Bipartisan bill would make it easier for wrongfully convicted to present new evidence in court

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bipartisan bill would make it easier for Tennesseans convicted of a crime they say they didn't commit to present certain evidence in court that proves their innocence, among other changes to make the process more efficient.
Right now, Tennessee law only allows a person convicted of a crime to petition the court to reopen their post-conviction proceedings if there is new, scientific evidence proving their innocence, like DNA. There is no pathway for people convicted of a crime to petition the court if nonscientific evidence, like a video or new witness testimony, has been discovered.
A bill that would make changes to the process is sponsored by Republican Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) and Democratic Rep. Bob Freeman (D-Nashville).
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'The Tennessee Innocence Project brought to my attention the difficulties that people that have information that proves their innocence that is non-scientific, the difficulties those people have getting back in front of a judge, getting back into a court system and actually having their innocence proven in court,' Rep. Freeman said. 'If there was forensic data, scientific data, there is absolutely a mechanism through which they can bring that, but additional testimony, video, written evidence, that kind of stuff does not qualify.'
The bill would allow people convicted of a crime to petition for nonscientific evidence to be presented in a hearing.
In addition, the bill also 'evens the playing field for prosecutors,' according to Jason Gichner, the executive director of the Tennessee Innocence Project, by allowing prosecutors to file a petition with the court if they believe a person was wrongfully convicted. Gichner told News 2 while prosecutors have an ethical obligation to address wrongful convictions they come across, they currently don't have a procedural mechanism to bring these cases back into court. Many times, they have to let a defense attorney know if they believe someone is innocent and behind bars.
Finally, the bill creates a 'free-standing innocence petition' to make the process easier and more efficient.
'It should not take 15 years to figure out if an innocent person is locked up for a crime committed by someone else,' Gichner wrote to News 2. 'If a person has objective evidence of innocence, never heard by a court before, they should get their day in court as soon as possible. This is not just better for the innocent person in prison, it is also much better for the victims who were denied real justice.'
Rep. Freeman said it makes sense to work on the bill with a Republican because he considers this to be a very bipartisan issue.
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'Having two people addressing this in a nonpartisan way allows it to be viewed in a nonpartisan way, and this is one of those things,' Rep. Freeman said. 'What's more important than making sure that the right people are serving time in jail for crimes they committed? This gives us an opportunity for those people to challenge that and come back out.'
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Time​ Magazine

28 minutes ago

• Time​ Magazine

Why Trump Has Had Enough of This Republican Congressman

'MAGA doesn't want him, doesn't know him, and doesn't respect him,' President Donald Trump wrote in a lengthy tirade against Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman from Kentucky who has criticized the President over a number of issues from war with Iran to the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. 'He is a negative force who almost always Votes 'NO,' no matter how good something may be. He's a simple minded 'grandstander' who thinks it's good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon, while at the same time yelling 'DEATH TO AMERICA' at every chance they get,' Trump posted on Sunday. He added: 'MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!' Massie responded with a tongue-in-cheek post on X that the President 'declared so much War on me today it should require an Act of Congress.' Massie joined last week with a number of Democratic lawmakers to raise the alarm over potential U.S. military intervention in the Middle East without constitutionally-mandated congressional authorization. While Massie won't face a reelection contest until 2026, Trump has already unveiled a plan to challenge him and further enforce loyalty within the GOP ranks. 'The good news is that we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I'll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard,' Trump added, without naming a prospective primary opponent. 'MAGA is not about lazy, grandstanding, nonproductive politicians, of which Thomas Massie is definitely one.' Massie, who is known for his outspoken libertarian views, has survived primary challenges before and told Axios, which reported on the effort to oust him, that 'any serious person considering running should spend money on an independent poll before letting swampy consultants take them for an embarrassing ride.' Who is Thomas Massie? Massie, 54, was born in West Virginia and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from MIT in the 1990s before turning to local politics in 2010, when he ran and won the race for Judge Executive of Lewis County, Ky., amid the Tea Party wave. In 2012, after then-Rep. Geoff Davis announced his retirement in Kentucky's deep-red 4th congressional district, Massie, who described himself as a 'constitutional conservative,' won the Republican primary in a landslide. When Davis resigned early, Massie won the same-day special election and general election to succeed him, taking office two months earlier than his fellow freshmen representatives elected in 2012. One of Massie's first moves was to vote in January 2013 against party leader John Boehner for Speaker, opting instead to vote for fellow libertarian Justin Amash. (Boehner narrowly won the speakership but would go on to resign in 2015. Amash would go on to not run for reelection in 2020 and temporarily leave the Republican Party after earning Trump's wrath for consistent criticism of the President and supporting his impeachment.) Since then, Massie has made a name for himself by regularly voting against bills, often breaking with his caucus and sometimes siding with Democrats. In 2013, Politico dubbed him 'Mr. No.' In 2016, Massie said he would vote for Trump but do everything he could to 'rein him in' if he acts unconstitutionally. In 2017, Massie tried to explain how the same movement that propelled him into office could also propel someone like Trump, telling the Washington Examiner: 'All this time, I thought they were voting for libertarian Republicans. But after some soul searching I realized when they voted for Rand and Ron [Paul] and me in these primaries, they weren't voting for libertarian ideas—they were voting for the craziest son of a b----- in the race. And Donald Trump won best in class.' During Trump's first term, Massie was among a small group of Republicans who joined Democrats in trying to override Trump's veto of legislation that would block his national emergency declaration at the border in 2019. That same year, he was the sole Republican to vote against a resolution opposing the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement targeting Israel, and he was the sole no-vote across both parties on the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. In March 2020, Trump called Massie a 'third rate Grandstander' and urged Republicans to throw him out of the party after the congressman tried to force a roll-call vote on a $2 trillion pandemic relief package. The stunt earned rebuke from both sides of the aisle, with former Democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State John Kerry posting on social media: 'Breaking news: Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an a--hole. He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity.' But in a U-turn, Trump endorsed Massie in 2022, calling him 'a first-rate Defender of the Constitution.' In 2022, Massie was the lone 'No' vote on a symbolic measure condemning antisemitism, a move he defended as a stance against 'censorship' but critics described as 'performative contrarianism.' Why Trump wants Massie out Massie was once again on Trump's bad side in 2023 when Trump shared posts on his Truth Social platform that called the congressman a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' and said he 'helped destroy the Tea Party and now he's trying to destroy MAGA.' That didn't stop Massie from endorsing Trump in the 2024 general election after previously backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary. But Trump finally had enough of Massie in March, when Massie voted against a continuing resolution to fund the federal government until September as Republicans worked to pass Trump's massive tax-and-spending legislative package, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' (OBBB). The President took to Truth Social to appeal for a primary candidate to challenge Massie in 2026: 'HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him. He's just another GRANDSTANDER, who's too much trouble, and not worth the fight. He reminds me of Liz Chaney [sic] before her historic, record breaking fall (loss!). The people of Kentucky won't stand for it, just watch. DO I HAVE ANY TAKERS???' Massie brushed off the criticism, telling Politico: 'I had the Trump antibodies for a while — I needed a booster.' He said at the time that he had no intention to cave to Trump's pressure and believed the President's grudge would 'blow over.' When Massie continued to voice loud opposition to the OBBB, which is estimated to add trillions to the national debt, Trump said of Massie in May: 'He doesn't understand government' and 'should be voted out of office.' The OBBB ultimately passed in the House in May, when Massie was one of two Republicans in the lower chamber to vote against it. It has yet to pass in the Senate, especially after Massie found a sympathizer to his concerns about the bill's impact on the deficit in tech billionaire Elon Musk. Trump's latest missive against Massie came as Massie has become a leading voice against military intervention in Iran. Days after Israel launched an attack on Iran, Massie cosponsored a war powers resolution with Rep. Ro Khanna (D, Calif.) aimed at blocking the U.S. government from engaging in 'unauthorized hostilities.' After Trump revealed U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Massie posted on X: 'This is not Constitutional.' While some have categorized Massie's wing of the MAGA base when it comes to the war as 'isolationists,' Massie told CBS on Sunday that he rejects the label, preferring 'non-interventionists.' 'We are exhausted,' he said. 'We are tired from all of these wars.' How is Trump planning to beat Massie? Trump is dedicating campaign firepower to oust Massie. Axios reported that Trump's senior political advisers, Tony Fabrizio and Chris LaCivita, will launch a political action committee devoted to defeating Massie in the May 2026 primary. LaCivita said the PAC will spend 'whatever it takes' to defeat Massie, who according to the team's internal polling was lagging behind the President in terms of support. As of now, only one candidate, Niki Lee Ethington, has announced that she will vie for Massie's congressional seat. Other names being floated, per Axios, are state senator Aaron Reed and state representative Kimberly Moser. 'Massie's long-time opposition to President Trump's working family tax cuts—and really anything to do with President Trump—is coming to an end,' LaCivita said in a statement. 'Thomas 'Little Boy' Massie will be fired.'

Politico

an hour ago

• Politico

Newspaper death and taxes

Good Monday morning! The U.S. bombed Iran, and it's hard to start any newsletter without a nod to the nation's possible entanglement in a Middle East war whose justification involves the threat of weapons of mass destruction. But here in New Jersey we're focused on the budget. There are no budget committee meetings scheduled for today in either house, and so far not for this week. But there will have to be. Right now, it's looking like budget committees will meet Tuesday — one week before the budget is due. So we're all waiting to find out what will happen to several proposed tax increases. Of course, the budget will be accompanied by all kinds of other legislation, some of it likely controversial. And one of those bills, while sounding boring, is very important: the law on publishing legal notices. And we finally have some clarity on that. Senate President Nick Scutari on Friday introduced legislation that would cut the news media out of any mandated role in publishing legal notices for public entities. They'd be required to host the notices on their own websites by March. However, legal notices from individuals and companies — say, a notice of a person's name change — would still be required to be published in a news publication. Bills like this typically change before they gain final passage, but given that this bill is sponsored by the Senate president, whatever ultimately passes will probably at least resemble it. And this issue has to be resolved — or at least delayed again — by the end of the month. One thing that sticks out to me is that the towns would only be required to keep archives of the notices for one year. That seems particularly short. When they were published in newspapers, even if the notices were no longer archived online, you could as a last resort find the notice in an archived printed copy or microfilm. When former Gov. Chris Christie tried to do this in 2016, it was known around Trenton as the 'newspaper death bill.' Maybe it would have hastened it, but death came anyway. Still, even if politicians love to take shots at the publications owned by big companies like Gannett and Advance, the publications that will likely be most hurt are the tiny ones that still cover quite a bit of local news. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — No public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Right now, I do not.' — Jack Ciattarelli, when asked if he disagrees with President Donald Trump on anything HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Daniel Han, Pedro Mejia, Michael Clarke, Burt Ray Simpson, Larry Yudelson, Asia Norton WHAT TRENTON MADE YOU CAN CALL THE AL — Ciattarelli courts Black faith leaders in governor's race, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Republican Jack Ciattarelli's gubernatorial campaign has reached out to Black faith leaders across the state — trying to broaden the GOP coalition headed into November. Two prominent Black faith leaders said they have been in contact with Ciattarelli representatives to possibly have him meet their congregations — with one saying he is trying to broker a meeting with Republican nominee Ciattarelli and Democratic stalwart Rev. Al Sharpton. The move underscores Republicans' efforts to make inroads with Black voters who have traditionally been a key part of the Democratic coalition … Rev. Charles Boyer, a prominent social justice activist, said in an interview that it was not out of character for Ciattarelli to reach out to him — and that he has observed Ciattarelli making more outreach to Black faith leaders than his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill. 'She hasn't outreached to me and I've heard from far more people that Jack Ciattarelli has reached out to them than Mikie Sherrill,' Boyer said, speaking of fellow Black faith leaders. 'I've heard Jack Ciattarelli reaching out [from] multiple folks. I have not heard multiple congregations saying that about Mikie Sherrill. That's not a critique, that's just a reality.' — After this story ran Friday, Boyer told Han he had an 'encouraging discussion' with Sherrill and that her campaign's outreach was 'ramping up.' HOT MATCHING FUNDS IN THE SUMMERTIME — 'N.J.'s red-hot governor race cooling off for summer? Don't bet on it,' by NJ Advance Media's Tom Martello: 'In the last week along, things got particularly snippy on social media: Sherrill accusing Ciattarelli of bowing to every action Trump takes, even ones that will hurt New Jersey; Ciattarelli saying Sherrill is a Phil Murphy clone who doesn't have a clue when it comes to state issues. The breathless news releases continue. Each campaign continues to post unflattering videos clips of the other, in the hopes of going viral. But what should the campaigns be doing this summer, while the rest of us are trying to enjoy some peace and quiet down the Shore? Their challenges might be bigger than even they realize.' LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER NINE-HOUR COMMITTEE MEETING — 'With minor amendments, anti-Semitism bill will get Assembly consideration on Monday,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Assembly Democrats will move forward on legislation establishing a state definition of anti-Semitism, ending a four-month standoff with Jewish leaders that pushed consideration of the bill until after the June 10 primary election. The proposed legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Michael Inganamort (R-Chester) used the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism that includes rhetorical or physical manifestations directed at Jews. The new language, obtained by the New Jersey Globe, requires law enforcement to take the state's definition of anti-Semitism into consideration during a review, investigation, or determination of whether the federal anti-bias statute was violated and prior to deciding whether an incident was motivated by anti-Semitic intent.' FLIGHT OF THE VALKEARNYS — 'Low-flying helicopters buzz over N.J. every day. There's a crusade to ground them forever,' by NJ Advance Media's AJ McDougall: 'Scores of helicopters pass over Hudson County — mainly Jersey City, Hoboken and Bayonne — every day on their way to and from New York. Though a handful carry first responders or news crews, the vast majority of these flights are what critics deem 'nonessential,' ferrying tourists on sightseeing quests and well-heeled commuters who can afford to ride to work in style. Depending on the weather, anywhere between 20 and 140 of these flights will buzz over the same neighborhoods from early in the morning until long after dark, many of them at low altitudes … On June 4, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy announced an agreement that would scale back 'rampant helicopter activity' in the area … Those assurances were made by Jeff Hyman, CEO of HHI Heliport, a private facility in Kearny that's long been 'public enemy No. 1' to anti-chopper nonprofit groups like Stop the Chop NY-NJ and Safe Skies Coalition, its younger Hudson County-based sibling. Both organizations see Guy's announcement as a small step in the right direction. But what they really want is a wholesale ban on nonessential flights — to put Hyman and his heliport out of business.' HUNGRY HUNGRY ONES AND ZEROES — 'NJ lawmakers target energy-hungry AI data centers,' by NJ Spotlight News' Joanna Gagis: 'With New Jersey residents facing steep hikes in electric bills, some lawmakers are taking aim at a growing industry that has been singled out for driving up costs: artificial intelligence data centers. Assemblyman Dave Bailey (D-Salem), has sponsored a bill to create a rate structure, known as a tariff, for any new data centers built in the state. 'We've got to strategize. We have to think, what are the positive impacts of this type of technology, what are the potential negative impacts, especially on the ratepayer and the increased use of energy that will come about because of the use of the data centers,' Bailey said.' SO IS THAT A 'NO'? — 'Murphy: State 'partnership' with Atlantic City is working, and Mayor Small agrees,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Wayne Parry: 'A law giving the state vast control over the city's activities is set to expire in December, just over a month before the term-limited Democratic governor leaves office. In an interview with The Press of Atlantic City, [Gov. Phil] Murphy was asked whether the Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act, widely referred to as the state takeover law, should continue or be allowed to expire. 'As I sit here, you've got a successful partnership,' Murphy said. 'We've done a lot of really good things together. You have to have a very compelling rationale to break that partnership up.' … Mayor Marty Small Sr. agreed. 'I was the biggest one against the state takeover, but it turned out to work,' he said.' — 'Ras Baraka isn't ready to give up national spotlight after primary loss: 'My voice is going to continue to grow'' — 'Kim campaigns with Sherrill in Paterson' — 'N.J. increasing security at Jewish, Muslim houses of worship after Iran strikes' TRUMP ERA THE NEW POLLUTION — 'Dozens of sites may soon release more air pollution in NJ. Here's why,' by NJ Spotlight News' Benjamin J. Hulac: '[President Donald Trump] is poised to sign legislation into law to allow roughly 1,800 polluting sites nationwide, like mills, power stations, chemical plants and oil refineries, to increase the volume of hazardous air pollutants they can release … 'What it will mean for the public is more hazardous air pollution from industrial facilities that cause cancer, brain damage, birth defects, infertility, heart attacks, strokes and even premature death,' John Walke, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental and legal advocacy group, said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News. New Jersey is downwind of heavily industrialized states, including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia … New Jersey's congressional delegation split along party lines.' — 'Mahmoud Khalil arrives in New Jersey after release from ICE custody' — 'VA cuts spell major trouble for New Jersey veterans. Here's how | Opinion' — 'Biden's DOJ found lingering issues in Newark's English language learner program. Trump's team closed the case' LOCAL NJ TRANSIT TO ALSO STUDY EXTENDING THE WILDWOOD TRAMCAR TO ENGLEWOOD — 'Officials, NJ Transit riders frustrated as Bergen light rail extension study delayed until 2026,' by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: 'Commuters who've waited 25 years for a promised light rail extension to Bergen County will have to wait longer for NJ Transit to start a study that a federal agency mandated be done in August 2023. A critical study needed for extending the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to Englewood won't start until mid-2026 when a consultant to do it is expected to be hired, NJ Transit officials said. That study, which would technically be the fourth for the project that has been pending for 25 years, was mandated by the Federal Transit Administration in August 2023 in a move that surprised and angered public officials …. Some officials said they are just as dismayed that little progress has been made to update that study in almost two years. 'I'm very frustrated,' said State Assemblywoman Shama Haider, D- Bergen. 'It should have taken a few months.'' ROSELLE PARK TO CHANGE NAME TO TOXI CITY — 'Families of cancer victims demand answers as N.J. town shutters site of possible toxic exposure,' by NJ Advance Media's Jackie Roman: 'Roselle Park council members voted to lay off six people, spend $1.4 million to outsource public works to Kenilworth and knock down the crumbling building located on contaminated land — part of what the outspoken workers say has led to multiple illnesses and deaths. The decision comes three weeks after NJ Advance Media published an article detailing a 30-year history of contamination at Roselle Park Department of Public Works and employees' concerns about it … 'I think it's retaliation for the safety and health concerns being brought to light,' said laborer Josh Regan, one of the employees laid off Thursday who spoke up about his concerns. The employees say that more than a half dozen former public works employees have died from different types of cancer between 2017 and 2024.' NEWARK — 'Here's what happened in [Newark] when some got $12,000, no strings attached,' by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky: 'The $4.8 million [guaranteed income pilot program] was funded by some of Newark's best-known philanthropic organizations, including the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Prudential Foundation and Victoria Foundation. The Morristown-based MCJ Amelior Foundation, the Princeton-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Stadler Family Charitable Foundation in Titusville also contributed. Tuesday's forum, which included the income program's manager, Kaleena Berryman, coincided with the release of an analysis of the trial by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research. The study found that the program improved income stability, stress levels, food security and other quality of life indicators for individual recipients and their families, though the improvements faded after the payments ended.' — 'Trump cuts target Newark's most effective anti-violence program | Opinion' CASTING A PRINCIPALL — 'Passaic High School loses popular principal as budget cuts hit district,' by The Record's Mary Ann Koruth: 'In just two years as principal of Passaic High School, José Blankley-Celis had already made an impact. Graduation rates went up, and schoolwide test scores were meeting federal targets after steadily failing. Blankley-Celis managed to improve school engagement among the school's mostly Hispanic, working-class families — a huge challenge in low-income, urban districts like Passaic City. Yet Blankley-Celis was among 51 employees laid off in March due to budget cuts, months before the high school closes down to be demolished and rebuilt and its students transition from their old building to a city-wide campus in the fall, a move that Blankley-Celis and his team also planned. The district rehired eight employees in early June. Blankley-Celis was not among them. Seniority protections and 'bumping rights' awarded by state law drove the rehiring, said superintendent Sandra Montanez-Diodonet.' FOR RAEL? — 'Reporter enters politics: Israel joins O'Dea to run for council in Jersey City's Ward E,' by Hudson County View's John Heinis: 'Former Hudson Reporter and TapInto journalist Dan Israel is entering the political arena as a candidate, seeking the Jersey City Ward E council seat on Hudson County Commissioner Bill O'Dea's (D-2) slate. 'I'm tired of sitting in dismay as a reporter while I write about local happenings wishing for a better outcome. So I'm putting down my pen and running for local office to be the change I seek in the world,' he wrote on Instagram.' — 'Mapping the 2025 Hudson County war' — 'Tears, memories as students, alumni say goodbye to Passaic High' — 'Hackensack appoints acting superintendent in place of suspended official' — 'Paterson Dems ready to vote for new party leaders for first time in more than a decade' — 'Grand jury declines to indict Orange councilman' EVERYTHING ELSE — 'N.J. nursing homes ordered to pay $2.1 million to Medicaid for understaffing' — 'Meet the robots that are helping keep the planes flying at this N.J. airport'

Politico

an hour ago

• Politico

NYC mayoral primary: 1 day to go

Presented by With help from Cris Seda Chabrier NEW YORK MINUTE: An Emerson College poll out today shows Zohran Mamdani defeating Andrew Cuomo by nearly 4 points in the eighth round of voting — a rare public survey that doesn't demonstrate the former governor in the lead of a race he's as-yet dominated. The survey finds Cuomo ahead in the first round of ranked-choice voting 36.4 to Mamdani's 33.7, with undecided voters excluded, and the state assemblymember winning the final round 51.8 to 48.2. (That split is akin to a head-to-head poll commissioned by city comptroller candidate Justin Brannan earlier this month. Since then, 384,338 New Yorkers have headed to the polls to vote ahead of Tuesday's Democratic primary.) Emerson partnered with with PIX and The Hill to survey 800 voters; the poll has a 3.4 percent margin of error. It also shows city Comptroller Brad Lander's 20.1 percent favors Mamdani when Lander is eliminated in the seventh round. The comptroller has endorsed Mamdani and spent time and money opposing Cuomo. — Sally Goldenberg FINAL COUNTDOWN: If the stakes for the New York City mayoral election didn't feel high enough already, why don't we add the threat of war? The city should get ready for 'possible reprisal' from Iran, Cuomo said at a press conference Sunday. 'Who do you want in charge in that situation?' he asked. The ex-governor who handled Superstorm Sandy and COVID? Or Mamdani, an assemblymember, who 'has absolutely no qualification whatsoever to do the job.' Mamdani's Inexperience has been Cuomo's closing argument, POLITICO's Bill Mahoney reports. So this was more of the same, with a nuclear twist after President Donald Trump bombed Iran on Saturday. The two leading candidates' reactions were yet another example of their starkly different worldviews. Mamdani called it the result of a political establishment that would rather spend money on weapons than fighting poverty. Cuomo applauded the goal of targeting Iranian nuclear facilities — though both agreed Trump abused his authority by not getting Congressional approval, POLITICO's Joe Anuta reported. Speaking of Trump, Cuomo's reportedly under investigation by the DOJ after Republicans accused him of lying to a Congressional panel investigating his Covid-era policies. Cuomo denies it, and says it's politically motivated. But if he were to win, Cuomo would be preparing to lead while simultaneously defending himself in two lawsuits, pursuing a third and potentially responding to a federal investigation, POLITICO's Nick Reisman reports. That's just one of the reasons why this Mamdani-Cuomo matchup is remarkable — 'a 33-year-old socialist and a sex pest,' as POLITICO's Jonathan Martin writes — and the unlikely showdown has profound national implications, such as whether this will set up a Cuomo presidential run in 2028. Attorney General Letitia James could have been a contender, Martin noted. Instead, she spent Sunday night promoting the 'true freedom fighters' on the Working Families Party's mayoral slate: Mamdani, Brad Lander, Adrienne Adams and Zellnor Myrie. But it was only Mamdani who she compared to Barack Obama. 'They mispronounce his name. They say that he's inexperienced,' James said. 'Sort of reminds me of a candidate who ran on change.' More than 384,000 New York City residents voted early in-person, and another 46,000 absentee ballots have been mailed in already. Candidates were driving voters to the polls all weekend. Cuomo rode in the back of a flatbed truck in Bensonhurst. Mamdani walked the length of Manhattan, shaking hands and taking selfies over more than 13 miles, POLITICO reported. Lander, who's trailing both Cuomo and Mamdani in polls, attacked, bringing together some of Cuomo's biggest critics for a closing argument press conference on the Upper West Side and calling him a 'sociopath' who can't take accountability for his actions. Cuomo attacked too, brushing off Lander as irrelevant, while holding a press conference harping on Mamdani's 'defund the police' tweets from 2020 and accusing the democratic socialist of 'hate speech.' Mamdani's decade-plus of pro-Palestinian advocacy against Israel is another one of Cuomo's closing arguments against him, while some supporters say they're motivated by his principled stance. POLITICO's Jason Beeferman reported Sunday on what Mamdani has actually said about Israel. Voting closes at 9 p.m. tomorrow, but the mayoral race is far from over. Stay tuned. — Jeff Coltin and Amira McKee HAPPY MONDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE'S KATHY? In Erie County, Niagara County, Monroe County, Onondaga County, and New York City, making an energy announcement at Niagara Power Project. WHERE'S ERIC? In New York City, making a public safety-related announcement with District Attorney Clark. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'We gotta talk on Wednesday!' — Mayoral candidate Scott Stringer, responding to journalist Ross Barkan's X post about how Rep. Dan Goldman could be vulnerable to a primary challenge — suggesting the former city comptroller is thinking about another campaign. ABOVE THE FOLD LANDLORDS FOR ADAMS: The landlords love Eric Adams. At least that was the takeaway from a town hall the mayor did with property owners Friday evening in Brooklyn. The event in Red Hook, organized by the firm H.L. Dynasty, was attended by landlords from around the city, and some of them have little love for the former governor who their lobby is backing in the Democratic mayoral primary. 'This all started about six years ago when there was a governor by the name of Andrew Cuomo who declared war on landlords,' said Anthony Carollo, who owns a property management firm. The remark won considerable applause from the crowd. Carollo went on. 'We just want you to be advocating for us,' he continued, saying to Adams. 'We want you to express our anger to Andrew that he did this to us, and now he wants to come back and do it to us again. We cannot accept that.' Cuomo signed a package of tenant-friendly laws in 2019 that dramatically limited owners' ability to raise rents in rent-regulated housing. He recently expressed regret over elements of that package — particularly measures that restricted rent hikes after building and apartment improvements, known as MCIs and IAIs. 'This was a bad decision and it was a lack of understanding of the full ecosystem,' Adams said on those measures. There remains some discontent in the industry over Cuomo's role in the 2019 reforms, but major developers have nonetheless donated big sums to a Cuomo-aligned super PAC. And the New York Apartment Association, a landlord group, announced plans earlier this month to spend $2.5 million to boost Cuomo's campaign. Adams has often empathized with his fellow small landlords and once proclaimed, 'I am real estate.' The mayor spent some two hours Friday listening to landlords vent about housing court delays, the 2019 rent reforms, property taxes and city fines. He was joined by officials from a raft of city agencies, including the housing, buildings and finance departments. One landlord came wearing a t-shirt that read, 'Stuck with 8-years squatter.' Adams offered his sympathies to the man, saying, 'Our squatter laws are outrageous.' The mayor left the group with a call to action of sorts, encouraging the owners to 'be organized.' 'You are hard-working people who took a huge leap by purchasing those small properties because you believe that this is the American dream. People have turned that dream into a nightmare,' Adams said. 'We don't have to surrender, you don't have to give up.' — Janaki Chadha CITY HALL: THE LATEST DREAM DONORS: The campaign against ranking Cuomo for mayor — and supporting Adams in general — has been quietly playing out for months in New York City. A POLITICO analysis of campaign finance data shows progressive voters have been hedging their bets since the early days of the Democratic mayoral primary by donating to multiple left-leaning candidates. Their hope? Deny the moderate frontrunner Cuomo the Democratic primary and avoid the MAGA-curious incumbent Adams, who dropped out of the contest to run in the general election as an independent. POLITICO pored over donations to top contenders in the primary, including contributions before the mayor exited the race, through early-June. The findings show nearly 3,000 New Yorkers gave to candidates like City Comptroller Brad Lander, Mamdani — a assemblymember — state Sen. Zellnor Myrie and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — but not to Cuomo or Eric Adams. The contribution pattern is reminiscent of a strategy for ranked-choice voting that was initially popularized by the 'Don't Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor' or DREAM campaign. The neighborhoods with the highest concentrations of multi-donors — progressive and vote-rich enclaves in Brooklyn and Manhattan — will play a deciding role in the race. Read more about mayoral race multi-donors from Cris Seda Chabrier and Joe Anuta. SAVE THE PRIMARIES: The United Federation of Teachers and New York Communities for Change, along with other unions and left-leaning interest groups, are opposing major changes to the city's primary elections that Mayor Adams' Charter Revision Commission is considering. First in Playbook, a letter signed by 13 unions and 29 advocacy groups opposes a switch to an open primary where independent voters can take part as well, not just those registered with a party. The groups also oppose a switch to a non-partisan 'jungle' primary, where the candidates with the most votes advance to the general, even if they're both Democrats. The commission confirmed in its April preliminary report it was looking at putting such changes on the ballot this November, arguing that they would boost turnout. The unions and groups that signed onto the letter disagree, saying that switching to non-partisan primaries didn't help turnout in California — and that the real goal is to reduce unions' influence in elections. 'Wealthy people already have most of the power in our society. The Party primary is one of the few places where working-class, middle-class and poor people can even the score even a little bit,' the letter reads. The commission hasn't finalized which proposals it would advance to put on the ballot. A spokesperson said they'll review the letter. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Cuomo's bullying reputation powered him through public life and is fueling his potential return to elected office. (POLITICO Magazine) — Cuomo enlisted Bill Clinton as part of a late-stage bid to fend off Mamdani. (The New York Times) — Eric Adams is hosting a kickoff event for his reelection campaign this coming week. (Daily News) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY COST OF DOING BUSINESS: Democratic state lawmakers — nursing their wounds from a 2024 election that resulted in Donald Trump returning to the presidency — insisted they wanted to address affordability when they began the year. A state budget that provided a modest tax cut for middle-income earners and rebate checks — ostensibly to help New Yorkers address inflationary costs — was approved. Business groups can claim wins too, including a budget provision that will pay down more than $6 billion in unemployment insurance debt and the approval of tax credits meant to spur New York City business expansion. Still, Democrats acknowledge there's more to be done. 'There were some meaningful steps forward, especially on universal school meals, but there were missed opportunities,' Democratic state Sen. James Skoufis told Playbook. 'The biggest cost of living pressures remain housing, utilities and property taxes — and these are issues that continue to require major overhaul.' Convincing voters that Democrats — even in deep blue New York — care about the cost of living will be crucial for the party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Policies approved in Albany, like the controversial cashless bail law, often become factors in House races. And New York is home to several battleground seats that could determine control of the chamber. Republicans won't surrender the affordability issue, though. GOP lawmakers blasted environmental bills like curtailing natural gas hookups in new construction, warning the legislation would raise costs. 'Instead of addressing the real challenges facing our communities like affordability, crumbling rural infrastructure and an exodus of families and businesses, Albany Democrats pushed forward with the same extreme agenda that created this mess in the first place,' GOP Assemblymember Andrea Bailey said. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Just in time for a hot primary day, Hochul approved a law allowing voters to receive water while waiting in line. (NY1) — Several environmental bills failed to get a vote in the state Assembly, disappointing supporters. (Gothamist) — Efforts to revitalize downtown Albany are focusing on expanding the city's convention center. (Times Union) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION BIG-TENT REACTION TO IRAN: House Democrats' responses to the Trump administration's strikes on Iran ran the gamut over the weekend, and two Bronx Democrats had starkly opposing takes. Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres lauded the raid as necessary to eliminate a threat. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saw it as grounds for Trump's impeachment. 'The world can achieve peace in the Middle East, or it can accept a rogue nuclear weapons program — but it cannot have both,' Torres posted on X. 'The decisive destruction of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant prevents the dangerous spread of nuclear weapons in the world's most combustible region.' Torres was applauded by Republicans, including Rep. Mike Lawler. (Both are weighing bids for governor.) Torres also said later that he supports reasserting Congress' war powers, but added that both Democratic and Republican presidents have sparked military conflict without congressional approval. The progressive Ocasio-Cortez was on the other end of the spectrum. 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,' she posted on X. 'He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' — Emily Ngo More from Congress: — Top Democrats on Capitol Hill, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, say they weren't briefed in advance of the U.S. attack on Iran on Saturday. (Axios) — Among the 18 Democrats who helped advance the GENIUS Act crypto bill, none played a more central role than Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. (Punchbowl News) — Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota press their GOP colleagues to preserve clean energy credits. (Newsday) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was released from immigration detention and welcomed home by supporters including Ocasio-Cortez. (POLITICO) — Food banks are bracing for the fallout from federal aid cuts. (New York Times) — A $2.3 billion deal will upgrade the Long Island Rail Road's train cars. (Newsday) SOCIAL DATA MEDIAWATCH: Mayor Adams should lift his press conference ban on Daily News reporter Chris Sommerfeldt, Daily News columnist Leonard Greene writes. SPOTTED at a rooftop party Thursday night in honor of Sam Tanenhaus' new biography of William F Buckley, Jr., 'Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America' ($29.79), held by Matthew Sitman and Katy Roberts: Beverly Gage, David Klion, Pamela Paul, Jennifer Szalai, Kathy Bonomi, Ian Ward, David Oshinsky, Alex Star, Andrew Marantz, Samuel Adler-Bell, Jennifer Schuessler, Barry Gewen, David Margolick, Nina Burleigh, Jacob Heilbrunn, John Ganz and John Williams. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) … Adam Boehler … Brian Pomper … Nick Weinstein … Patrick Morris … Ryan Rogers Woodbury … Caitlin Dorman … Josh Lauder … Robert Lezama … (WAS SUNDAY): AP's Jill Colvin … Carson Daly … Michael Falcone … Brit Hume … Martin Lipton ... Alisa Doctoroff … … (WAS SATURDAY): Axios' Mike Allen … Greyson Brooks, deputy campaign manager for Zellnor Myrie … Mark Levine aide Jack Lobel … NYT's Elizabeth Williamson and Elizabeth Dias … Laura Meckler … Sam Nunberg … Forbes' Emma Whitford … Max Clarke … Chloe Frelinghuysen … Zack Richner … Daniel Wagner … George Jahn … Mason Reynolds … Charles L. Glazer … (WAS FRIDAY): Bob Garfield ... Gregg Birnbaum ... Josh Raffel Missed Friday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.