@sammellins.bsky.social
Senior Reporter at New York Focus Tips/praise/rants: Sam(at)nysfocus.com Signal: mellins.613
just came across this excellent reporting from Sam.
@sammellins.bsky.social · 2mo agoNine US union officials made over $1 million last year. Four of them run an obscure union of grocery store clerks and home health aides on Long Island. Yes, there is a mob connection. My investigation: nysfocus.com/2026/08/19/i...
New York Focus found that Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman submitted requests that could have granted him over $860,000 in public money he isn’t eligible for.
Blakeman Sought Matching Funds for Ineligible Donations
The GOP candidate for governor submitted requests that could have granted him over $860,000 in public money he isn’t eligible for.
nysfocus.com
GOP candidate for NY governor Bruce Blakeman sought taxpayer-funded matches for thousands of donations that weren't eligible. My story: nysfocus.com/2026/09/29/n...
Blakeman Sought Matching Funds for Ineligible Donations
The GOP candidate for governor submitted requests that could have granted him over $860,000 in public money he isn’t eligible for.
nysfocus.com
Police in Port Chester, a heavily immigrant community, appear to have turned over dozens of people to ICE, including some with no criminal charges.
In Westchester Village, Police Helped ICE Arrest Dozens
Police in Port Chester appear to have detained people for ICE far more often than other police departments in New York, our analysis shows.
nysfocus.com
The Assemblymember behind the RAISE Act says states can’t wait for DC — and describes how the industry weakened New York’s landmark AI safety law.
‘It Is the Time to Go Bold’: Alex Bores on New York’s Role in…
The Assemblymember behind the RAISE Act says states can’t wait for DC — and describes how the industry weakened New York’s landmark AI safety law.
nysfocus.com
We obtained Brooklyn Democratic Party chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s plan to upend an upcoming leadership vote that could unseat her. Opponents say they will likely sue.
Facing Ouster, Brooklyn Democratic Chair Tries to Rewrite Rules
Brooklyn Democratic Party chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn wants to expand who votes for party leader, and a reform group is threatening to sue.
nysfocus.com
Nine US union officials made over $1 million last year. Four of them run an obscure union of grocery store clerks and home health aides on Long Island. Yes, there is a mob connection. My investigation: nysfocus.com/2026/08/19/i...
NY Union Gives Millions to Its Bosses, Pennies to Rank-and-File
Five officers of IBOTU, an obscure Long Island union, collected more than $27 million over the past decade — nearly half the dues its members paid.
nysfocus.com
New York's elections watchdog declined to seek sanctions against the Bronx Democratic Party after New York Focus reported it failed to file a spate of campaign disclosure reports and hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions and spending.
Bronx Democrats Filed Reports Years Late, Don’t Face Fines
New York’s elections watchdog has sued hundreds over missing disclosures but declined to seek sanctions against the Bronx Democratic Party.
nysfocus.com
Last week, New York Focus reported a landmark $45 million settlement between a notorious nursing home chain and the state has fallen short, and residents have continued to suffer. Here are four key findings from our investigation.
Why New York’s Nursing Home Settlement Fell Short
Centers Health Care’s $45 million settlement with New York’s attorney general failed to stop understaffing and harm to nursing home residents.
nysfocus.com
In 2024, a New York nursing home chain agreed to pay $45M, increase staff, and hire independent monitors in a landmark settlement with the state. New York Focus has uncovered multiple violations since the settlement, as residents continued to suffer.
Nursing Home Chain Violates $45M Settlement With New York
New York Focus found multiple violations of the attorney general’s settlement with Centers Health Care, including staffing failures and resident harm.
nysfocus.com
Despite a landmark $45 million dollar settlement with the New York attorney general, residents of a notorious nursing home chain have continued to suffer abuse and neglect. My investigation: nysfocus.com/2026/07/29/n...
Nursing Home Chain Violates $45M Settlement With New York
New York Focus found multiple violations of the attorney general’s settlement with Centers Health Care, including staffing failures and resident harm.
nysfocus.com
Here’s our exclusive conversation with Sally — an AI-powered teaching assistant — and a firsthand look at how it would interact with students in the Salamanca City Central School District this fall should it receive approval.
I Interviewed Realbotix’s AI Teaching Assistant. Here’s What Happened.
A New York school district is weighing whether to use an AI teaching assistant this fall. We interviewed "Sally" to see how it would interact with…
nysfocus.com
NEW: Amazon has quietly spent $5 million to bankroll a campaign against a City Council bill that would force it to directly employ its delivery drivers—funneling the money through a coalition that’s made small business owners the face of its cause: nysfocus.com/2026/07/23/a...
Amazon Bankrolled $5M Campaign Against NYC Delivery Bill
Amazon supplied almost all the funding for a campaign presented as a coalition of New York City workers, small businesses, and national carriers.
nysfocus.com
Paraquat — a herbicide commonly used to kill broadleaf weeds and grasses in New York and across the US — is banned in more than 70 countries. In an upstate town one resident calls "Parkinson's Valley," farmers are demanding that New York follow suit.
The Herbicide Haunting a New York Farm Town
Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries. In an upstate town one resident calls “Parkinson’s Valley,” farmers are demanding New York follow suit.
nysfocus.com
As the troubled home care company PPL prepared to take over New York's $11 billion state funded home care program, it got detailed lobbying and comms help from major healthcare union 1199SEIU, according to meeting records I obtained: nysfocus.com/2026/07/16/n...
Union and Home Care Company Worked Closely Together, Records Show
Health care union 1199SEIU collaborated with a troubled home care company, Public Partnerships LLC, on messaging, political strategy, and lobbying.
nysfocus.com
New York is extending a program that has filled tens of thousands of government jobs across the state — but New York City, despite facing its own vacancy crisis, is opting out. Here's why the Mamdani administration says it will not join NY HELPS.
Hochul Extends NY HELPS Program, But Mamdani Won't Join
Hochul extended NY HELPS through 2028 after it filled 60,000 jobs, but Mamdani’s New York City administration has no plans to join.
nysfocus.com
The company that runs New York’s state-funded home care program has agreed to pay its workers $162 million to settle a wage theft lawsuit filed last year. The deal is one of the largest wage-related payouts in state history.
Wage Theft Suit Ends in One of New York's Largest Payouts
Public Partnerships LLC has agreed to pay $162 million to settle a class-action wage-theft lawsuit brought on behalf of 200,000 CDPAP aides.
nysfocus.com
For over a year, NY home health aides have made wage theft complaints against the private state contractor they work for. They just won a $162 million payout: nysfocus.com/2026/07/01/n...
Wage Theft Suit Ends in One of New York's Largest Payouts
Public Partnerships LLC has agreed to pay $162 million to settle a class-action wage-theft lawsuit brought on behalf of 200,000 CDPAP aides.
nysfocus.com
New York’s biggest health care union wants 200,000 home health aides to join up, but many say they aren't convinced. Here's why.
Will New York Home Care Workers Unionize? Many Are Wary.
New York’s biggest health care union, 1199SEIU, wants 200,000 home health aides to join up. Many say they aren't convinced.
nysfocus.com
NEW: The biggest union drive in modern history is happening in NY right now. 200k home health aides could unionize. But many aren't sure they want to. nysfocus.com/2026/06/29/n...
Will New York Home Care Workers Unionize? Many Are Wary.
New York’s biggest health care union, 1199SEIU, wants 200,000 home health aides to join up. Many say they aren't convinced.
nysfocus.com
At a watch party on Tuesday, Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of New York City DSA, attributed the victories to the group’s volunteer army. “The incumbents just were not able to keep up,” he said. nysfocus.com/2026/06/24/n...
NY Primary Results: DSA Set to Pick Up 6+ Seats in Albany
The DSA made gains in New York despite super PACs spending $9.6 million in state legislative races — nearly five times the total from 2024.
nysfocus.com
NEW: A lobbyist who has been romantically linked to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie led a rally opposing plastic packaging legislation a week before the speaker declined to bring it to a vote. nysfocus.com/2026/06/11/h...
NY Plastics Bill Died After Blitz by Lobbyists with Ties to Heastie
A lobbyist who has been romantically linked to Heastie led a rally opposing the legislation a week before the speaker declined to bring it to a vote.
nysfocus.com
Across more than 4,400 pages, lawmakers passed a $269 billion budget that funded major programs serving New Yorkers across the state. New York Focus breaks down the process, outcomes, and what it means for you in The Haggle. nysfocus.com/2026/06/09/n...
Inside NY's Opaque State Budget Process — and How It Affects You
In May, state lawmakers passed a $269 billion budget after haggling for months over thousands of line items and policies affecting New Yorkers.
nysfocus.com
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wanted a multibillion-dollar bailout from Albany this year, and he got one — but rather than a suite of big tax hikes, the final deal includes a mishmash of cost shifts, delayed pension payments and one notable new tax on pricey second homes.
Mamdani Gets a New York City Bailout, but Not the One He Wanted
Some of the city’s new aid will be canceled out by pension boosts.
nysfocus.com
Last year, I broke the news that $400,000 raised for the survivors of a fatal 2022 fire in the Bronx had never been spent. All the money has now reached the survivors. My story: nysfocus.com/2026/05/15/b...
Bronx Fire Relief Funds Finally Reach Families
After a New York Focus investigation, a Bronx charity distributed nearly $400,000 to survivors of a deadly 2022 fire.
nysfocus.com
NEW, for @nysfocus.com: Last month, we obtained hours of body-cam from Oswego County. It showed sheriff's deputies pulling over drivers — and if the drivers didn't speak English, the deputies called Border Patrol. Some drivers were held for 30+ min while BP responded. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/o...
Videos Show Upstate NY Cops Calling Border Patrol on Drivers
Oswego County sheriff’s deputies held drivers for up to 45 minutes as they waited for immigration agents, potentially breaking the law.
nysfocus.com
NEW: A lawyer who has repeatedly caused clients to lose cases by missing court appearances and failing to file paperwork on time also leads the committee that oversees the practice of New York law — but his boss isn’t concerned. nysfocus.com/2026/04/16/s...
Dem Leader Backs Judiciary Chair Despite Botched Cases
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says she sees "no reason" to remove Senator Luis Sepúlveda as judiciary chair.
nysfocus.com
Last week, we reported that state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, who chairs the judiciary committee, has repeatedly botched clients cases in his work as a private lawyer. Yesterday, top Senate Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins told us she sees "no reason" to remove him as judiciary chair:
Dem Leader Backs Judiciary Chair Despite Botched Cases
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says she sees "no reason" to remove Senator Luis Sepúlveda as judiciary chair.
nysfocus.com
NEW: State Senator and lawyer Luis Sepúlveda has repeatedly messed up clients' cases, leading to consequences including evictions. One expert called his record of missed deadlines, incorrect paperwork, and no-shows “professional negligence.” nysfocus.com/2026/04/09/s...
State Senator Repeatedly Failed Clients in Court
One expert called Senator Luis Sepúlveda's record of missed deadlines, incorrect paperwork, and no-shows "professional negligence.”
nysfocus.com
NEW: If you were in Albany on March 8, you might have felt the ground shake under your feet as 15,000 public sector union members chanted: “Fix Tier 6!” It’s a cry for state leaders to boost the pensions of government employees. nysfocus.com/2026/03/23/b...
A Pension Battle Is Heating Up in Albany. Here's What to Know.
Unions want state leaders to sweeten their retirement packages. What would it cost, and what would it achieve?
nysfocus.com