosque visit and Officer Islam's funeral as precedent

Hochul's first direct on-camera response to the headscarf pile-on: "I was invited as a guest, and I always wear the appropriate attire, whether I am going to a temple... an Orthodox community or... a catholic church in the Vatican." On Blakeman's Newsday remark that wearing a hijab and calling herself a feminist are incompatible: "I just love it when men lecture women on whether or not they are a feminist." Her office pointed to prior head coverings at a 2022 Ronkonkoma mosque that had been attacked and at the funeral of NYPD Officer Didarul Islam. Blakeman said his post was not an attack on Muslims and that he visits mosques regularly as county executive. CAIR-NY's Afaf Nasher said tying the visit to 9/11 is inappropriate. The visit was Friday Aug 28 at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York on the Upper East Side.

Sep 2, 2026

3
CBS New YorkTIER 2High

DHS fires back at Hochul: FEMA says New York is "manufacturing a funding crisis" while sitting on $300M+ in unspent homeland-security money

The federal response to the Sept. 1 Hochul-Mamdani demand for $87M in withheld counterterrorism funds arrived the same evening. The White House referred CBS New York to DHS, and a FEMA spokesperson said Hochul is "manufacturing a funding crisis despite New York sitting on more than $300 million in UNSPENT federal homeland security funding," adding that New York has historically received allocations "significantly ABOVE risk-based formulas." The statement did not dispute that $87M of the $187M Trump said he would restore in October 2025 has not been sent. The $300M unspent figure is a DHS/FEMA characterization; the state has not published a reconciliation and we have not independently verified it (see fact_checks). Separately, CBS pressed Hochul on whether an undocumented immigrant with a DWI conviction should be able to stay; she declined a yes/no, saying enforcement should prioritize assaults, murders, rapes and burglaries and that she would "look at the circumstances of an individual case."

MediaiteTIER 2High

Trump joins the headscarf pile-on: Truth Social post calls Hochul "the Worst Governor in the Country," says she wears "the hijab" to get "the Arab Vote"

On Sept. 1 President Trump posted the Aug. 28 photo of Hochul in a black headscarf at the Islamic Cultural Center School in the Bronx, wrote that Hochul, "considered the Worst Governor in the Country," was "working hard to get the Arab Vote," tied it to congestion pricing hurting her "especially [with] the people for whom she wears the hijab," and closed: "The whole thing is CRAZY!" It escalates the four-day-old controversy from conservative influencers and members of Congress to the president, three weeks after Trump boosted Blakeman at a law-enforcement rally. Hochul's office has said she wore the headscarf as a gesture of respect, consistent with past practice, and that she respects 9/11 victims while rejecting anti-Muslim hatred. Snopes rated the "wore a hijab" framing a Mixture because her hair was visible.

New York Jewish Week / JTATIER 2High

Blakeman posts the headscarf photo, calls it "political pandering" and "tone-deaf" before 9/11; Jewish Council for Public Affairs CEO calls his post Islamophobia

Blakeman's first public entry into the headscarf story: a social-media post depicting Hochul in the head covering, accusing her of "political pandering" he called "especially tone-deaf" less than two weeks before the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, responded on X: "There are far too many political leaders exploiting the 9/11 anniversary to (re)normalize Islamophobia — and it's disgusting." Blakeman, who is Jewish, has campaigned heavily on antisemitism and public safety. The same JTA item notes Hochul's campaign has her at a MET Council Rosh Hashanah food-distribution event in Brooklyn on Sept. 2 with Comptroller Mark Levine and Council Member Lincoln Restler. Blakeman's post is documented only through JTA's account; the post itself was not retrieved for this entry.

Sep 1, 2026

1
Fox NewsTIER 2High

Retired Port Authority officers ask Hochul to skip the 25th-anniversary Ground Zero ceremony; she says she will attend

The Retired Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, through president John McDevitt, sent letters on Aug. 14 asking Gov. Hochul and Mayor Mamdani not to attend the Sept. 11 25th-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero, saying their presence would inflict "deep pain" on victims' families, survivors and first responders. The group's stated objection to Hochul is her decision to light One World Trade Center for Muslim American Heritage Month — it says it did not object to the proclamation itself, only to using the World Trade Center site for the observance. The letters surfaced publicly Aug. 29. Hochul rejected the demand and says she will attend; Mamdani also plans to attend. The dispute feeds directly into the separate backlash over the Aug. 28 headscarf clip, with both threads now tied to the Sept. 11 anniversary ten days out.

Aug 28, 2026

2
Long Island Patch (Tom Gambardella)TIER 2High

State Democrats file BOE complaint over the Trump-Blakeman police academy rally; Blakeman calls it a "Hail Mary"

NYS Democratic chair Jay Jacobs filed a complaint Aug 28 with the state Board of Elections claiming Blakeman used county funds, facilities and personnel for the Aug 14 rally with President Trump at the Nassau police academy — an event Trump himself called "a Rally in Nassau County in honor of Bruce Blakeman" on Truth Social. Jacobs asked DELE and the Public Campaign Finance Board to investigate unreported, over-the-limit in-kind contributions, assess the fair market value of the county resources used, and deem the campaign unfit for public matching funds. Blakeman called the complaint "a Hail Mary by the Hochul team." Second Jacobs BOE complaint of the cycle, after the AI-ads complaint.

Long Island Patch (Tom Gambardella)TIER 2High

Nassau's sheriff has not joined the 287(g) suit; judge sets briefing schedule with state response due Sept. 9

Plaintiffs' attorney Mateo Forero-Norena confirmed Aug 28 that acting Nassau Sheriff Robert Matarazzo has not yet joined Bourgault v. Hochul, despite Blakeman saying Wednesday he directed the sheriff's office to join; talks about adding him are ongoing. Judge Mae D'Agostino (NDNY) issued an order to show cause on the sheriffs' TRO/preliminary-injunction motion: the state (James, Hochul, NYS) must respond by Sept. 9 at 5 p.m., with the sheriffs' reply due Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. The requested TRO would bar enforcement of the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act and any voiding of existing 287(g) agreements.

Aug 26, 2026

1
Police1 / syracuse.com (Tribune Content Agency)TIER 2High

Blakeman's running mate, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, is a named plaintiff in the sheriffs' suit against Hochul

Court papers name all fifteen sheriffs who sued in the Northern District of New York on Aug. 25, the day the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act took effect: Broome (Frederick Akshar), Cattaraugus (Eric Butler), Cayuga (Brian Schenck), Delaware (Craig DuMond), Franklin (Jay Cook), Fulton (Richard Giardino), Jefferson (Peter Barnett), Lewis (Michael Carpinelli), Madison (Todd Hood), Orange (Paul Arteta), Oswego (Don Hilton), Rensselaer (Kyle Bourgault), Saratoga (Jeffrey Brown), St. Lawrence (Patrick Engle) and Wayne (Robert Milby). Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and the State of New York are named defendants. Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood is Bruce Blakeman's running mate on the Republican ticket, so a candidate on the GOP statewide slate is now a plaintiff against the governor his ticket is trying to unseat. Hood entered Madison County into a 287(g) agreement in July 2025, was warned by the AG's office in July 2026, agreed to end the agreement as the law requires, and said he still intends to honor ICE detainer requests at the county jail. Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley, who declined to cooperate with ICE in 2025, is not a plaintiff. The suit argues the agreements are authorized by Congress and that no state executive can bar independently elected sheriffs from entering them.

Aug 25, 2026

1
VINnewsTIER 2High

Third pro-Blakeman super PAC registers: Trump adviser Jason Meister files "Defend Empire State" with the state Board of Elections

Jason Meister, a risk-insurance executive who sits on a Trump advisory board, registered an independent-expenditure super PAC called Defend Empire State with the NYS Board of Elections and told the New York Post he intends to raise millions to defeat Hochul and elect Blakeman. It is the third pro-Blakeman outside group to surface, after Make it Cheaper (donors still undisclosed) and Strong and Safe. Meister previously ran the Defend NYC PAC against Mamdani in the 2025 mayoral race, which took $1 million each from Bill Ackman and Joseph Gebbia late in that contest. No contributions to Defend Empire State have been reported yet; as a super PAC it can accept unlimited donations. The same article reports Strong and Safe has spent more than $1 million on anti-Hochul advertising and that Hochul and the state party hold roughly a 4-to-1 cash edge, about $40 million, per recent filings.

Aug 22, 2026

1
Fingerlakes1.comTIER 2High

Blakeman campaigns with House Speaker Mike Johnson; Hochul campaign counters with Medicaid and SNAP cut numbers

Blakeman appeared with House Speaker Mike Johnson in Nassau County on Friday Aug 21 and said it was important to keep Johnson in his post; Johnson called Blakeman a strong candidate. The Hochul campaign responded that Johnson led House Republicans last year in passing a bill cutting Medicaid and SNAP, which it says cost nearly 500,000 New Yorkers health coverage including nearly 30,000 in Nassau County, and cited Blakeman's prior comment that he would cut Medicaid in half. Hochul spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki framed the appearance as an endorsement of the Trump agenda. The Hochul campaign's 500,000 / 30,000 coverage-loss figures are campaign claims and are not independently verified here.

Aug 19, 2026

2
Buffalo Toronto Public MediaTIER 2High

Radiological survey expands into nine Erie County Southtowns; county executive says Erie screenings so far are clean

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said on Aug 18 that DEC and EPA are extending their radiological assessment into the Southtowns, where homeowners in Aurora, Boston, Brant, Concord, Eden, Evans, Hamburg, Marilla and Orchard Park will be asked for permission to survey their properties. Poloncarz said screenings performed in Erie County so far have come back clean. Additional Grand Island homes near Veterans Park were also identified for testing. The community group Save Our Backyards has its own meeting set for Aug 25 in Niagara Falls.

Post-JournalTIER 2High

Backfill: Senate Minority Leader Ortt files S.10672 to bring radiological contamination under the state Superfund, and asks DEC for written "clean bill of health" letters

Reported Aug 11. New York's Hazardous Waste Superfund program does not currently cover radiological contamination, so no Superfund can be declared for the Niagara and Erie County hot spots. Sen. Rob Ortt (R-Buffalo), the Senate minority leader, introduced S.10672 to classify nuclear and radioactive waste as hazardous waste so affected sites qualify; he was still seeking an Assembly co-sponsor. Ortt separately wrote DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton asking that owners of properties that test within acceptable standards receive written confirmation. As of the Aug 9 weekend, DEC and EPA reported 1,240-plus properties visited since Jul 23 and 797 access forms received, with four residential properties offered voluntary temporary relocation.

Aug 18, 2026

1
WBEN / AudacyTIER 2High

Backfill: EPA relocated four Town of Niagara families on July 18 after readings up to 900,000 counts per second; families say housing was not ready

On a July 18, 2026 call with EPA and Hochul administration officials, four Town of Niagara households (Hawk/Bradley, Johnson, Linkowski, Motyka) were told they would be relocated the same day after testing found high radioactive contamination; Geiger readings in one backyard measured as high as 900,000 counts per second. The homeowners said EPA then asked them to find their own housing for at least a week, and one family was told moving costs would not be covered. In a statement the families said staffing was inadequate (one DEC and one EPA screener) and called on Governor Hochul and the Trump administration to stand up emergency and State Superfund teams. Published July 20, 2026; backfilled to close a gap between the July 14 Hochul letter and the August coverage.

Aug 15, 2026

1
News10 NBCTIER 2High

Blakeman defends Nassau's ICE deal on the response deadline: "the most comprehensive agreement with ICE in the United States"

On Aug 14 — the day Nassau's written response to the state's wind-down notice was due — Blakeman publicly defended the county's 287(g) agreement, calling it "the most comprehensive agreement with ICE in the United States of America" and disputing Hochul's description of it as cruel. He said the partnership produced the removal of 2,000 migrants with criminal records in one year without raids at churches, daycare centers, schools or hospitals. Nassau police and the sheriff remain among the seven agencies that have not agreed to unwind before the Aug 25 statutory deadline.

Aug 14, 2026

2
Governor's Office / AG James (via Wellsville Sun)TIER 2High

Hochul and James: 5 of 12 agencies will drop ICE deals; Nassau police and sheriff among 7 holdouts with 11 days left

On the Aug 14 status-report deadline, Hochul and AG James issued a joint statement: of the 12 law enforcement agencies notified under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, five have told the state they intend to comply. The seven holdouts — including the Nassau County Sheriff's Office and Police Department — have 11 days until the Aug 25 date when all 287(g) agreements become void by statute. Steuben Sheriff Allard, one of the holdouts, argues no "unwinding" is required since the law voids the agreements automatically, and calls the mandate politically driven. Nassau's formal response to the AG (due 5pm Aug 14) had not been made public at run time.

ABC7 / APTIER 2High

Trump tours Nassau police academy with Blakeman, Blanche and Patel; Hochul campaign fires back

Trump visited the Nassau County Police Department's Center for Training and Intelligence at Nassau Community College on Aug 14 with AG Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, touting FBI preliminary 2025 data showing violent crime down an estimated 9.3% nationally (murder down 18.1%) and backing Blakeman's run for governor — his second in-person boost this year. Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki: the governor "has invested billions in public safety" while "MAGA all the way" Blakeman "let violent crime spike to decade highs" in Nassau; a second campaign statement called Blakeman "a MAGA fanboy who'd rather be at Mar-a-Lago right now." The visit landed the same day agencies statewide, including Nassau's police and sheriff's departments, owed status reports on their 287(g) ICE agreements to the Office of Immigrant Trust.

Aug 13, 2026

1
NY State of Politics / PatchTIER 2High

NYS Democratic chair Jacobs files BOE complaint over Blakeman's AI ads, alleging violation of 2026 disclosure law

State Democratic Committee chair Jay Jacobs filed a complaint Aug 10 with the State Board of Elections alleging Blakeman's AI-generated ads depicting Hochul and Mamdani violate the 2026 election law requiring "materially deceptive media" in political communications to carry a "has been manipulated" disclosure. Blakeman calls the ads satire and says Democrats are "trying to cheat." Also: https://patch.com/new-york/longisland/state-democrats-file-complaint-over-blakeman-s-ai-ads-accuse-county-exec

Aug 11, 2026

1
NY1 / News12 / PIX11TIER 2High

Trump to tour Nassau police academy Friday with Blakeman, Blanche and Patel — same day as 287(g) filing deadline

President Trump will visit the Nassau County Police Academy on Friday, Aug. 14 with AG Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to tout the FBI 2025 crime report; Blakeman, who is running for governor, welcomed the visit. First Trump Long Island appearance since the 2024 Coliseum rally. Same day as the state's Aug. 14 filing deadline for agencies with 287(g) agreements, including Nassau's.

Aug 7, 2026

1
La Voce di New YorkTIER 2High

Blakeman campaign finance chair's law firm nets $730K in Nassau County contracts signed before legislative approval

The Nassau legislature approved two legal-representation contracts totaling $730,000 for Abrams Fensterman LLP, the firm founded by Howard Fensterman — finance chair of Blakeman's gubernatorial campaign. The contracts were signed in May, months before the legislature formally approved them. Blakeman's campaign received a combined $43,000 from firm-linked donors in the six months before the award. Ethics experts told La Voce the process lacked the transparency needed to dispel favoritism concerns. Fensterman recruited Blakeman to the firm in 2007.

Aug 6, 2026

1
WAMC / NCPR / CBS6 AlbanyTIER 2High

287(g) compliance splits upstate counties: Rensselaer defies wind-down order as St. Lawrence unwinds and Saratoga sheriff backs lawsuit

With the Aug. 25 deadline to terminate 287(g) ICE agreements under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act approaching — and the NDNY ruling upholding the state ban now in hand — the 12 affected agencies are splitting. St. Lawrence County's sheriff says his agreement is "dead in the water" (NCPR, Aug. 5). Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and Sheriff Kyle Bourgault say they will not comply ("I will defy you"), drawing resident backlash at a county meeting (CBS6). Saratoga County's sheriff backs a planned lawsuit against the state ban (WAMC, Aug. 4). Nassau's written response is still due Aug. 14. The compliance split sets up the next test of the law Hochul and AG James are enforcing.

Aug 4, 2026

1
Spectrum News / Courthouse NewsTIER 2High

Federal judge splits ruling on NY immigration laws: mask ban for ICE agents blocked, 287(g) agreement ban upheld

U.S. District Judge Mae D'Agostino (NDNY) ruled Monday evening, Aug. 3, on the DOJ's challenge to the immigration measures Hochul signed in May. She granted a preliminary injunction against the provisions barring federal agents from wearing masks and requiring visible identification, finding they likely interfere with federal law enforcement operations. She denied the injunction against the ban on 287(g) agreements, siding with the state that it is "an appropriate means of furthering New York's legitimate interests." Hochul and AG James said they are reviewing legal options on the mask ban while calling the 287(g) portion a win. The upheld ban directly bears on Nassau's Aug. 25 wind-down deadline.

Aug 3, 2026

1
WSHU / NY Public News NetworkTIER 2High

Medical Aid in Dying law takes effect Aug. 5 as courts split: Catholic plaintiffs win consent injunction, disability-rights suit dismissed

New York's Medical Aid in Dying law, signed by Hochul on Dec. 17, 2025 after more than a decade of legislative debate, takes effect Wednesday, Aug. 5. Two court rulings landed this week: the state agreed to a temporary injunction and restraining order exempting the Catholic plaintiffs — four orders of religious nuns, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and other Catholic facilities — from complying while their First Amendment suit proceeds (order applies only to parties in the case). Separately, a federal judge on Thursday dismissed a suit from individual plaintiffs and disability-rights advocates alleging ADA violations, finding they lacked standing. Under the law, patients with six months or less to live can obtain life-ending medication after meeting statutory conditions.

Jul 30, 2026

1
NY Post via AlgemeinerTIER 2High

Pro-Blakeman super PAC poll shows race at 47-43; public polling last had Hochul up 20

A Red Oak Strategic poll commissioned by the pro-Blakeman "Strong and Safe" super PAC — a previously unreported committee — puts Hochul at 47%, Blakeman 43%, 10% undecided among 2,000 registered voters surveyed Jul 7-12 (MOE ±2.2). It also reports Hochul approval at 39/56 and Blakeman leading independents 54-33. The partisan-sponsored numbers contrast sharply with Siena's June public poll, which had Hochul up 52-32.

Jul 25, 2026

1
Buffalo NewsTIER 2High

Hochul campaign refunds 500+ donations totaling more than $1.7M, including checks from WNY executives and Melinda French Gates

Buffalo News reported (circa Jul 22) that Hochul's re-election campaign refunded more than 500 donations totaling over $1.7M, including sizable contributions from high-profile Western New York business executives and Melinda French Gates. The specific reason for each refund was not stated in accessible reporting; New York's general-election contribution limit is $18,000, and the campaign has previously refunded donations from state appointees under the executive-order ban. Article also notes Blakeman reported $4.6M on hand at the start of July vs. Hochul's $21M. Full article is paywalled; details limited to the published lede.

Jul 23, 2026

1
Brooklyn EagleTIER 2High

Hochul denounces DOJ notice declaring Olmstead disability-rights guidance "not enforceable"

Hochul denounced a DOJ Federal Register notice (~Jul 20) stating the department will no longer rely on its longstanding Olmstead guidance when enforcing Title II of the ADA, deeming it "not enforceable" — a move advocates say lowers the barrier to institutionalizing people with disabilities. Hochul: "every individual with a disability deserves to live, receive care and support, and thrive in their own community — not isolated in an institution." Follows her June 25 "we understand what is at stake" response to the DOJ's earlier Olmstead memo. Adds another front to the federal-vs-state fights (CDPAP, congestion pricing, Penn Station, election security).

Jul 22, 2026

2
Norwood NewsTIER 2High

State and PPL move to dismiss DOJ's CDPAP fraud lawsuit, calling it "driven more by politics than by the facts"

NYS Department of Health and Public Partnerships LLC filed a pre-motion letter (Jul 15) seeking dismissal of the DOJ lawsuit alleging the $11B CDPAP home-care contract came from a "sham bid process." PPL argues the DOJ's requested asset freeze under 18 U.S.C. §1345 is foreclosed as a matter of law in a non-criminal case, that fraud claims lack sufficient factual allegations, and that prior lawsuits already upheld the procurement. PPL cites a 2026 statewide survey showing consumer satisfaction of 4.31/5, up from 4.04 in May 2025. First defense filing in the case, which names DOH, Medicaid director Amir Bassiri and PPL.

Investigative PostTIER 2High

Hochul says she wants to ban ALL tax breaks for hyperscale data centers — including local IDA property, sales and mortgage abatements

At a Kenmore roundtable, Hochul told Investigative Post her proposed end to data-center tax subsidies extends beyond the 2000 state sales-tax law to a "narrow exclusion" barring all 106 local IDAs from granting property, sales and mortgage-tax breaks to hyperscale (50MW+) data centers, targeting next year's budget. Could block the $1.46B package Stream US Data Centers requested from the Genesee County IDA, which Hochul says her permit moratorium already pauses. Context: H5/Yahoo in Lockport got ~$478M in breaks; TeraWulf's Lake Mariner expansion pays no state/local sales tax. Reinvent Albany backs the ban; developers say they'll build elsewhere.

Jul 15, 2026

1
Empire Report / Friends for Kathy HochulTIER 2High

Hochul announces $17M July filing haul: $5.6M to campaign, $11.4M to state party, $20M+ cash on hand

On the July 15 BOE periodic filing deadline, Hochul's campaign announced raising $17M this period: $5.6M to Friends for Kathy Hochul from a claimed record 27,000 unique donors (avg online donation $20) and $11.4M into the NYS Democratic Party. Campaign says it ends the period with $20M+ cash on hand; the state party with $22M+ (combined $42M). Figures are campaign-announced — itemized BOE disclosure data not yet independently reviewed. No Blakeman July numbers announced as of this run.

Jul 9, 2026

1
PIX11TIER 2High

Blakeman releases minute-long AI "deepfake Hochul" ad; defends it as satire

Blakeman posted a minute-long ad July 7 featuring an AI-generated Kathy Hochul delivering a fictional "confession" about taxes, tolls and bail, with a small "AI" label in the corner. He defended it July 9 on NY1 as satire exempt from New York's AI-disclosure rules for political ads. Hochul's campaign called him "Bruce (Deep) Fakeman" and the ads "fake."

Jul 8, 2026

2
amNewYorkTIER 2High

Hochul and Mamdani roll out $882M "Next Stop" bus plan; free buses not included

Hochul and Mayor Mamdani jointly announced the ~$882M "Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service" plan July 8: 20% faster buses on 50 priority corridors (up to 6 minutes saved per trip), bus-mounted lane-enforcement cameras on 25 more routes plus 200 roadside cameras, and an MTA commitment to all-door boarding. The plan omits Mamdani's campaign pledge of fare-free buses; both sides remain publicly at odds on fares (City & State, Jul 14).

Jul 2, 2026

2

Jul 1, 2026

1

Jun 25, 2026

1

Jun 24, 2026

1

Jun 23, 2026

2

Jun 15, 2026

1

Jun 8, 2026

2

Jun 4, 2026

1

Jun 1, 2026

1

May 29, 2026

1

May 15, 2026

1

May 1, 2026

1

Mar 3, 2026

1

Feb 5, 2026

1

Dec 19, 2025

1

Oct 30, 2025

1

May 1, 2025

1

Apr 15, 2025

1

Jan 15, 2025

1

Nov 14, 2024

1