New York Note: Bribery Charges, Mayoral Investigation, Siena College Poll

September 23, 2024

Former FDNY Chiefs Accused of Bribery

Last Monday, two former Chiefs of the New York Fire Department were arrested and accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for expediting the fire-safety approval process for building projects in the City. Biran Cordasco and Anthony Saccavino were in charge of FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Prevention until earlier this year, responsible for overseeing fire safety approvals of large building projects. The indictment accuses both Cordasco and Saccavino of soliciting and receiving bribes between 2021 and 2023, involving 30 different projects.

Subscribe

Federal Investigation to Adams Continues

Federal law enforcement has continued to investigate top aides of Mayor Adams. Prosecutors issued a subpoena to Molly Schaeffer, Director of Asylum Seeker Operations. A subpoena was also issued to a Brooklyn church requesting information on possible interactions from Frank Carone, former Chief of Staff to Mayor Adams, and Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello. Federal agents searched and seized material from the homes of interim Police Commissioner, Thomas Donlon, over the weekend.

Siena College Poll

A new poll released by Siena College indicated that Governor Hochul has record low ratings, lower than former President Donald Trump. Only 34% of New Yorkers gave the Governor favorable marks, with 54% finding her unfavorable. Trump received a 39% favorable rating amongst New Yorkers. However, Trump trails Vice President Kamala Harris: in a race, she leads him in New York by a 55% to 42% margin.

New York Note – September 2024 Survey

As a valued reader of the Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ New York Note newsletter, we invite you to complete this brief survey to help us enhance the quality and relevance of our content.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

Explore Articles and News

See All News