Capitol Confidential

The chaos that occurred on June 8, 2009 – when Senate Republicans, along with two wayward Democrats, attempted to take control of the chamber – was just an appetizer for what would come the following month. This installment of the "Tales from the Coup" series details the madness that unfolded in Albany that summer, as power in the chamber was up for grabs and the state government came to a halt. The episode covers the constant barrage of meaningless senate sessions, the ouster of a legislative leader and repeated failures to cobble together a majority in the senate.     

June 8, 2009 was supposed to be a quiet day in the state Senate. But the plans of the Democratic majority were quickly upended when Senate Republicans initiated a procedural power grab to take back control of the chamber they had run for decades. This tumultuous day in New York history is the focus for the latest installment of the "Tales from the Coup" podcast series. The episode explores how the procedural gambit worked, highlights the action on the floor of the Senate and reveals how lawmakers, reporters and Albany insiders responded to the chaos.

Senate Democrats didn't realize they had defectors in their ranks in 2009 until it was too late. For months leading up to the coup, political operatives met in secret - including across the street from the governor's mansion - to develop their plot. When the plan was implemented it caught all of Albany off guard, an impressive feat in a town known for its leaks. The third installment of the Capitol Confidential podcast's "Tales from the Coup" series explores the behind-the-scenes events that led to the coup, with a focus on the Rochester billionaire who got fed up with the Senate Democrats, the meticulous and secret scheming of the Senate GOP and the motivations of the two wayward senators. The episode features interviews with former Gov. David Paterson, New York Times Reporter Nick Confessore and Sen. Diane Savino, a Staten Island Democrat. The show is available online at Capitol Confidential or wherever people download podcasts — including iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or TuneIn. New episodes of the seri

Progressive activists in New York frustrated by the pace of change during this year's legislative session, would have been sorely disappointed by the progress made 10 years earlier in Albany. Heading into the 2009, there was an expectation that with Democrats controlling all the levers of state government, a liberal wish list - long bottled up by Republican control of the state Senate - would be easy to accomplish at the Capitol. But the legislative session would be anything but easy for Democratic lawmakers and Gov. David Paterson, as they wrestled with a multi-billion dollar deficit, a bailout for public transit system in New York City, and a Senate majority that was rarely on the same page. This journey is the subject of the second episode of Times Union's podcast series diving into the "Senate Coup" of 2009, which brought state government to a halt. New episodes will be available every Friday and a live forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the coup will be held at the Hearst Media Center in Co

The "Senate Coup" of 2009 caught Albany by surprise, but the writing was on the wall months earlier after Senate Democrats first secured their slim majority. This first episode of Capitol Confidential's "Tales from the Coup" series focuses on the leadership battle after the 2008 election and how it signaled the stalemate that was coming. The podcast will introduce the "Four Amigos," highlight the political rise of Malcolm Smith and explain the deal that was struck to hold the Democratic conference together. New episodes will be available every Friday and a live forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the coup will be held at the Hearst Media Center in Colonie on May 7.    

For the 10-year anniversary of the Senate Coup, the Capitol Confidential podcast is doing a deep dive into the players and politics that shaped this historic struggle for power in Albany. This multi-episode journey will unearth buried memories, shine a light on all the plot twists and explore the ramifications for the past decade, as we hear from the lawmakers, reporters and staffers who survived the tumultuous summer of 2009. The leadership battle will also be the focus of a live forum at the Hearst Media Center in Colonie on May 7. The first episode will be available April 26 and listeners should subscribe to Capitol Confidential wherever they get podcasts so they don't miss out on this trip down memory lane.    

It was a little more than 12 years ago that Tom DiNapoli, then a member of the state Assembly, was tapped by his legislative colleagues to become the next state comptroller. The Long Island Democrat has since won three elections to the post and is planning on running again in 2022. DiNapoli joined the podcast to talk about his elevation in 2007, the controversy surrounding his selection and his flirtation with a run for lieutenant governor. The interview also explored his re-election bid and thoughts on the process for filling vacancies in the state attorney general and comptroller jobs.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is known for bold and progressive rhetoric addressing climate change, and this year's talking points were backed up by new language in the state budget. Environmental Advocates of New York Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to discuss the governor's rhetorical commitment to the "Green New Deal," as well as the substantive plan to get New York on “100 percent clean power by 2040." The conversation also addressed climate change legislation making its way through the Capitol.

A president from the Capital Region. That's the promise embodied in U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's run for the White House. The Democratic contender has deep roots to the region, including her grandmother's role in Albany's political machine, and she calls Rensselaer County home today. Gillibrand joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk with Times Union reporter Rachel Silberstein about serving the area in Congress, her political evolution, and much more. An even deeper dive into her formative years was the focus of a recent Times Union profile, and a look into her rise in politics in print on Sunday.

State lawmakers on this week adopted the first major batch of gun-control measures in New York since the SAFE Act of 2013, and pledged they won't wait another six years before revisiting state firearm laws. The package of bills would enable New Yorkers to seek a court order to temporarily remove guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others, ban bump stocks, prohibit teachers from being armed in schools, establish a fund and guidance for local gun buyback programs, and extend the period for completion of background checks to 30 days. While Democrats and gun control advocates were celebrating, most Republican lawmakers found themselves on the opposing side of the issue. To explain their position, the podcast turned to GOP senators Patrick Gallivan and Daphne Jordan.

New York is poised to adopt adult-use marijuana in a few months, as lawmakers appear to be on board and Gov. Andrew Cuomo included a regulatory framework in his state budget. As the state heads into these uncharted waters, the Capitol Confidential podcast turned to Weedmaps President Christopher Beals for guidance. The episode explored what makes a successful marijuana market, examined different tax structures and revealed what consumers in New York might be able to expect with legalization. The conversation also highlighted how Weedmaps, known as the Yelp of the pot world, might be utilized by New Yorkers in the future.

It's that time of year again in the Capitol, when life as we know it stops and the budget process begins.  This year's season is off to a familiar start, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo offering a PowerPoint presentation in a frigid state theater packed with acolytes and lawmakers, but it's also poised to be very different. The variable heading into budget negotiations is the Democratic-controlled state Legislature, which is an unfamiliar quantity in Albany. Newsday's Mike Gormley joined the podcast to break down the big news, high drama and compelling subplots of this $175 billion high-stakes holiday.

Before the media fascination with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (lack of) national ambition, it was his father who stirred up speculation about a White House run. In 1991, 32-year-old Terry Lynam was one of the staffers then-Gov. Mario Cuomo dispatched to New Hampshire to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign that never came to fruition. This episode features Lynam talking about his experience in the field, the political atmosphere at the time and what could have happened if Mario ran. And when you're done, check out this New Hampshire television segment that explored this moment in history with the state's former Democratic chair.

Long before the world would meet New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott through the performance by actress Bonnie Hunt, then-Gov. Mario Cuomo was looking for the first person to fill the newly created post. The original state inspector general was FBI special agent Joseph Spinelli, who joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk about creating the office and going after corruption in New York. The interview explores the tip line he set up, the need for procurement oversight and his own brush with Hollywood.  

At 25-years-old, Jim Skoufis was elected to the state Assembly. With six years of Capitol experience under his belt, he is making the leap next year to the state Senate, where he joins a new Democratic majority. Skoufis joined the podcast to talk about his decision to run, the congressional race that never materialized, his plans on running a robust oversight committee and the "passionate" approach he brings to his job. The conversation also touches on his recent campaign and one of his pet policy projects.

The political career of Andrea Stewart-Cousins began as a volunteer on a city council race in Yonkers, and nearly three decades later she will take on the role of majority leader in the state Senate. This evolution and much more about the Democratic leader was the subject of an in-depth profile by Times Union reporter Rachel Silberstein. This episode of the Capitol Confidential podcast features excerpts of their conversation. The interview touched on her plans for addressing sexual harassment, the role for the Senate Republicans in 2019 and how time as a journalist shaped her relationship with the media today.

New York's lawmakers are poised to get $30,500 raise in January, and an additional $10,000 in the following two years. New York Law Journal reporter Dan Clark joined the podcast to explain the process that led to the first salary increases in two decades, including the special committee created in the state budget, the buyer's remorse from the Legislature and potential legal challenges. The episode dives deep into the committee's actions and highlights the unanswered questions that could blow everything up.

Compared to serving in combat overseas, Democrat Aaron Gladd's campaign for state Senate was a walk in the park. His underdog campaign to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Kathy Marchione was waged without any muscle from Senate Democrats and in a deep red district, where Senate Republicans and special interests spent heavily to keep the seat from flipping hands. Along the way to a 10,00 vote loss (which was a much closer margin than any recent efforts by Democrats in the district), Gladd picked up the endorsement from former Republican Sen. Roy McDonald, raised a ton of money and (unsuccessfully) tried to bridge the partisan divide. He joined the podcast to talk about his decision to run, the negative attacks during the campaign, his lack of future political plans and much more.  

The highly anticipated "Blue Wave" delivered on Election Day in New York, where Democrats won an overwhelming majority in the state Senate and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo cruised to a third term in office. USA Today Network's Jon Campbell joined the podcast to explain the results and what they mean for the upcoming legislative session. The conversation addressed the races that turned the Senate from red to blue, the future of New York's third parties, and the agenda that will dominate the Capitol starting in January.

The state Senate has never been more exciting! Control of the narrowly divided 63-seat chamber is up for grabs on Election Day, and a handful of races are toss ups and more are well positioned for an upset. To breakdown the most important races the podcast turned to local reporters from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, central New York and the Capital Region for insights from the districts. The conversations explore the local issues, outside spending, voting trends and the affect of the top of the ticket.