Daniel Marans

Assistant director of @NYSOCFS's public information office. Formerly City Hall deputy press secretary, HuffPost reporter.

Opinions my own, not my employer's.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Last night I had an Uber make an aggressive speeding left inches from me while I had the walk sign in my extremely residential neighborhood. I called out to “be careful” and he cursed at me in return. Low trust society + car culture in a dense urban environment = antisocial outcomes.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

An important edit: Kobek found no instances of genuine plagiarism and just three cases of Barkan cribbing others’ reporting without any attribution at all.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Another personal note about the @RossBarkan dustup with the benefit of new information: One of the cruelest things about public opinion “trials” is that, as in criminal trials, a person’s indictment makes the proverbial front page and the same person’s exoneration rarely does. So even when someone is partly or wholly exonerated, the professional and social consequences for the accused can last long after the original charges have withered.

Well, this week, the writer Jarrett Kobek did what neither NY Mag, nor any media reporter was willing to do, and actually identified each of Ross’s 67 alleged instances of plagiarism at NY Mag using tools available to anyone with the time or will. He found three genuine cases of Barkan passing off others’ reporting as his own without any attribution. The rest were far less serious and in some cases laughable (like an aphorism NY Mag attributed to Ellen DeGeneres even though it long predated her saying it).

Again, I take Ross’s missteps seriously and know they merited consequences. But Ross didn’t just lose a prestigious and decent-paying gig at NY Mag. He lost a major book deal, a teaching gig at NYU, potential freelance work at The Nation, and an untold chunk of his good name and social capital. If you think, as I do, that the punishment did not fit the crime, and that Internet feeding frenzies degrade our media and political culture, the least you can do is read this piece in full and share it with the same enthusiasm with which others cheered Ross’s downfall.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

@TinaDupuy @RossBarkan Definitions of plagiarism are subjective on the margins.

Should he never work again?

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Another personal note about the @RossBarkan dustup with the benefit of new information: One of the cruelest things about public opinion “trials” is that, as in criminal trials, a person’s indictment makes the proverbial front page and the same person’s exoneration rarely does. So even when someone is partly or wholly exonerated, the professional and social consequences for the accused can last long after the original charges have withered.

Well, this week, the writer Jarrett Kobek did what neither NY Mag, nor any media reporter was willing to do, and actually identified each of Ross’s 67 alleged instances of plagiarism at NY Mag using tools available to anyone with the time or will. He found three genuine cases of Barkan passing off others’ reporting as his own without any attribution. The rest were far less serious and in some cases laughable (like an aphorism NY Mag attributed to Ellen DeGeneres even though it long predated her saying it).

Again, I take Ross’s missteps seriously and know they merited consequences. But Ross didn’t just lose a prestigious and decent-paying gig at NY Mag. He lost a major book deal, a teaching gig at NYU, potential freelance work at The Nation, and an untold chunk of his good name and social capital. If you think, as I do, that the punishment did not fit the crime, and that Internet feeding frenzies degrade our media and political culture, the least you can do is read this piece in full and share it with the same enthusiasm with which others cheered Ross’s downfall.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

@jarettkobek An important edit: Kobe’s found no instances of genuine plagiarism and just three serious cases of Barkan cribbing others’ reporting without any attribution at all.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

@jarettkobek https://t.co/ySESxVXflb

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Great initiative -- taking a more proactive approach to preventive, holistic health care for Medicaid-eligible population.

[David G. Greenfield @NYCGreenfield]

The best healthcare program you’ve never heard of was launched by @GovKathyHochul last year and is already helping hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in need.

I sat down with @errollouis on @NY1 to talk about why it works and why we need the Feds to keep it going.

[NYS OCFS @NYSOCFS]

Happy 5-year anniversary, @GovKathyHochul! Together, we’ve delivered a whole lot for New Yorkers, including a path to universal child care. #YourFamilyYourFutureHerFight #JustGettingStarted

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

I'm proud to work in Governor Hochul's administration. She has accomplished so much for New York's working families, including more than tripling child care funding and putting us on a path to universal child care.

[Governor Kathy Hochul @GovKathyHochul]

Five years ago today, I became Governor of the state I’ve called home my entire life.

A lot has changed since then, but what drives me hasn’t:

Making life better for New Yorkers.

We’ve accomplished a lot together. And I’m still just as determined to get up every day and keep fighting for you.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Buried in @AlexSteigrad’s latest on @rossBarkan for @nypost: The @nytimes cleared Ross in an investigation of his columns for them. https://t.co/gYS2vRHqe0

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Speaking in my personal capacity, I’ve long been a fan of @RossBarkan’s writing, even when it infuriates me. He’s also a kind person and giving friend.

Ross is facing serious accountability for his errors, which is only appropriate. I object to the gratuitous pile-on though, especially from haters who were waiting for a good excuse to savage him. (Ironically, part of what I’ve admired in Ross is a willingness to elicit the disdain of a diverse range of people.)

Accountability should be proportional. Many of the instances of plagiarism were for unattributed passages of secondary importance in his columns. This is not a case on par with the most infamous instances of reporter fabulism.

Finally, Ross is one of the most prominent voices on the left against mob-fueled cancellations. That makes him even more deserving of our generosity of spirit.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

@benryanwriter @RossBarkan As a staunch defender of due process yourself, I hope you would agree that while both things would be great, they should not be pre-conditions for fair treatment.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

@nysocfs is proud to be overseeing this historic expansion of child care under the leadership of @NYSOCFSCommish Harris-Madden, who toured Western New York this week to spread the word about these steps on the path to universal child care.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

Excellent story about the impact of @GovKathyHochul’s $3-billion investment in the Child Care Assistance Program (a $1.2B increase).

The enacted SFY27 Budget is barely a month old, but Erie County is bringing children off the waitlist. So are Clinton, Delaware, Genesee, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego and Warren counties.

[Spectrum News 1 BUF @SPECNews1BUF]

The cost of childcare can be a significant burden on families — but there is help. @ViktoriaKrista has details on the Child Care Assistance Program.
https://t.co/ATPkgMN6X0

[Kevin Robillard 🇺🇸 @Robillard]

Leading Democrats desperately want to have the freedom to discuss regulating AI and get an upper hand on what could be the major issue of the 2028 presidential election.

One primary in Manhattan could determine whether they get it: https://t.co/m1i9Cnqt2b

[NYS OCFS @NYSOCFS]

Happy Father's Day to all who celebrate! We asked dads at our Statewide Fatherhood Convening to share advice for other fathers and father figures. What other words of wisdom would you share with those on this journey? #FathersDay

[David Lombardo @poozer87]

We've got the scoop on a new report from the Hochul administration that studied the #afterschool care landscape in New York.

We talked with @NYSOCFS Commissioner DaMia Harris-Madden about the analysis and next steps.

https://t.co/nvPul8SMVQ

[NYS OCFS @NYSOCFS]

National research suggests when fathers and father figures are positively and intentionally involved, there are better outcomes for children and families. The #NYSOCFS Fatherhood Convening marked a pivotal moment in creating a statewide effort to improve fatherhood engagement.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

The Child Care Assistance Program, which provides nearly free child care for families of four earning up to $114k a year, has already grown 167% statewide under Governor Hochul. With a 40% funding increase that brings funding to $3B -- 3.5x what it was when the governor took office -- that growth will continue.

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

I started in the public information office of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services in mid-February.

We are at the forefront of Governor Hochul's historic investment in child care, including a $1.2B increase -- 40% more -- in the Child Care Assistance Program (vouchers).

Check out some highlights from our budget event in Sullivan County on Tuesday, and please give the agency a follow.

[NYS OCFS @NYSOCFS]

How important is affordable child care? Critical. @NYSOCFSCommish traveled across NYS highlighting the child care investments in @GovKathyHochul's budget. We rounded out our tour in Sullivan County, a community with growing child care needs. #YourFamilyYourFutureHerFight #WeAreNY

[Daniel Marans @danielmarans]

@NYSOCFSCommish We're also getting the word out about @GovKathyHochul's three universal child care pilot programs in Monroe, Broome, and Dutchess counties.

@NYSOCFSCommish spoke about these programs with @sjreports of Rochester's @13WHAM in March:
https://t.co/vcXsABaPe1

[NYS OCFS @NYSOCFS]

.@NYSOCFSCommish spoke to @SJReports earlier this month about why the universal child care pilot programs in Monroe, Broome, and Dutchess counties are so “exciting”: “Like any pilot, you learn and you’re able to scale.” #YourFamilyYourFutureHerFight #WeAreNY