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Wires Still Crossed: Shorting Out? Two Declare Victory As New Council Speaker

December 16, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
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City Council members Adrienne Adams and Francisco Moya both claimed victory Tuesday as Speaker; the most powerful NYC political position behind the Mayor.

In a strange twist in the months-long, behind closed doors,  both Queens Democrats announced their “victory” within an hour. Ms. Adams shot off the first salvo, claiming in a press release that she secured the votes to win (the Speaker must get at least 26 of the 51 Councilmembers’ votes).

Was it to control the narrative? Or did she actually have enough votes? Moya added to the confusion by Tweeting he’d secured the “win” just an hour later, adding to the pile of questions.

Ironically, Moya got blowback from fellow Councilmembers last week when he bragged that he had the votes to win to curry favor, with some saying “they got played.” Will Adrienne Adams face the same feedback?

Adrienne seems to have more concrete support…just a day before, four other candidates for the job threw their support behind her, the Daily News reports, along with two major labor unions.

Neither winner would disclose whose votes they actually secured. And, of course, neither have actually won, because the Councilmembers have to publicly cast their votes in January.

The Council Speaker battle also puts a spotlight on Mayor-elect Eric Adams

Sources say Eric Adams and his circle has been heavily pushing for Moya to win. It could lead to some contention between the Mayor and Speaker if Eric’s perceived choice doesn’t win, Council insiders say.

Eric has said he’s more than willing to work with either. But if Moya wins, it would be another major victory for the Mayor-elect. Although Eric hasn’t officially nor publicly weighed his thumb on the scale, this race shows that it’s all about perception.

Eric Adams turns heads, wins praise naming first woman NYPD commissioner

Where Blue Wall meets Glass Ceiling: The Mayor-elect just appointed Nassau County Chief of Detectives Keechant Sewell as NYC’s next Police Commissioner — the first woman to lead America’s largest police department in history.

With crime rates still soaring ever since the pandemic, and Adams (who had served on the force for over two decades) making  crime a centerpiece of his agenda, it’s one of the most significant appointments to date, and will play a big role in NYC’s recovery when current Commish Dermot Shea steps down. Regardless, pols are cheering for this shattered glass ceiling.

Yet as Bloomberg reports, Adams has been slow to name key members of his admin (which will take over Jan. 1.). Just over two weeks away, Adams has only announced one other major appointment: David Banks, a long time educator, as the next Schools Commissioner.

Evan Thieves, Adams’ spokesperson, said “there will be announcements every day this week.” And midnight appointments are nothing new.

Will de Blasio make up his mind? He’s “very seriously considering” running for Governor now 

In a fundraising email yesterday, the Mayor said he’s seriously considering a run in the gubernatorial race. The race is crowded (and current Gov. Hochul has a massive lead in the polls), but some sources speculate that the ever-optimistic Mayor thinks he has a fighting chance — if he ever actually enters — with NY AG Tish James dropping out to re-run for her current role.

‘WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN?’

Back in the heyday of TV westerns, the Lone Ranger roped in the bad guys, then rode off into the sunset. Bystanders asked, in admiration: “Who WAS that masked man?”

Now people are asking “Am I Supposed to be that masked man/woman?”

Kathy Wylde, executive director of the pro-business Partnership for New York City, said that NY biz owners are all “confused” by the Governor’s order, which went into effect Monday, requiring any business that doesn’t have a vaccination policy to have all wear masks while indoors.

As the NY Post reported, vaccinated hedge funders and bankers were dismayed by having to don masks in the office.

Meanwhile, some Democrats are changing their tune as we enter the third year of the pandemic, Politico reports. The Nassau County Executive has said he’ll refuse to obey Hochul’s mandate. Nationally, at the Democratic Governors Association’s meeting this week, Dem Governors and strategists acknowledged they need to balance public safety with pandemic fatigue to maintain votes.

Overheard at a coffee shop in Brooklyn Heights, as customer exits:

“Dammit, I left my mask on the seat in the booth ….I’m not putting that back on my face!”

STILL A POLITICAL FOOTBALL:

It’s a marked turn from the summer, where The Hill reported that Governors fully embraced COVID mandates to distinguish themselves from GOP contenders, SOME OF WHOM  STILL  want full-fledged COVID denial.

The most marked turn was Dem Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who said this week that the emergency is “over ” and it’s the unvaxxed “own darn fault” if they get sick.

Meanwhile, ‘don’t cover up that beautiful smile…’

Colorado is facing a surge in virus cases and a shortage in hospital beds as the Guv. refuses to implement a mask mandate, Deseret News says

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