Melissa Russo

Government Affairs Reporter News 4 New York

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

I-Team EXCLUSIVE: Brooklyn tenants say a year of 911 calls failed to produce relief from the racist arson suspect on their floor who threatened on video to "turn brown people black.”
https://t.co/6FwGxdlCM5

[Sally Goldenberg @SallyGold]

NEW: @NYCMayor's team abruptly & inexplicably fired his director of advance, Val Sanders. By many accounts Sanders did his job well & staffers were surprised by the nature of his ouster. It comes as 3 deputy mayors' chiefs of staff have left their posts.

https://t.co/FRiZ5RCJJe

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

SCOOP: DOCUMENT DUMP
Mamdani admin’s second upload of 9/11 docs is complete.The cumulative 210K pages now posted on NYC’s new 9/11 portal offer an unusual glimpse of discussions btwn agencies & their lawyers - which would typically remain hidden under attorney-client privilege 👇🏻

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

https://t.co/5dGUw1dRaQ

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

https://t.co/5dGUw1dRaQ

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

@JohnMarino381 @OsseChi Sure - pls send a brief summary along with why you feel it is unusual or newsworthy to [email protected] and please copy [email protected] - can’t promise I’ll be able to cover bc it’s a very busy time but perhaps if I can’t I could try to pass on.

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

After all of this unfolded in Bed Stuy Weds, the AG’s office disputed that the constituent - whose eviction Councilmember @OsseChi was protesting when police arrested him - was a victim of deed theft.
https://t.co/FbAZra2OA5

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

What does Assembly Speaker @CarlHeastieNY think of @NassauExec Bruce Blakeman’s proposal to eliminate state income taxes on earners under $100k? Here’s his statement:

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

The report pledges to double funding to $6.4 million for programs focused on online hate and restorative justice. It also opts not to adopt an official definition of antisemitism. Mamdani’s point-person @phylisajoy noted differences of opinion w/in Jewish community on whether anti-Israel or anti-Zionist sentiment constitutes antisemitism. Mayor Mamdani insists it does not. Some believe the Mayor’s repeated “genocide” allegations place Jews at greater risk.

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

Vowing to “use every power entrusted in him to fight antisemitism” @NYCMayor releases NYC’s long-awaited strategy. The 32-page report earmarks $$ for security at Synagogues, a Holocaust memorial in Qns & pledges more 8th graders will visit the Jewish Heritage Museum.

[Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @NYCMayor]

The Talmud teaches that anyone who sustains one soul, has sustained an entire world. For generations, Jewish New Yorkers have sustained our city. Today, we are launching the first-ever municipal Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.

Together, we will ensure Jewish New Yorkers are safe and celebrated. We will invest in their protection, their history, and their future.

Our safety and our thriving are tied together.

[Morgan McKay @morganfmckay]

.@NYCMayor is announcing the launch of the first in-person Jobs NYC Center in Manhattan.

It will offer workshops, trainings, agency hiring halls and job fairs.

“And beginning on October 5th…get help filling out paperwork and applications, or connect with agencies…”

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

Loved hearing the amazing @DanaBashCNN discuss her new book: The Elections That Changed the World - 15 pivotal races from MLK’s election to the Montgomery Improvement Assn by a show of hands -to Julius Caesar’s race for Pontifex Maximus - for which he went into debt!

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

“This is New York City where hard work pays and greed will cost you.
— @NYCMayor announcing $131.5 million in settlement money headed to underpaid deliveristas and software that will enable workers to share any future pay issues with NYC.

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

ICYMI: Mayor Mamdani said he will not protest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his upcoming UN visit. “I do not have any plans to attend any protest at the UN General Assembly,” he said, adding his priority is ensuring NYC is prepared to keep ppl safe. “And to NYers, I have never encouraged them to protest. What i have always told them is that they have the right to do so in this city.”
When asked about this topic recently Mamdani has not repeated his prior references to “war crimes” or “genocide” causing some to wonder if he has intentionally toned down his words re: Israel after pleas from the Jewish community and amid security concerns.

[jonathan dienst @jonathan4ny]

https://t.co/5Pwfk2y3Ht

[jonathan dienst @jonathan4ny]

https://t.co/s3VRo51Zku

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

New York’s Child Advocacy Centers - specially trained to respond when children disclose they have been sexually abused - will receive an additional $4.8 million in new state funding to compensate for the loss of federal grant money. While Governor Hochul had increased overall state spending on victim services, her admin said an unprecedented number of programs competed for the federal grant money this year, leaving some with less when the state redistributed it. ( in a competitive process the state manages every three years)

[Melissa Russo @MelissaRusso4NY]

NEW: @GovKathyHochul to deliver $36 million in state funds to rape crisis centers & other victim services. The lifeline comes after @NBCNewYork first reported pleas for Hochul to fix painful cuts some faced when state redistributed fed grant $ last month
https://t.co/3AKl2nFxvA

[Sally Goldenberg @SallyGold]

NEW: Trump will not attend the annual commemoration in NYC for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, in part because he wouldn’t be allowed to give a speech. He intends to visit the Pentagon instead. W/ @maggieNYT @KannoYoungs & @danarubinstein:

https://t.co/V6Lm9ZrGj4 via @NYTimes

[Sally Goldenberg @SallyGold]

NEW: @NYCMayor poised to roll out his business council tomorrow. Among those on the list are Scott Rechler of RXR, Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani and Priscilla Sims Brown of Amalgamated Bank:

https://t.co/a57pE6Zv7U

[Sally Goldenberg @SallyGold]

Pressed by @morganfmckay today on why the city didn't make this outage public, @ZohranKMamdani said "the work was being done to do everything we could to reach out to New Yorkers directly."

Morgan tried to ask a follow-up, but either was cut off or the mayor didn't hear her.