It’s here – the week we’ve all been waiting for. The literal longest day has passed – summer solstice – however, Tuesday is looking like it could be longer… Our state legislators are done hiking to Albany for the year, and with our smartphones warning of ‘severe weather,’ no one knows what to wear anymore…
This week in the Assembly chambers: Khaleel Anderson seemed to be brushing his hair late night on the Assembly floor…Mike Durso voicing how he’s surrounded by women – even his dog is a female; Jodi Giglio & Michael Fitzpatrick seated side-by-side… Keith Brown talking about his assistant attorney general days… former Senator Craig Johnson looking photoesque in the green velvet couches off the floor… and Jake Blumencranz planning for the summer with chief of staff Stefano Pérez (who has quite the bipartisan and multicultural background – read below!)
It’s 11pm: Do you know where your Assemblymembers are?
If you haven’t visited the Albany office of Assemblyman Karl Brabenec – you have something to look forward to in January… it’s like a museum of modern history – maps, artifacts, games – even a pool table – which attracted colleagues Doug Smith, John Mikulin and Sam Pirozzolo (and his dog, Valentine) until late, late hours of the penultimate night of session… It was a game of ‘Guess Who?’ – guess who will throw on a suit at 10pm and run over to the Capitol to speak on the Assembly floor to fight for a last-minute bill – which has us thinking: Let’s create an actual legislative edition of the 1982 Hasbro board game. If anyone has connections to board game manufacturers, speak up now!
CAN ALBANY GET A LOUIS VUITTON: CAPITOL EDITION STORE?
Albany Downtown Revitalization is underway and what will that entail? Will the Magic Kingdom at the top of the hill be home to a whole new Albany by the time session begins again in January? What kind of downtown Albany do we want to see, and who can help bring it to fruition? There’s at least one office on State Street that employs 30 young people who are problem solvers by nature. Some travel up to an hour each day to come into the office, and they love their colleagues. What other businesses can attract young talent other than government jobs – we are excited and look forward to these developments…
CALL FOR REGULAR PEOPLE TO BUILD THE BRONX
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson announced $20 million funding from the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative… And now, the power is with the people of the Bronx, as project proposals are being accepted from the public! The way it works is via a Local Planning Committee co-chaired by the office of the BP + Lisa Sorin, President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce
Applications for project proposals can be done online through August 8th…
HOLLYWOOD EAST
Have you ever attended a meeting at a government office, walked up to the second floor, and bumped into actress Jessica Biel and had to walk through dozens of lights, cameras, and a film crew? That’s what happened a few months ago at the Nassau County Legislature Building… And the result? The Amazon Prime series, “The Better Sister,” starring Jessica Biel & Elizabeth Banks, released this month. Seeing his chambers and offices on TV, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is looking forward to bringing more opportunities to Nassau County. He joined a dinner at Rao’s with radio host Sid Rosenberg, ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ actors, Leonardo DiCaprio & Bo Dietl (parts of that movie filmed on Long Island too!), as well as Hamptons Film Festival Board of Directors member, Andrew Murstein… What will we film on Long Island next?
THE ROOMS WHERE THINGS HAPPENED THIS WEEK:
At Trump Tower, Eric Trump & Don Jr. announced the launch of a mobile phone service and branded smartphone through a new venture called Trump Mobile. The plan – dubbed “The 47 Plan” – offers 5G service via major U.S. carriers and a phone priced at $47.45, nodding to Trump’s titles as the 45th and 47th president. The smartphone will debut in August, with the company promising American-based service and Telehealth services, including virtual medical care, mental health support, and easy ordering and delivery for prescription medications…
At The Intrepid, Nonprofits Night Out attracted dozens of nonprofit organizations and adjacent leaders for a cocktail event and music by an awesome local band – there, Sophist’s David Mack IV and Brian Bolanos from Promise Hospitality Group talked collaborating on event spaces including a NY Tech Week event they recently partnered on… Nonprofit entrepreneur Francine Mbvoumbo (wearing a dress by Kibonen) talked about her experience networking and learning from the National Association of Women Business Owners, and one presentation in particular she saw at the Microsoft Experience Center, that helped her launch her own venture… (it was my November 2024 presentation, and I am beyond honored, special thanks to JMT Media’s Jaclyn Tacoronte for inviting me, clearly it made an impression!)
Ever-fabulous Adrien Lesser enjoying a “kiss me in the car” cocktail at Gitano near South Street Seaport, behind the Tin Building – a new gorgeous summer hot spot – we hear Ariel Palitz was at the opening party… and Jack Wild from NYS IG Lucy Lang’s office dined there even before that! (He’s a foodie we hear, with secret sushi restaurant recommendations too)…
Mayor Adams is championing the NYC Financial Literacy Youth initiative (FLY) which is piloting in 15 schools this fall – We are eager to understand more how this will work (and if NYS can do similar), considering Senator Leroy Comrie has had a bill to mandate this across all schools and it’s yet to make it out of committee…
The fifth annual Palm Tree Festival attracted 8,000 people to Shinecock Nation in Southampton this weekend. While you may think it’s a music festival – a look behind the scenes will show you that it’s truly a public-private partnership on steroids with multi-layers of government cooperation needing to happen. One of the key ringleaders of the operation is Vinny LeVien whose business is called “I Got A Guy” and if you dont know the story about his call with US DOT & FAA for the concert at Gabreski Airport, you should ask him! What other government folks were there this year, NYC Office of Nightlife executive director, Jeffrey Garcia; drove out to Southampton from Brooklyn to see how we do on Long Island.
AND NOW A LITTLE ABOUT WHY JEWS MATTER, IN CASE YOU FORGOT
The Hampton Synagogue Rabbi Marc Schneier hosts government leaders on summer weekends, to speak to his congregation in Westhampton Beach. Electeds such as Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Cuomo, Governor Hochul, AG Tish James, Reps. Laura Gillen & Ritchie Torres, Assemblyman Alex Bores, Manhattan BP Mark Levine, and others, have all been. The cool part about the congregation is that most of its members vote in NYC, and many are influential New Yorkers. The synagogue was founded in 1990, with Steven Speilerg at the groundbreaking (wonder if he kept the shovel like Queens BP Donovan Richards would have!) Rabbi Schneier also cofounded the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and does cross-cultural, community-uplifting work – so it’s not just about Judaism, it’s about having faith.
He knows, believes and shares that anyone questioning Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state isn’t just about foreign policy – it’s a rejection of Jewish self-determination, with real consequences for Jewish New Yorkers. In a city where Jewish identity is deeply tied to civic life, he warns this kind of rhetoric risks deepening divides and undermining trust in government leadership.
My purpose and calling in life, is to build bridges between communities, shine light on real issues, and seek solutions from not just intelligent but good people. I remind you that conflict that escaltes into hatred and talks of genocide always starts with words. Not bullets. Not bombs. Words.
They said Jews were ‘rats.’ They called Tutsis ‘cockroaches.’ Black people were labeled ‘3/5 of a person.’ Armenians were ‘traitors.’ Migrants today? ‘Animals.’ ‘Illegals.’ Words turn people into threats. Into pests. Into problems to be erased. And once people are turned into a label, violence against them doesn’t feel like violence anymore. It feels like a solution.
Right now, there are people running for office who share stages with those chanting for the destruction of an entire people, and they say nothing. You don’t have to chant the hate yourself. A nod. A repost. A shrug. That’s all it takes. This isn’t about left or right. This is about whether we believe every human deserves to live without being labeled and dehumanized.
If your politics can’t allow you to say, ‘Calling for extermination is wrong,’ then your politics aren’t neutral. They’re broken. We’ve seen where this leads. It doesn’t start with violence, but it always ends there. Words matter.
Love you…
Political Personality of the Week:
Stefano Pérez, Esq.
Stefano Perez is a legal and policy strategist whose career has crisscrossed partisan lines, but remained focused on one north star: delivering practical results through the machinery of government. A first-generation college graduate from Florida State University with a law degree from New York Law School, he began his public service journey in the Florida House of Representatives under then-Speaker Matt Hudson. That early exposure to state government laid the groundwork for a career spent navigating both the courtroom and the legislature.
He cut his legal teeth in the Special Federal Litigation Division of the New York City Law Department during the de Blasio administration, representing the City and senior officials in federal civil rights and constitutional cases. From there, he moved to Albany, where he served as Associate Counsel for the Assembly Minority under Republican Leader Will Barclay. He later joined the office of Assemblymember George Alvarez, a Democrat from the Bronx, as both Chief of Staff and General Counsel—overseeing legislative, political, and district operations, and even stepping in to personally represent constituents in court.
Today, Perez serves as Chief of Staff and General Counsel to Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, a Long Island Republican, where his portfolio spans artificial intelligence, insurance regulation, energy policy, animal welfare, and antisemitism. Across each role, his reputation has been defined by diligence, legal rigor, and a commitment to bipartisanship—often bridging divides in service of the public good.
Fast Facts:
- Bipartisan & Bilingual
- Grew up in Newark, NJ
- Dominican immigrant father and an Italian mother
- Serves on the executive board of the Dominican Bar Association
- Has held senior roles under both Democratic and Republican elected officials
- Regularly mentors law students entering government and public interest law