Podcasts about Gothamist

Gothamist and WNYC reporter Elizabeth Kim and Errol Louis, political anchor of Spectrum NY1 News, host of Inside City Hall and The Big Deal with Errol Louis, New York Magazine columnist and host of the podcast You Decide, talk about the latest news in the mayoral campaign, including a new poll that shows Mamdani retaining a comfortable lead; Errol's conversation with Mamdani on public safety from earlier this week; the meaning and impact of socialism in the election; and reported efforts by President Trump to narrow the field of candidates.

Dana Rubinstein, New York Times reporter who covers New York City politics and government, and Brigid Bergin, senior political correspondent for WNYC and Gothamist, share their reporting on the possibility that Mayor Adams will drop out of the mayoral race to take a job with the Trump administration (despite the mayor's assertion that he's staying in the race).

Caroline Lewis, health care reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the availability of COVID vaccines this fall and how the FDA's changes are resulting in different access across the states and at pharmacies.

Elizabeth Kim, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, talks about the latest news in the mayoral campaign. Plus Jon Campbell, WNYC and Gothamist Albany reporter, reports on the news that longtime Manhattan Congressman Jerry Nadler will retire next year, paving the way for generational change for the coveted seat.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Hua Hsu, New Yorker staff writer, professor of English at Bard College and author of the memoir Stay True (September 2022), discusses what college students lose when ChatGPT writes their essays for them and what that says about our evolving understanding of the purpose of higher education.Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares her reporting on the deal struck between Big Tech and The American Federation of Teachers which offers artificial intelligence training and software to teachers in New York City public schools.Peniel Joseph, professor of history and public affairs and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution (Basic Books, 2025), talks about his new book, an examination of the impact of events in 1963 on the struggle for civil rights -- from MLK's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to the assassination of JFK.From our centennial series, Bob van der Linden, commercial aviation curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, looks at the past 100 years of civilian air travel.Listeners share the best, maybe even most surprising, times they've been helped or helped others, inspired by an article for The Atlantic titled "A Wedding Reveals How Much Help Is Really Available to You," by Julie Beck. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:What Students Lose When ChatGPT Writes Their Essays (July 8, 2025)NYC Teachers' Union Embraces AI (July 28, 2025)How 1963 Defined the Civil Rights Movement (June 12, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Commercial Aviation (May 6, 2025)How Helping Can Feel Good (July 9, 2025)

Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, talks about the news that the NYC DOT approved a pilot program to test Waymo's driverless cars in the city.

Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist and WNYC transportation reporter, talks about the latest on the MTA's plans to extend the Q to 125th Street.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Jeff Coltin, Politico reporter and co-author of the New York Playbook, talk about the latest news in the mayoral campaign, including Andrew Cuomo's comments regarding President Trump at a Hamptons fundraiser, the Adams administration's response to the Legionnaires' outbreak and more.

In a leaked recording, NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo suggests that Trump will urge his supporters to vote for him, rather, rather than GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa.On Today's Show:Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Jeff Coltin, Politico reporter and co-author of the New York Playbook, talk about the latest news in the mayoral campaign, including Andrew Cuomo's comments regarding President Trump at a Hamptons fundraiser.

Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on how the story of Peanut the squirrel has upended the work of New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as how the Democratic nominee for mayor, Zohran Mamdani, could work with state lawmakers if he is the city's next mayor.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the campaign trail, including Andrew Cuomo's social media attack on Zohran Mamdani over his rent-stabilized apartment.

Caroline Lewis, health care reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, and Joe Hong, investigative data reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talk about the ongoing Legionnaires' outbreak in Central Harlem, why New York is a hot spot for the disease, and why city inspections of cooling towers were at a low point ahead of the outbreak.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, offers political analysis of Brian's candidate interview with Zohran Mamdani, and other campaign-related news.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the campaign trail, as some national Democrats have endorsed Mamdani and others haven't, plus why Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Adams continue to criticize Zohran Mamdani over policing.

A WNYC and Gothamist investigation found that some of the signatures Mayor Adams's re-election campaign submitted for him to be on the ballot this fall as an independent were fake. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, Clayton Guse, WNYC/Gothamist editor, and Brigid Bergin, senior political correspondent for WNYC and Gothamist, share what they found and what it could mean for the mayor's re-election chances. 

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the mayoral campaign trail, including how the candidates are responding to this week's mass shooting in a Midtown Manhattan office tower and whether public safety will now become a bigger issue, and more.

Brittany Kriegstein, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, reports the latest news of last night's shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office tower. 

Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the latest steps in, and funding for, implementing a cellphone ban for NYC public schools.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the mayoral campaign trail, including Mayor Adams' relationship with the border czar Tom Homan, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani's campaign break in Uganda and Andrew Cuomo's social media charm offensive.

The Gateway Program is a $16 billion project to build new tunnels under the Hudson River to improve service for Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. But as the project prepares to break ground, they have uncovered some mysterious — and some historically illuminating — obstacles, including a totally unaccounted for staircase to nowhere, pig bones from the Meatpacking District's meatpacking days, and a bevy of wires, cables, and other infrastructure dreamed up by the engineers of yesteryear. Stephen Nessen, transit reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the discoveries, and how Gateway crews will have to work around these buried treasures from the past.

Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, talks about the latest conflict over a bike lane in Brooklyn, plus why Congressman Jerrold Nadler got into a heated back-and-forth with the US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over subway crime.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, offers analysis of Curtis Sliwa's campaign interview and an assessment of his chances in the general election. 

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this week that he'll be officially campaigning in the general election on an independent line, and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani has met with the city's business leaders. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Brigid Bergin, WNYC and Gothamist's senior political correspondent, discuss how these developments will affect the race and other mayoral campaign-related news.

OMNY users are complaining about multiple or delayed charges after they tap to access subways and buses. Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, explains what the MTA says it's doing to remedy these issues, and discusses the coming end of the MetroCard (along with the beloved 30-day unlimited card). 

Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares her reporting on the deal struck between Big Tech and The American Federation of Teachers which offers artificial intelligence training and software to teachers in New York City public schools.

Immigrants and advocates are alleging that conditions at a lower Manhattan ICE facility are inhumane, including no beds and not enough food. Arya Sundaram, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering race and immigration, shares her reporting on the story and what local elected officials have been able to find out is going on inside, and Adriano Espaillat, U.S. Representative (D, NY-13), shares his experience visiting the facility this morning.

On today's show:Immigrants and advocates are alleging that conditions at a lower Manhattan ICE facility are inhumane, including no beds and not enough food. Arya Sundaram, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering race and immigration, shares her reporting on the story and what local elected officials have been able to find out is going on inside.

After the next round of ranked choice voting results came in, Assembly member Zohran Mamdani's lead grew to 12 points, meaning he easily secured the official Democratic nomination. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, reviews the data and talks about what this means for the general election.

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on Monday's meeting of the Rent Guidelines Board, which resulted in a vote to approve rent increases for stabilized apartments.

The Adams administration announced earlier this week that the plan for affordable senior housing at the Elizabeth Street Garden was dead. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on how that happened, plus explains why some lawmakers and residents are skeptical of a proposed massive redevelopment - also including affordable housing - at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Red Hook.

On the day after the primary election, Gothamist and WNYC reporter Elizabeth Kim and Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, co-host of the podcast FAQNYC and the author of How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams (Cambridge University Press, 2024) offer analysis of Zohran Mamdani's likely win, his chances in the general election and the future paths Andrew Cuomo may take after this stunning upset.

NYC Parent Blog, The NYC Mayoral debate and what the candidates said on class size, https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-nyc-mayoral-debate-regarding-class.htmlNY1, Mayoral winner likely won't be clear until July 1, https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2025/06/19/nyc-mayoral-primary-winner-likely-won-t-be-clear-until-july-1-thanks-to-ranked-choice-votingNYC Comptroller, Complaints Received Concerning the 2023 Elections of Community and Citywide Education Councils, https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/complaints-received-concerning-the-2023-elections-of-community-and-citywide-education-councils/NY Times, A Culture-War Battle Convulses a School Panel in Liberal Manhattan, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/nyregion/maud-maron-transgender-nyc-school-council.htmlGay City News, Community Education Council accused of obstructing votes on trans resolutions, https://gaycitynews.com/community-education-council-vote-trans-resolutions/Chalkbeat, Backlash over culture wars brings new energy to NYC's parent council elections, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/05/09/backlash-culture-wars-brings-energy-parent-council-elections/Gothamist, Elections to NYC parents council see persistently low turnout after culture war controversies, https://gothamist.com/news/elections-to-nyc-parents-council-see-persistently-low-turnout-after-culture-war-controversiesChalkbeat, Low turnout, a shakeup in District 2, and more: what to know about NYC parent council elections, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/06/16/community-education-council-election-results-place-aqe/

With less than a week before primary day, WNYC and Gothamist reporter Elizabeth Kim discusses the latest news from the mayoral campaign trail, including Comptroller Brad Lander's arrest by ICE, Assemblymember Mamdani's decision to hire additional security and what early voters are saying at their poll sites.

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, offers analysis of the housing plans the mayoral candidates discussed in last week's Spectrum News NY1 debate.

Elizabeth Kim, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, and Brigid Bergin, WNYC and Gothamist senior political correspondent, offer analysis of the mayoral primary debate, which was co-moderated by Brian Lehrer.

Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about what lawmakers are up to as the end of the legislative session in Albany approaches, including the "Medical Aid in Dying" bill which passed the Assembly and is up for a vote in the State Senate today, plus other news from Albany.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the campaign trail, including what she's expecting ahead of the first mayoral debate, the Working Families Party ranking Zohran Mamdani as top pick for mayor, and the battle for Asian voters. 

Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is my god-given right as an American. Listen to the full episode on our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/deniersplaybook) TELL GOV. HOCHUL TO FIGHT FOR CONGESTION PRICING (if you live in New York state): +1 (518) 474-8390 or https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form SAMPLE SCRIPT: I'm a New York state resident and I am reaching out to urge Gov. Hochul to continue supporting New York City's Congestion Pricing plan and fight against the federal government's insane attempts to shut it down. This policy has already decreased traffic congestion, reduced travel times for people of all income brackets traveling into the city, increased business-friendly foot traffic in the city, and raised much needed revenues to improve our public transportation system. We cannot allow the federal government to bully our state into reversing a popular and effective policy, and I ask that you continue doing everything in your power to make sure the policy remains in effect. Thank you. SOCIALS & MORE (https://linktr.ee/deniersplaybook)WANT TO ADVERTISE WITH US? Please contact climatetownsponsorships@gmail.comDISCLAIMER: Some media clips have been edited for length and clarity. CREDITS Created by: Rollie Williams, Nicole Conlan & Ben BoultHosts: Rollie Williams & Nicole ConlanExecutive Producer: Ben Boult Editors: Laura Conte & Ben BoultProducers: Daniella PhilipsonFact Checking: Carly RizzutoMusic: Tony Domenick Art: Jordan Doll Special Thanks: The Civil Liberties Defense Center, Charles Komanoff, Jon Orcutt & Matt NelsenSOURCESAP Archives. (2017, May 28). Cuomo: Penn Station 'Summer of Hell' Coming. YouTube.Badstuber, N. (2018, March 2). London congestion charge: what worked, what didn't, what next. The Conversation. Balanced Transportation Analyzer. (n.d.). The Nurture Nature Foundation.Bauman, A. (2024, June 25). Does congestion pricing work in London? It depends on who you talk to. CBS News.Bloomberg Television. (2024, June 5). New York Governor's Kathy Hochul Halts Congestion Pricing in NYC [Short]. YouTube.Bonanos, C. (2025, April 15). How Well Is Congestion Pricing Doing? Very. Curbed. Bridges and Tunnels tolls by vehicle. (n.d.) Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Capital Plan 2025-2029: The Future Rides with Us. (2025). Metropolitan Transportation Authority.Carrns, A. (2023, September 22). The Rising Costs of Owning a Car. The New York Times. CBS6 Albany. (2025, February 19). Gov. Hochul on Protecting Congestion Pricing | Full Presser. YouTube.CBS News. (2024, November 14). New York City to start congestion pricing in January at $9, Gov. Kathy Hochul announces. YouTube.CBS News. (2025, February 20). Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says FAA cuts won't affect flight safety. YouTube.Central London Congestion Charging: Impacts monitoring fourth annual report. (2006, June). Transport of London.Chen, S., & Hu, W. (2025, February 24). Congestion Pricing Reduced Traffic. Now It's Hitting Revenue Goals.. The New York Times.Chi'en, A., & Flanagan, J. (2025, April 21). Feds issue new deadline for New York to shut down congestion pricing gantries. Fox 5 New York.Colon, D. (2025, February 5). The Explainer: What To Know About The MTA's New Congestion Pricing-Backed Debt. Streetsblog NYC.Colon, D. (2025, February 27). Memo to the President: Manhattan Economy Improving, Thanks to Congestion Pricing. Streetsblog NYC.Congestion Pricing: CSS Analysis. (n.d.). Community Service Society.Congestion Relief Zone toll rate calculator. (n.d.) Metropolitan Transportation Authority.Duffy, S. P. (2025, February 19). DOT letter to NY Gov. Kathy Hochul. Department of Transportation.Face the Nation. (2025, February 19). Gov. Kathy Hochul responds to Trump administration pulling NYC congestion pricing approval. YouTube.Face the Nation. (2025, February 19). Trump administration terminates New York City's congestion pricing approval. YouTube.First congestion fines to go out. (2003, February 18). BBC News.Fitzsimmons, E., & McGeehan, P. (2017, May 23). Cuomo Steps Into Transit Fray With Ideas for After ‘Summer of Hell'. The New York Times.Fix NYC Advisory Panel. (2018, January). Fix NYC Advisory Panel Report.Fox News. (2025, February 20). NY gov melts down after Trump ends congestion pricing. YouTube.Goldbaum, C., & Fitzsimmons, E. (2020, January 23). Andy Byford Resigns as New York City's Subway Chief. The New York Times.Governor Kathy Hochul. (2023, December 5). Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks at Congestion Pricing Rally. YouTube.Grabar, H. (2025, February 20). Revenge of the Bridge-and-Tunnel President. Slate.Hu, W., & Ley, A. (2024, November 14). What to Know About Congestion Pricing. The New York Times.Hu, W., & Ley, A. (2025, January 5). New York City Welcomes Congestion Pricing With Fanfare and Complaints. The New York Times.Hu, W., Ley, A., Castle, S., & Anderson, C. (2023, December 2). Congestion Pricing's Impact on New York? These 3 Cities Offer a Glimpse. The New York Times.Irish Republican Army: Timeline. (2019, May 15). HISTORY, A&E Television Networks.Katersky, A., & Charalambous, P. (2025, April 24). DOJ accidentally files document outlining flaws with Trump administration's plan to kill NYC congestion pricing. ABC News.Khalifeh, R., & Nessen S. (2025, April 21). Feds threaten NYC highway money if MTA doesn't shut down congestion pricing. Gothamist.Komanoff, C. (2017, December 14). London Traffic Would Be At Least 20 Percent Slower Without Congestion Pricing.Komanoff, C. (2024, June 11). Hochul Murder Mystery. The Washington Spectator.Komanoff, C. (2025, February 19). Defending Congestion Pricing. The Washington Spectator.Lanza, A. J. (2014, February 6). Lanza Announce Relief for Staten Island Toll Payers. The New York State Senate.Lew, I., Chatterjee, D., & Torres, E. (2022, March 14). What Does Congestion Pricing Mean for Outer-Borough New Yorkers in Poverty?. Community Service Society.Ley, A. (2024, August 8). 7 Years After ‘Summer of Hell,' the Subway Is Approaching Another Crisis. The New York Times.Ley, A., Chen, S., Hu, W., & Oreskes, B. (2025, February 19). Trump Administration Moves to End New York's Congestion Pricing Tolls. The New York Times.Manville, M. (2019). Longer View: The Fairness of Congestion Pricing. Transfers Magazine.Meyer, D. (2025, March 3). Four Reminders of Andrew Cuomo's Disastrous Record on City Transportation. Streetsblog NYC.Metropolitan Transportation Authority et al v. Duffy et al. (2025, February 19).Miner, P., Smith, B. M., Jani, A., McNeill, G., & Gathorne-Hardy, A. (2024.). Car harm: A global review of automobility's harm to people and the environment. Journal of Transport Geography, 115, 103817.Moye, B. (2023, August 30). Annual New Car Ownership Costs Boil Over $12K.MTA Annual Disclosure Statement Update (2021 ADS First Quarterly Update). (2021, August 3). Metropolitan Transportation Authority.MTA Releases Revenue From Congestion Relief Zone Tolling Showing Program in Line With Projections. (2025, February 24). Metropolitan Transportation Authority.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elizabeth Kim, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, and Brigid Bergin, senior political correspondent for WNYC and Gothamist, talk about the latest news from the campaign trail, including Adrienne Adams' criticism of Cuomo on COVID, Eric Adams' statements related to ICE's arrest of a student, and more.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the campaign trail, as well as the questions listeners would like Brian to ask at the upcoming mayoral primary debate.

New York State's Adult Survivors Act brought a flood of lawsuits against the city by women who say they were abused at Rosie's (the women's jail) on Rikers Island. Jessy Edwards, writer and editor for Hell Gate, and Christopher Werth, senior editor at WNYC and Gothamist focusing on investigations, talk about their reporting on serial sexual abuse at the jail, which was recognized as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter and Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, talk about the latest news from the campaign trail, including former Gov. Cuomo's campaign finance troubles, the candidates on antisemitism and more.

Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about a deal that will allow the MTA to install speed cameras on bridges and tunnels in the city, plus more on how the new budget might affect Gov. Hochul's reelection campaign next year.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the campaign trail, including the match-up of former Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Adams, what voters were saying about the mayoral race at AOC's recent town hall and more news.

Rent-stabilized tenants may see increases of up to 7.75% on two-year leases, after the Rent Guidelines Board held a preliminary vote on rent increases. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on what comes next for landlords and tenants with rent-stabilized apartments. 

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist and WNYC transportation reporter, share their reporting on how each candidate is approaching a big issue on voters' minds: public safety, crime and homelessness in the subway system.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a tentative budget agreement almost one month late. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on where the big policy issues landed, including on a cell phone ban in schools, masks and discovery laws—plus the financial details of the deal.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about how both state assembly member Zohran Mamdani and Comptroller Brad Lander are vying to be the top progressive candidate in the Democratic mayoral primary, and more news from City Hall and the campaign trail.

Ralph talks about his new book, “Civic Self Respect” which reminds us that our civic lives have different primary roles—not only voter, but also worker, taxpayer, consumer, sometimes soldier and sometimes parent—and how each one offers special opportunities for people to organize to make change. Plus, we welcome back former commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, John Koskinen, who tells us exactly how the Trump/Musk cabal is both gutting and weaponizing the IRS.John Koskinen served as the IRS Commissioner from 2013 to 2017.This is not a how-to book. It starts at a much more elementary level and therefore should interest a much greater number of people. Because, as I say, if you can expand your civic dimension as a part of your daily role without disrupting the rhythms of your daily life (in fact, actually making them more gratifying and more interesting, less boring), you're on your way.Ralph Nader author of Civic Self-RespectThe people who really fight for justice in this country have to fight for recognition, they have to fight for media, they have to fight an onslaught. And the people who lie and cheat and say the most terrible things and do the most terrible things are really the best-known people in the country. I mean, if you say who are the best-known people in Congress? They're the blowhards, the cruel and vicious people who've said things that are illegal, outrageous against innocent groups here and abroad.Ralph NaderI used to say to the Congress (trying to get appropriations) that the IRS is the only agency where if you give it money, it gives you more money back. Because the more you can actually audit people who aren't paying the proper amount or aren't filing at all, the better off you are. So no one has ever disagreed with that.John KoskinenGoing back a thousand years, tax collectors have never been particularly popular. And so when you talk about the IRS, people say, "Oh, the poor old IRS." In some ways, they don't understand just the points you're making about the impact on them, on the country, of an ineffective IRS going forward. And that's why my thought is this move toward using the IRS to attack people ought to be a way for everyone to say, "You know, I may not love paying taxes, but I certainly don't want the government and the president or the treasury secretary or somebody else ordering an audit of my taxes just because they don't like my political position or what I'm teaching in my course.”John KoskinenRalph Nader's new book Civic Self-respect is available now from Seven Stories Press.News 4/16/251. On Thursday April 17th, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland departed for El Salvador in an effort to personally track down Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an immigrant who was arrested and deported to CECOT, the notorious Salvadoran prison camp, WUSA9 reports. Garcia was legally protected against deportation by a 2019 court order and a Trump administration official admitted in court that he “should never have been on that plane.” Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously ordered that he be returned to the U.S. Van Hollen is quoted saying “You go out, you get disappeared, they say they did it in error, but they're not helping bring you back…it's a very short road to tyranny.” Gracia has not been heard from since he was deported, raising concerns about his health and wellbeing. This comes after ICE Director Todd Lyons said he wanted to see a deportation process “like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings,” per the Guardian. This episode is among the most chilling in American history and we are less than four months into a four-year term.2. Another gut-wrenching immigration story concerns Palestinian Columbia University student, Mohsen Mahdawi who was tricked, trapped, and abducted by ICE. The Intercept reports “Even before his friend and fellow Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by immigration authorities, Mahdawi asked university administrators to help him find a safe place to live so he would not be taken by ICE agents…The school did nothing.” Then, “After ICE abducted Khalil last month, Mahdawi sheltered in place for more than three weeks for fear of being picked up himself.” So, the immigration authorities apparently devised a scheme. “Instead of taking him off the street…immigration authorities scheduled the citizenship test at the Colchester USCIS office and took Mahdawi into custody when he arrived.” This action is clearly intended not only to capture Mahdawi but to frighten immigrants and discourage them from seeking citizenship through the legal immigration channels for fear of being deported. Not only that, Mahdawi will be sent back to Palestine, which continues to be the target of relentless Israeli bombing. Mahdawi is quoted saying, “It's kind of a death sentence…my people are being killed unjustly in an indiscriminate way.”3. In more international news, CNN reports China has “halted” its deliveries of Boeing planes. According to President Trump, will “‘not take possession' of fully committed to aircraft.” According to CNN, Boeing is particularly vulnerable in a trade war scenario because “Boeing builds all of its planes at US factories before sending nearly two-thirds of its commercial planes to customers outside the United States.” Boeing anticipated China purchasing 8,830 new planes over the next 20 years. The aircraft manufacturer's stock value fell in the wake of this announcement and is unlikely to fully recover unless some accommodation is reached with China.4. On the other side of the trade war, the Trump administration is preparing to roll out steep sectoral tariffs in addition to the country-specific tariffs already announced, per the Washington Post's Jeff Stein. Stein reports these will target imports of various "critical" products, including autos, steel and aluminum, copper, lumber and semiconductors. Yet, likely no sectoral tariff will bite American consumers more than the proposed tariff on pharmaceutical drugs. On April 8th, POLITICO reported that Trump told the RNC he is planning to impose “major” tariffs on pharmaceuticals. FIERCE, a healthcare news service, reports these could be as high as 25%. Coalition for a Prosperous America, an advocacy group opposed to free trade with China, reports that “Over 90% of all Generic Drugs [are] Dependent on Imports.”5. Turning to domestic matters, the Federal Trade Commission is proceeding with their anti-trust case against Facebook. According to the FTC, “The…Commission has sued Facebook, alleging that the company is illegally maintaining its personal social networking monopoly through a years-long course of anticompetitive conduct.” Further, “The complaint alleges that Facebook has engaged in a systematic strategy—including its 2012 acquisition of…Instagram, its 2014 acquisition…WhatsApp, and the imposition of anticompetitive conditions on software developers—to eliminate threats to its monopoly.” According to Ars Technica, “Daniel Matheson, the FTC's lead litigator, [started the trial with a bang] flagg[ing] a "smoking gun"—a 2012 email where Mark Zuckerberg suggested that Facebook could buy Instagram to ‘neutralize a potential competitor.'” It is hard to see how the company could argue this was not anticompetitive corporate misbehavior.6. A dubious tech industry scheme is also underway at the highest levels of the federal government. WIRED reports that the Social Security Administration is shifting their communications exclusively to Elon Musk's X app, formerly known as Twitter. Wired quotes SSA regional commissioner Linda Kerr-Davis, who said in a meeting with managers earlier this week, “We are no longer planning to issue press releases or…dear colleague letters to inform the media and public about programmatic and service changes…Instead, the agency will be using X to communicate to the press and the public … this will become our communication mechanism.” WIRED further reports that, “The regional [SSA] office workforce will soon be cut by roughly 87 percent,” going from an estimated 547 employees to 70. Musk has called Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time,” per the AP.7. Over at the National Labor Relations Board, a whistleblower claims Elon Musk and his cronies at DOGE may have extracted data including “sensitive information on unions, ongoing legal cases and corporate secrets,” per NPR. If that wasn't shady enough, “members of the DOGE team asked that their activities not be logged on the system and then appeared to try to cover their tracks…turning off monitoring tools and manually deleting records of their access.” This whistleblower took his concerns to Congress and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel – whistleblower activities that are protected by law – but faced retaliation in the form of someone, “'physically taping a threatening note' to his door that included sensitive personal information and overhead photos of him walking his dog that appeared to be taken with a drone,” clear attempts to intimidate and silence this employee. The Trump administrations have been rife with leaks at every level and instead of responding by addressing the issues raised, the administration has launched a permanent inquisition to plug the leaks by any means.8. In better news, the Independent reports that DOGE itself is finally being subjected to an audit. The audit is being undertaken by the Government Accountability Office at the urging of Congressional leaders after “'alarming' media reports of DOGE infiltrating federal systems,” according to a congressional aide. One DOGE worker has reportedly been identified by as “a 19-year-old high school graduate who was booted from an internship after leaking company information to a rival firm,” raising ever-deeper concerns about the purpose of the “fishing expeditions” DOGE is undergoing at every level of the federal government.9. Another uplifting story comes to us from New York City. In the latest round of public matching fund awards, Zohran Mamdani – the Democratic Socialist candidate surging from obscurity into second place in the polls – was granted nearly $4 million in public matching funds, “the largest single payment to any candidate in the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary race to date,” according to Gothamist. Meanwhile, former Governor Andrew Cuomo was awarded exactly $0. As Jeff Coltin of POLITICO New York explains, “Cuomo's campaign [was] scrambling to get the necessary info from donors to get matched…sending…dire warning to [his] entire email list, rather than…targeted outreach to donors.” If he had collected the necessary information, Cuomo would have been awarded $2.5 million in matching funds, Coltin reports. Cuomo still leads in the polls; as it becomes increasingly clear that Zohran is the only viable alternative, there will be increased pressure on other candidates to throw their support behind him.10. Finally, let's take a peek into the political climate's effect on Hollywood. New York Magazine, in an extensive profile of Warner Brothers-Discovery mogul David Zaslav, includes a piece about Zaslav seeking to ingratiate himself with Trump. According to this report, “a company representative recently reached out to the Trump0 orbit seeking advice about how the company might advantageously interact with the Whitte House.” Their answer: “look at the example of…Jeff Bezos paying Melania Trump $40 million to participate in a documentary about herself. Don Jr. might like a hunting and fishing show on the Discovery Channel, they were told.” Just like the Ivy League universities and the big law firms, if given an inch Trump will take a mile and use it for nothing short of extortion. Hollywood would be wise to steer clear. But wisdom has never been their strength.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

The New York State budget is now almost three weeks late. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on the disagreements that are holding it up, including changes to the state's criminal discovery laws.