{"id":22717,"date":"2026-05-14T21:17:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:17:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/bruce-blakemans-solar-phase\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T21:17:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:17:06","slug":"bruce-blakemans-solar-phase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/bruce-blakemans-solar-phase\/","title":{"rendered":"Bruce Blakeman\u2019s solar phase"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Republican<\/p>\n

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 44<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN:<\/b> Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has made questioning the state\u2019s commitment to green energy a key plank of his gubernatorial platform.<\/p>\n

Not so long ago, he had an entirely different focus. Back in 2017, the Republican served as a green energy company executive who was seeking a multibillion dollar federal contract to build a border wall comprised of solar panels.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing about it is we could sell the energy to Mexico,\u201d Blakeman said at the time during an appearance on Fox News<\/a>. \u201cSo in fact, they would be paying for the wall. It\u2019s a win, win, win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blakeman created Sustainable Technology LLC soon after President Donald Trump\u2019s 2017 inauguration and quickly began promoting the idea<\/a> of having the government pay a private company to build the promised wall along the Mexican border.<\/p>\n

His pitch? The months-old company would be the perfect vehicle to manage the massive construction project thanks to its unique steel mesh design: \u201cYou can see through it,\u201d Blakeman said of his 30-foot tall wall. \u201cThere\u2019s no graffiti that can be put on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plan also involved the feds guaranteeing the bonds needed to fund Blakeman\u2019s barrier building. The company, his thinking went, would then sell around $120 million of energy annually and that would cover \u201cbetween a third and a half of the price.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump wound up briefly flirting with the idea<\/a> of a solar wall. \u201cThe rumor is, he saw us on [Fox News] and he saw our design and he started talking about it as a viable idea. I don\u2019t know that to be a fact, but that is the rumor,\u201d Blakeman said on Fox Business<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSolar wall, panels, beautiful,\u201d Trump said at a rally 10 days later<\/a>. \u201cPretty good imagination, right? My idea,\u201d he said while pointing to himself.<\/p>\n

These days, Blakeman is a much less aggressive proponent of solar power \u2014 at least in the state he\u2019s hoping to govern.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur carbon footprint is miniscule compared to the rest of the world, here in New York state,\u201d he said in Albany last week. \u201cWhen you look at the cost-benefit analysis, you don\u2019t get the return from green energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long Island environmentalists say it\u2019s \u201cbizarre\u201d to hear Blakeman\u2019s attacks on solar power after a tenure in town and county government when he was largely silent on the issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are solar panels all across the county he serves,\u201d Citizens Campaign for the Environment\u2019s Adrienne Esposito said. \u201cThirty years ago, we were working with groups across Long Island to get 1,000 homes to have solar roofs. Today, it\u2019s like one out of every 10 homes has solar panels. So its success is growing and it\u2019s been widely embraced by members of the public and businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a visit to Schoharie County last month, Blakeman criticized state efforts to install solar panels in rural neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere in New York, it doesn\u2019t make any sense,\u201d he said, pointing to the fact that the panels are occasionally covered in snow. \u201cThis is a scam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, he doesn\u2019t oppose it everywhere \u2014 and specifically pointed to a \u201cbeautiful state\u201d on the border.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a big proponent of solar energy. I think it\u2019s great in Arizona,\u201d Blakeman said in Schoharie. \u201cWhen you have 350 days a year of sunshine and the mean average temperature\u2019s about 80 degrees all year long, yeah, it makes sense there.\u201d \u2014 Bill Mahoney<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

From the Capitol<\/h3>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

TAXING TIMES:<\/b> New York lawmakers are weighing a statewide tax on cash real estate purchases, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s office confirmed.<\/p>\n

It’s not clear how the tax would be structured or what dollar amount would trigger it. The discussion is being held as state officials are poised to grant a similar tax for New York City.<\/p>\n

The proposal was panned by the Real Estate Board of New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew Yorkers are already the most heavily taxed residents in the country, and the City’s budget issues will not be solved by more taxes,\u201d said the group\u2019s president, James Whelan. \u201cOn the back of $500 million in a new second-home tax, putting even more costs on home buyers and sellers will further discourage transactions and threaten existing revenue collected by the State, City, and MTA.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more from Blue Light News Pro\u2019s Nick Reisman<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

STICKER SHOCK: <\/b>Democratic socialist congressional candidate Chuck Park seems to be a fan of the work of someone else running for Congress: upstate GOP contender Anthony Constantino.<\/p>\n

Park, the lefty challenger for Rep. Grace Meng\u2019s Queens seat, has spent $3,180 \u2014 across 15 disbursements \u2014 on campaign materials from Sticker Mule, the sprawling sticker and printing business owned by Constantino. The irreverent Republican is locked in his own primary battle with Assemblymember Robert Smullen for Rep. Elise Stefanik\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n

Constantino is a rapper, former boxer and massive pro-Trump sign owner who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

When Playbook asked Park if he had a comment on his campaign\u2019s Sticker Mule spending habits, he attacked his opponent and the support she receives from a pro-Israel PAC.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy opponent is taking hundreds of thousands in donations from AIPAC and weapons makers, but we can talk about where I buy stickers for volunteers,\u201d Park said. \u201cI’d be happy to compare my campaign’s finances with Rep. Meng’s at a debate.”<\/p>\n

Meng\u2019s campaign declined to respond to Park\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n

Financial records related to Park\u2019s run for Congress \u2014 or lack thereof \u2014 also made headlines today for a different reason. City & State reported this morning<\/a> that Park is four months late on filing his personal financial disclosure form. \u2014<\/i><\/b> Jason Beeferman<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

PIED-A-RETURN: <\/b>Democratic state lawmakers aren’t finished discussing an annual surcharge on luxury second homes outside of New York City.<\/p>\n

The statewide proposal, initially championed by Albany state Sen. Pat Fahy, was excised from state budget talks, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters this week.<\/p>\n

But Assembly Democrats were told recently in a closed-door meeting that the matter may resurface next year after it’s reviewed by state tax officials, according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversation.<\/p>\n

Read more from Blue Light News Pro\u2019s Nick Reisman<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL<\/h3>\n

\"Jack<\/p>\n

SLEEPY SCHLOSSBERG:<\/b> Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg spent the day defending himself after The New York Times published a deep dive<\/a> into his campaign\u2019s internal operations.<\/p>\n

The paper reported that Schlossberg\u2019s campaign has experienced extremely high turnover \u2014 something we\u2019ve covered at length<\/a> in this newsletter \u2014 and that Schlossberg opted to take a nap or not show up during key campaign calls, the Times reported.<\/p>\n

Schlossberg also pulled out of a Working Families Party candidate interview<\/a> in January and at least one candidate debate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In response to the piece, Schlossberg fired off posts on X in an apparent attempt to defend himself. In one, he posted a photo of himself<\/a> where he appears to be sleeping. \u201cNeeded a quick nap !!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Schlossberg went on CNN<\/a> today too, telling the network\u2019s host Dana Bash: \u201cOnce you\u2019re declared the frontrunner, and early voting starts in less than a month, everyone\u2019s got something to say,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople are trying to figure out how our campaign has been so successful. \u2014 Jason Beeferman<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

IN OTHER NEWS<\/h3>\n

\u2014 \u2018BETTER WHEN DEAD\u2019:<\/b> Congressional candidate Alex Bores\u2019 father wished death on Zionists and justified the bombing of a child in a screed of online posts. (Jewish Insider<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 GUESSING GAME:<\/b> Inconsistent market valuations for luxury New York City homes are muddying efforts to determine which properties will be targeted under Hochul\u2019s proposed second-homes tax. (The New York Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 BIG PRICETAG:<\/b> Erie County is directing most of its $29 million surplus to a $21 million civil rights settlement, and the county attorney is waving off questions from lawmakers. (Buffalo News<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Missed this morning\u2019s New York Playbook? We forgive you. <\/b>Read it here<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 44 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has made questioning the state\u2019s commitment to green energy a key plank of his gubernatorial platform. Not so long ago, he had an entirely different focus. Back in 2017, the Republican served as a green energy company executive who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}