Politics

Adams, Cuomo, Mamdani and Sliwa pay their respects

Published

11 months ago

July 31, 2025

With help from Amira McKee

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch delivered remarks at the funeral for NYPD Officer Didarul Islam in the Bronx, one of the victims killed in Monday's mass shooting in Manhattan, on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

IN MEMORIAM: Five candidates running for New York City mayor — as well as hundreds of NYPD officers — paid their respects this afternoon to Didarul Islam, who died in uniform in Monday’s tragic mass shooting.

Mayor Eric Adams, Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent candidate Jim Walden all gathered at the Parkchester Jame Masjid, where Islam’s body lay.

The officer’s death became an instant political test for Mamdani, who was away on an 11-day vacation in Uganda at the time of the shooting. Cuomo drew attention to Mamdani’s anti-NYPD activism in the wake of the shooting. And within hours of his return to the U.S., Mamdani was pressed about his prior support for defunding the police and his call to disband the NYPD unit that responded to the shooting.

Aside from the mayoral hopefuls, Gov. Kathy Hochul and several other officials attended the funeral, including NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Attorney General Letitia James, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Council member Yusef Salaam, and Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Richie Torres.

Reporters were there to cover the memorial to the slain officer — and to carefully watch for signs of political differences between the candidates.

Adams eulogized Islam at the event and spoke of the pain of losing a loved one — but he made a point to thank the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, the elite police unit Mamdani has previously called to eliminate.

“I want to say thank you to the men and women of the New York City Police Department in general, but specifically to the men and women of SRG,” Adams said. “They entered the building while the shooter was still alive, and they conducted a floor-by-floor search. They wanted to ensure that everyone in that building would have come out safely.”

Mamdani said Monday he no longer supports defunding the police, but he also doubled down on eliminating the SRG. The unit is tasked with policing political demonstrations and has faced criticism from the New York Civil Liberties Union and others for its use of heavy-handed tactics.

Islam, a Bengali immigrant and father of two with a third child on the way, had been working as a security guard when a gunman armed with a military-style rifle entered a Park Avenue building and carried out the deadliest mass shooting in the city since 2000. The three-year NYPD veteran was in full uniform when he was murdered along with three others who perished that day.

Unlike the other candidates and officials there, Mamdani sat with Islam’s family during the service and was greeted by them upon his arrival. He also remained to join his fellow Muslims in prayer after the political speeches concluded, as other officials filed out.

While the intimate service was limited to family, friends and invited guests, hundreds of men and women, many in uniform, gathered on the surrounding blocks in the hours before the funeral, setting up food trucks and tents to eat and socialize. As the funeral began, police cleared the street outside the mosque to allow space for prayer.

“The residents of this city, indeed, this state, must show greater platitudes and gratitude for our police force, they have not received enough in years of late, in my opinion, and that must be rectified,” said Hochul, dressed in a black headscarf in line with Muslim tradition. “They need our support.” — Amira McKee and Jason Beeferman

Assemblymember Billy Jones is set to depart from his seat later this summer.

NORTH COUNTRY SPECIAL LOOMS: The impending resignation of Assemblymember Billy Jones will open up a potentially competitive special election in a North Country district that straddles the Quebec border.

Jones, who’s serving his fifth term, has been as secure in his seat as any rural Democrat in recent years. He’s run unopposed in three of his past four elections and won the other by 24 points.

That was due in part to his personal popularity, but the district is as competitive as can be on paper: There are 30,392 Democratic and Working Families Party members compared with 29,920 Republicans and Conservatives.

“Republicans, for the first time in a long time, have a real chance to win this one,” Essex County Conservative Party Chair Bill McGahay said.

Malone Mayor Andrea Dumas is among the Republicans being discussed as a candidate for the seat.

Several Democrats have expressed interest in running as well, and Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman is “gaining traction,” according to Clinton County Democratic Chair Brandi Lloyd.

“Democrats are definitely optimistic that this will hold,” Lloyd said. “We’re seeing a trend across the whole country — in rural areas as well — where seats are staying blue or flipping blue.”

Jones announced Tuesday that he’d be stepping down later this summer. Several people familiar with his plans said they expect his resignation will come at a time that would allow Hochul to call a special election that coincides with the Nov. 4 general. — Bill Mahoney

‘MY HEART IS BROKEN’: Hochul demanded today that Israel work with the United States to rectify deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza — a departure for a governor who counts herself as a staunch supporter of the Jewish state.

“Allowing innocent children to starve to death is simply unconscionable, and as a mother, my heart is broken by these images of famine,” Hochul said in a statement.

The reports of starvation that sparked the governor’s latest remarks have also motivated other New York Democrats who support Israel to speak out against the government. Hochul has been outspoken in her support in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, visiting Kfar Aza and advocating for the release of hostages taken by Hamas.

The tides of war abroad and politics at home have shifted significantly since then.

On Saturday, Reps. Jerry Nadler, Pat Ryan and Paul Tonko were among the moderate Democrats to sign a statement released by New York Attorney General Letitia James calling for immediate access to humanitarian aid in Gaza. Though Hochul was not a signatory on that statement, her recent remarks offer additional evidence there’s a consensus building among Democrats, who have been deeply divided on Israel.

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel this morning with plans to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visit an aid distribution site in Gaza, a move Hochul said she hopes will be a turning point for the crisis.

“Support for the people of Israel also requires us to demand that the Israeli government do what is right,” Hochul said. “At the same time, we must continue to demand that Hamas release all hostages and finally bring an end to this conflict. This humanitarian crisis has gone on for too long, and it is time to secure a lasting peace that protects the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians.” — Amira McKee

FREEZE THE FARE: With all the talk about freezing the rent, some New York Democrats are now pushing to freeze the fare.

The MTA announced Wednesday that it plans to hike subway fares, and electeds are saying the increase would be too much for New Yorkers to bear.

“Proposing a fare hike without demonstrating meaningful improvements is offensive to hard-working New Yorkers, and that’s why I’m urging all board appointees to vote no on this proposal,” Adams said, referring to the Senate-confirmed MTA body responsible for approving the plan. “We strongly oppose this fare increase and remain committed to fighting for a more affordable and equitable city.”

Under the transit authority’s proposed increases, the price of a subway ride would jump from $2.90 to $3. LIRR and Metro North tickets would spike up to 8 percent. And tolls for bridges and tunnels would increase 7.5 percent.

The MTA said the fare and toll changes “are small and occur at regular intervals to keep up with inflation and avoid surprising customers with unpredictable or double-digit increases.”

The hikes will need to be approved by the MTA board following a trio of public hearings in August, and would take effect in January 2025 if approved.

Mamdani, who ran an affordability-focused campaign, wants to persuade Albany to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations to make MTA buses free. The MTA so far has signaled opposition to the idea.

Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, the chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, is also railing against the hikes.

“At a time when the federal government is deriving new ways to crunch the middle class and siphon their hard-earned dollars, New York State must be clear that we will not add to the burden,” she said. “This proposed rate increase must be rejected, and I encourage all New Yorkers who are able and willing to make their concerns known to the MTA Board.”
— Jason Beeferman

Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a City Council measure that would decriminalize unlicensed street vending.

VETO, AGAIN: Mayor Adams vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized illegal street vending, a late Wednesday night surprise that shocked the City Council.

Existing criminal penalties are “an important enforcement tool,” Adams wrote in a brief veto message.

The bill was meant in part to protect street vendors — many of them immigrants — from deportation. The bill’s sponsor, Council Member Shekar Krishnan, was furious, saying in a statement that “Adams did Donald Trump’s bidding by vetoing my legislation that protects our immigrant small business owners.”

Adams spokesperson Zachary Nosanchuk denied the veto had anything to do with the mayor’s coordination with the Trump administration. Instead, he said the mayor was concerned the law would prevent the NYPD “from intervening, even in the most egregious cases.”

Adams’ stamp of disapproval came hours after he also vetoed the council’s decision that would have blocked a casino bid from moving forward in the East Bronx.

Speaker Adrienne Adams’ office has not yet said whether she’s planning to schedule votes to override the vetoes. — Jeff Coltin

— BIG ‘RIG’: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries bashed the Trump administration, accusing the president of attempting to “rig” Texas’ congressional map. (Daily News)

— FLOOD WATCH: Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island and parts of the Hudson Valley as the National Weather Service raised the region’s flash flooding risk. (Gothamist)

— ANOTHER SUBWAY MELTDOWN: The city’s beleaguered transit system continues to struggle after another system power outage this morning. (New York Post)

Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.

Politics

Pete Buttigeig says he was targeted by false abuse allegation in Michigan

Published

27 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he was kept apart from his two young children for 24 hours after someone made a false complaint about him to child protective services in Michigan.

In a Friday post to substack, Buttigieg said an anonymous caller who claimed to have met him several years ago at a conference in Alabama had reported him to CPS for committing “unspeakable violent crimes” and the caller believed his four-year-old twins were still at risk.

Buttigieg said the twins were placed with their grandparents’ and underwent a forensic interview as authorities investigated the allegations.

“For twenty-four deeply distressing hours, we had no idea what I was accused of or what was about to happen,” Buttigieg wrote. “We could not understand someone abusing the system like this in order to hurt me and my family with an absurd and easily refuted allegation of a horrific crime.”

Michigan State Police confirmed in response to questions about the Substack post that they had responded to an anonymous report this week, which they determined to be false.

“False reports are dangerous and divert law enforcement officers and Child Protective Services workers from responding to legitimate emergencies and protecting vulnerable children and families,” Shanon Banner, spokesperson for the state police, said in a statement.

Despite the conclusion that the report was false, Buttigieg said he was told it would “take a bit longer” before the case is officially closed. A spokesperson for the former Cabinet secretary referred questions to the state police.

Buttigieg pointed out that it is a crime to file a false report, adding that “if there is any way to press civil or criminal charges over this, we will.”

Buttigieg, who formerly served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and ran for president in 2020, called the false report “the ugliest thing that has happened to me since my career in service began.”

“I cannot describe the mix of rage and sadness that I feel at the idea that someone brought our children into this. They are four years old. Four. They do not know or care what a Democrat or a Republican is,” he said. “For God’s sake, they are just kids.”

Politics

The World Cup game the White House cares most about today

Published

27 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

SEATTLE — Iran faces off against Egypt tonight in a match that will have wide-ranging implications for the nation and its U.S. hosts, just hours after the American military conducted a strike in response to an Iranian attack on a commercial ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

As the Washington-Tehran ceasefire frays, a draw tonight in Seattle would help set up a situation where Iran plays its potential next two games at a Canadian stadium, rather than again in the United States, a scenario that would offer the Trump administration a two-week reprieve from the complicated task of trying to host a tournament while imposing unique travel restrictions on just one of the 48 competitors.

The Iranian Football Federation decided to move its base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, amid concerns that the U.S. could not ensure its security. The State Department did not extend visas to Iran’s full delegation, including government officials and support staff, and limited the team’s players and coach to arrival within 24 hours of kickoff. The Department of Homeland Security relaxed those rules this week, allowing Iran’s team to spend two nights in Seattle before today’s match, although several players complained they were held for extended questioning upon arrival.

“Undoubtedly, the fact that the management and administrative staff could not accompany the team has negatively affected the players’ peace of mind and further complicated the national team’s work,” Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, told Blue Light News. “Despite these difficulties, the Iranian team has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to stay focused and perform at the highest level, even under adverse circumstances. The professionalism shown by the players and coaching staff in the face of these challenges has been paramount, and the results achieved clearly reflect that reality.”

“Any measure that facilitates athletes’ participation and competition on equal terms is a positive step,” Pasandideh said of the Trump administration’s relaxed travel rules for the Iran team.

Nonetheless the World Cup’s one cross-border commuter squad sits on the precipice of advancing to the knockout rounds depending on tonight’s results and an impenetrably complicated formula that FIFA tournament organizers are using for the first time.

“The White House FIFA Task Force has prepared for and is aware of all potential scenarios involving 32 teams that will move into the knockout rounds and will advance from there,” said White House spokesperson Davis Ingle.

There are, according to The Athletic’s invaluable World Cup tracker, 625 plausible scoring combinations between the two final Group G matches that will take place concurrently tonight — Iran’s encounter with Egypt, and Belgium’s against New Zealand in Vancouver.

In 21 percent of those situations, according to The Athletic, an Iranian draw against Egypt would set the team on a path to play its next two matches in Vancouver: on July 2 against Switzerland, and then potentially again there five days later.

That would shift responsibility for managing Iran’s travel arrangements from the U.S. to Canada, whose Prime Minister Mark Carney said yesterday that he would like to restore diplomatic relations with Iran after 14 years of suspension. (Ironically, it is Switzerland that has served as a “protecting power” for Iranian interests with both the U.S. and Canada in the absence of direct connections between those governments.

In other scenarios, including any that involve an Iranian win tonight, the country would play its subsequent matches in Dallas or Seattle. The last path, which The Athletic estimates as a 18 percent probability, would set up the most geopolitically fraught face-off of all: a U.S.-Iran match July 6.

“We have reiterated on numerous occasions that we have no issue with the American people,” Pasandideh said. “Our disagreement lies with the hostile policies that the United States government has implemented against the Iranian people.”

If the Trump administration kept its current travel rules in place, that would mean Iran’s team would touch down on American soil on the 250th anniversary of the United States — a fitting culmination for the first World Cup to begin with a host country at war with a competitor.

Politics

A ‘pride match’ between Iran and Egypt — and Washington state’s gay leaders couldn’t be happier about it

Published

2 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

SEATTLE — On Thursday, the Washington state House speaker and its Senate president — likely the country’s first-ever pairing of openly gay state capital legislative leaders — met to strategize with progressive campaigners against a pair of conservative-backed ballot initiatives that would impose new rules on transgender children in schools and sports.

To defeat the measures, the campaign will have to convince voters beyond Seattle’s progressive enclaves to accept their arguments about privacy, liberty and acceptance.

But on Friday, Washington’s LGBTQ+ leaders were thinking about how they might address an even more hard-to-reach constituency: citizens of Egypt and Iran, whose governments criminalize homosexuality but have seen their national teams paired through a scheduling quirk in the World Cup’s only official “Pride Match.”

Members of Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee set out to make the June 26 game a showcase of the city’s inclusivity before a random draw ensured two of the world’s most repressive states toward sexual minorities would take the field. While FIFA has banned critics of the regime in Tehran from flying the country’s pre-revolutionary flag (under rules prohibiting the display of political symbols), soccer’s governing body hassaid it will permit rainbow flags over objections from Iranian and Egyptian soccer officials.

“How many opportunities do you have to get positive messages about happy queer people beamed into Iran and Egypt?” said state Senate President Jamie Pedersen. “I don’t think there’s going to be any way for people who are watching the game and seeing images of the stands to be able to avoid the fact that there’s going to be a huge contingent of rainbow flags waving.”

Pedersen and House Speaker Laurie Jinkins have known each other since the 1990s, when they first worked together on a failed campaign to pass a statewide non-discrimination law. Both were subsequently elected to the legislature — she from Tacoma, he from a Seattle district encompassing Capitol Hill, the traditional seat of gay power — and rose to lead Democratic majorities in their respective chambers. Along the way they became friends, attending each other’s marriages and raising children in parallel.

Now they are collaborating with the No Hate in WA State campaign to defeat two separate initiatives that will appear on the November ballot after the two leaders refused to take them up in their legislative chambers. One,characterized as a parents-rights measure, would allow parents to opt out of classes related to sexual education or gender diversity and compel educators to notify parents if their children request medical attention. Aseparate measure would “prohibit biologically male students from competing with and against female students” in interscholastic sports, and require girls to receive a medical examination confirming their biological sex.

Both Pedersen and Jinkins said they expected to build on the coalition that helped enshrine gay and lesbian rights at the ballot, first bypassing a domestic-partnership regime in 2009 and then three years later by approving a same-sex marriage law that had passed the legislature before facing a citizen’s-veto threat. (Let’s Go Washington, the campaign committee organized to pass the two transgender-related initiatives this year, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

“What we saw, going back to the 1980s and 1990s, is people didn’t think they knew anyone who was gay or lesbian. Once they started to realize they knew people, that started changing opinions dramatically,” said Jinkins. “It stopped the other side from being able to use stereotypes to characterize us.”

In interviews Friday morning, both of the legislative leaders cast the day’s unusual Pride matchup — and its likelihood for friction with soccer fans in Seattle’s streets — as a healthy development for the state’s LGBTQ+ community.

“That’s one of the best things about the World Cup, some of the exposure that different communities are having to one another,” said Jinkins. “It’s not just Iranian and Egyptian fans learning about Pride, it’s us learning about Iranian and Egyptian culture and thought.”

Neither, however, planned to attend the match itself despite receiving invitations to do so. Jinkins said she would likely visit a “fan zone” watch party being hosted by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians at its administrative headquarters in her Tacoma district. Pedersen, who concedes he is “not a sports fan,” was scheduled to participate in a Trans Pride event in Capitol Hill, the historic heart of gay Seattle where he is deep in an aggressive reelection campaign against a challenger to his left.

“I feel bad when I take up the ticket for something where there is a lot of demand,” Pedersen said. “People who really enjoy it should be having this experience, and probably not me.”