Tag Archives: New York state

Gothamist reports: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing steep fines for stores selling weed without a license. The move comes as pressure builds to crack down on unlicensed cannabis shops – something other city and state officials have struggled to do effectively. The governor introduced legislation in Albany Wednesday that would clarify and expand the authority of the state …

Law & Crime reports: A Manhattan judge held firm on plans for a trial this autumn in the $250 million lawsuit accusing former President Donald Trump, his adult children and his business of fraud. “This case is complex, but it’s not complicated,” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron declared in court on Tuesday. “It all boils down to whether the …

The Buffalo News reports: A federal appellate court Monday rejected the appeal of a fired account clerk who lost his job in 2018 for refusing to attend a mandatory workplace LGBTQ training session that he said conflicted with his religious beliefs. Raymond Zdunski sued seeking reinstatement, back pay and $10 million in damages, but a district court dismissed his lawsuit …

Buffalo’s ABC affiliate reports: The Diocese of Buffalo placed Monsignor Peter J. Popadick on leave for the second time Wednesday, after previously allowing the priest to return to ministry. In a statement, a spokesperson for the diocese wrote that Popadick was placed on administrative leave after it received a child sexual abuse complaint. Popadick serves as the pastor of St. …

NBC News reports: Democrats are in a New York state of mind when it comes to the battle for the House, with outside groups signaling this week that they’ll be targeting freshman New York Republicans in competitive seats. Democrats need a net gain of just five seats to win the House majority next year, and six New York Republicans represent …

Just in via press release: New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement after the Appellate Division, First Department ruled in favor of Attorney General James and upheld a ruling ordering Donald Trump to pay a $110,000 fine to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) after he was found in contempt of court for his refusal to …

Gothamist reports: New York City’s top transportation official on Tuesday urged state lawmakers to pass a bill lowering the state’s DWI limit to .05, saying the state has historically been too slow to act on drunken driving laws. Ydanis Rodriguez, commissioner of the city Department of Transportation, reiterated Mayor Eric Adams’ support of the measure during a news conference at …

Buffalo’s NBC affiliate reports: A principal at a parochial school in Genesee County is accused of sexually abusing a child when he was a teacher several years ago. A Grand Jury indictment unsealed Monday says Jason R. Clark “engaged in two or more acts of sexual conduct with a child less than eleven years old.” At the time of the …

CBS News reports: Trump sat for questioning under oath on Aug. 10, and the video shows him politely answering the opening questions from state Attorney General Letitia James. But as the questioning about his finances began in earnest, the former president—and now candidate for that same office—invoked the Fifth Amendment and continued to do so for nearly four hours. “This …

The Insider reports: Donald Trump, his real-estate company and his three eldest children have filed an extraordinary, nose-thumbing response to the $250 million fraud lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James in September, stating that “Trump Organization” is branding shorthand — not a legal entity — so it can’t be sued. “To the extent a response is required, …

New York City’s CBS affiliate reports: Nassau County legislator Joshua Lafazan will introduce new measures Wednesday to prevent candidates who lie about their qualifications from running for Congress in the future. It will be called the G.E.O.R.G.E. package, which stands for “Get Egregious Officials Removed from Government Elections.” Lafazan says the series of laws would make background checks mandatory for …

The Guardian reports: A financial fraudster who lured students at an elite New York liberal arts college into a cult-like world of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse was sentenced on Friday to 60 years in federal prison. Larry Ray, born Lawrence Grecco, was found guilty in April of sex trafficking and racketeering, among other related charges, stemming from the psychological …

ABC News reports: Less than a day after receiving a warning from a federal judge, former President Donald Trump has withdrawn his lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James. The withdrawal came in a brief document filed Friday morning with U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks, who late Thursday warned Trump’s legal team that the lawsuit appeared to verge on …

The Mid Hudson News reports: A lawsuit filed in Dutchess County Supreme Court under the New York State Adult Survivor’s Act (ASA) accuses the Hyde Park Baptist Church of intentional and negligent acts that resulted in the plaintiff, Shielagh Clark, being a victim of sexual abuse carried out by the church’s former pastor, Jonathan Alan Weaver. Clark alleges that in …

The New York Times reports: A former upstate New York election official pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal identity theft charges arising from his fraudulent use of voters’ personal information to apply for a dozen absentee ballots in 2021. In entering his plea in U.S. District Court in Albany, the former official, Jason Schofield, admitted to requesting the bogus ballots …

Reuters reports: New York Republicans on Wednesday called for the resignation of “disgraced” newly elected U.S. Representative George Santos, following revelations he fabricated much of his resume and life story during his campaign. They made the call in a news conference two days after a nonpartisan watchdog accused Santos of breaking campaign finance laws in a filing with the Federal …

CNBC reports: New York AG Letitia James sued former Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky on Thursday, alleging that Mashinsky defrauded hundreds of thousands of investors out of billions of dollars at the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange. Mashinsky publicly assured his customers that investing with Celsius was both safer and more lucrative than leaving their investments in a traditional bank. At one …

Gothamist reports: New York’s bid to award up to three licenses for full-fledged casinos advanced on Tuesday after officials unanimously voted to formally solicit applications, with an asking price of $500 million for each license. The latest round of solicitation for licenses has generated interest from Thor Equities, which has partnered with Saratoga Casino Holdings, the Chickasaw Nation and Legends …

The Guardian reports: Buffalo residents gathered around space heaters, hunted for cars buried in snow drifts and looked for more victims on Monday, after 28 people died in one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit western New York state. Up to 12 inches more snow could fall in some areas of western New York through Tuesday, the National …

The Hill reports: President Biden spoke by phone with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Monday and offered federal assistance as New York deals with a massive winter storm that has claimed more than two dozen lives. Biden offered federal help to address the impacts of the “historic winter storm,” the White House said, adding he’s directed officials to …