Democrats

The New York Times reports: Since lifting the private employer vaccine requirement for professional athletes and performers based in New York City on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams has drawn the ire of city employees, their unions and others who still must adhere to the mandate or lose their jobs. The Police Benevolent Association, the largest police union in the city, …

Axios reports: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Friday that he will vote in support of confirming Ketanji Brown Jackson to be a Supreme Court justice. Manchin’s support essentially guarantees Jackson’s confirmation to the court. What he’s saying: “After meeting with [Jackson], considering her record, and closely monitoring her testimony and questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I have …

The New York Daily News reports: The private-sector vaccine mandate that has benched Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving for home games — and would have kept Aaron Judge and other key members of the Yankees and Mets from taking the field in New York City — will be lifted, sources said. Mayor Adams plans to rescind the restriction for performers …

CNN reports: Madeleine Albright, the first woman US secretary of state, who helped steer Western foreign policy in the aftermath of the Cold War, has died. She was 84 years old. Her death was confirmed in an email to staff of the Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm founded by Albright. From the State Department: Albright is the first …

The New York Daily News reports: A Staten Island pastor who once equated homosexuality to pedophilia was removed from Mayor Adams’ education policy panel within hours of being hired Tuesday after the Daily News exposed her anti-gay track record. Rev. Kathlyn Barrett-Layne was announced Tuesday afternoon as one of Adams’ nine picks to the Panel for Educational Policy, which serves …

Florida Politics reports: The Florida Democratic Party late Tuesday announced it has postponed the annual Leadership Blue conference after numerous members threatened to boycott the weekend-long event. The party received fierce pushback from its LGBTQ+ Caucus in light of The Walt Disney Company’s prior financial contributions to lawmakers who sponsored a controversial bill, HB 1557, which critics have dubbed the …

The Huffington Post reports: Hillary Clinton has tested positive for COVID-19, she announced Tuesday on Twitter. The former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate said she has “mild cold symptoms but is otherwise “feeling fine,” adding she’s grateful for the protection from the COVID-19 vaccine. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, has tested negative and has no symptoms, …

NBC News reports: Florida’s Democratic Party is under fire from its LGBTQ caucus and a top gubernatorial candidate who want it to cancel its annual fundraiser at Disney World because they believe the company did too little to stop legislation to prohibit schools from teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity. Adding to the conflict: The party sent out an …

Florida Politics reports: Now even Mickey Mouse might be rooting for Charlie Crist to get to the Governor’s Mansion. Crist’s campaign announced Tuesday that the former Governor had received the endorsement of the Lakeland-based United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1625. UFCW 1625 represents 15,000 workers, including 6,000 health care workers and 5,000 local Disney employees. In its endorsement, union …

Politico reports: Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo continued his attempt at a comeback tour Thursday, laying out his own state budget priorities even though he’s out of office and denouncing what he continues to call a cancel culture that led him to resign in August amid sexual harassment allegations. Cuomo gave an address and answered questions from the crowd for an …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Stacey Abrams may be running again to be Governor of Georgia, but the avowed Star Trek fan makes a pretty good President of United Earth in the 32nd century, as was proven in the Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 finale that launched today. “Nothing to discuss,” she says to Federation President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) right near …

Politico reports: Mayor Eric Adams rolled out a controversial new NYPD unit Wednesday dedicated to getting guns off the streets, fulfilling a campaign pledge to revamp and revive a team that was disbanded over concerns about police brutality.  Adams welcomed the new anti-gun unit at the city’s Police Academy in Queens — vowing not to repeat the mistakes of the …

The New York Daily News reports: Mayor Adams waxed poetic about cryptocurrencies during a visit to Miami on Tuesday, touting the non-government-backed currencies as an antidote to “historical inequalities” in the U.S. economy. Adams, a vocal crypto booster who promised last year to convert his first three City Hall paychecks into Bitcoin and Ethereum, offered the effusive praise while attending …

CNBC reports: Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering a run against his replacement and fellow Democrat, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as part of an attempt at a comeback after resigning in disgrace amid multiple accusations of sexual harassment by former aides, according to people familiar with the matter. Cuomo, who reluctantly left office last year after denying the harassment …

The Daily Beast reports: Joe Biden doesn’t get Kyrsten Sinema and she doesn’t get him back. That appears to be the major takeaway from a new book billed as the first major account of the Biden administration.  Snippets from This Will Not Pass, from New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns, include that the Democratic Arizona senator was …

The Hill reports: Hillary Clinton is delivering an acceptance speech-style response after being sanctioned by Russia, mocking the country’s leaders by thanking them for the “lifetime achievement award.” The former secretary of State was one of several high-profile political figures that the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it would sanction, including President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Russian …

Gothamist reports: New York lawmakers are pushing back against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to allow restaurants and bars to serve cocktails with takeout and delivery orders. Neither of the legislative budget plans included what Hochul recently called “the most popular item in (her) budget.” The liquor store lobby raised concern over the measure and has not been afraid of letting …

The Washington Post reports: Former president Barack Obama said Sunday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, noting that his symptoms appeared mild so far. “I just tested positive for COVID,” Obama said on Twitter. “I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and …

Florida Politics reports: As Disney withers criticism from the left and right over a controversial Florida education bill, California’s Governor offered a solution. “Disney, the door is open to bring those jobs back to California — the state that actually represents the values of your workers,” tweeted California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The wooing comes less than a year after Disney …

Politico reports: California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recall opponents have opted out of a second round. Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s camp confirmed to POLITICO on Thursday that Faulconer would not contest Newsom’s reelection. With that, every high-profile Republican who ran to replace Newsom in last year’s recall has bowed out of the 2022 contest. Conservative talk show and top …