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FAQ NYC

Latest episodes

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May 19, 2025 • 32min

Episode 419: Cuomo's Still Coasting

Time's running awfully short for Zohran Mamdani to turn momentum into position, Adrienne Adams to ignite or anyone else to catch up with Andrew Cuomo, who's happy to stay out of the fray, keep unscripted interactions with voters let along other candidates to a minimum and other otherwise trust, like Eric Adams did four years ago, that even Democratic primary voters are more conservative than most of the party's candidates. Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss all that and much more, including Albany's arrogance, The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz, and how the hipster burnt his tongue.
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May 12, 2025 • 31min

Episode 418: Are the Moderates Riding 'The Silent Wave’?

While New York City mayor went to DC to kiss the ring, Newark’s mayor got himself arrested trying to visit a newly opened ICE lock-up in his city. Meantime, Andrew Cuomo was docked $600,000 by the Campaign Finance Board on Monday for illegally coordinating with his own super PAC — but still seems to be on track for a victory in the Democratic primary that often decides the city's mayor unless something changes in the race's closing days. Hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss all that and much more, including Albany's latest quarter-trillion-dollar big ugly and another occupation attempt at Columbia the day before the NYPD came down hard on less radical protesters the next day on Brooklyn College students.
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May 5, 2025 • 49min

Episode 417: Mamdani Momentum Hits Cuomo Cliff

Mamdani momentum is monumental, but Cuomo remains a steep cliff to climb with time running short. Co-hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss that and much more, including Kathy Hochul’s premature “budget deal” proclamation, Eric Adams’ “best budget ever” proposal, and Donald Trump’s brutal federal spending plan that neither New York leader seems to be taking into account. Plus, Maya Kaufman of Politico New York breaks down the landslide loss for longtime 1199 boss George Gresham in that union’s election, and what that could mean for New York politics and the future of organized labor.
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Apr 28, 2025 • 47min

Episode 416: A Different Path to Public Safety

With not even 60 days to the Democratic primary, the field is running out of time to catch up with Andrew Cuomo while the governor — as the mayoral candidate’s team still refers to him —tries to run out the clock while keeping the public and the press at arm’s length. Co-hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss all that and much more, plus Harry talks with Dana Rachlin of We Build the Block and the Brownsville Safety Alliance about a very different approach to public safety — one that centers community instead of the criminal justice system and why she’s she’s still optimistic about that difficult, daily work.
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Apr 21, 2025 • 27min

Episode 415: Is Randy Running the Show While Eric Runs for Reelection?

While Eric Adams, no longer facing the prospect of a prison sentence, is rocking too-tight tees and trying to find the right tone to convince New Yorkers to give him a second term, new First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro is taking a very public, aggressive approach. FAQ NYC co-hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss that and much more, including the Trump administration bearing down on New York, Katie’s experience covering Pope Francis’s visit to the city a decade ago, and much more.
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Apr 14, 2025 • 30min

Episode 414: Does Cuomo Want a Wedding or a Marriage?

As the former governor racks up more big endorsements for his mayoral run while putting out reportedly AI-assisted policy plans and mostly avoiding the press, co-host Christina Greer asks if the frontrunner in the polls wants a marriage with New York City or just a wedding. It remains to be seen, though, how his lead holds up as the election heats up and the “dwarves” — as one Cuomo aide has described them — running against him combine their matching funds to try and convince Democrats not to rank him at all in June’s primary. Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss that, Katie’s Inner Circle performance, Hizzoner sporting an “In God We Trust” t-shirt as he tries to reset his struggling reelection campaign, and much more.
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14 snips
Apr 12, 2025 • 59min

Episode 413: Brad Lander Says NYC Can Do Better Than ‘A Bully Who’s Also a Chicken’

Brad Lander, the City Comptroller of New York City and mayoral candidate, discusses his vision for a safer and more affordable city. He emphasizes a bold plan to build 500,000 new homes over the next decade to alleviate the housing crisis. Lander also proposes a 'Housing First' policy to tackle street homelessness, particularly for those with serious mental illness. The conversation delves into the importance of civic engagement, innovative financial strategies, and the need for humane treatment within the justice system, all while maintaining a light-hearted touch with baseball banter.
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Apr 9, 2025 • 48min

Episode 412: Adrienne Adams Says ‘I’m the Change the City Needs’

“We are so tired of the trauma, we are so tired of the drama, we are tired of the scandal,” said City Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams. “When I saw four deputy mayors resign at the same time and it appeared to be because our mayor decided to cozy up to the chaotic Donald Trump — I saw the brains walk out of the computer and I saw the crumbling of the infrastructure of New York City and I could not sit back and do nothing about it.” Speaker Adams also discussed why she’s “more optimistic than last year this time” negotiating a budget with Mayor Eric Adams (no relation) while running against him, the difference between growing up in Hollis, Queens compared to Andrew Cuomo’s upbringing in affluent Holliswood, Queens, her plan to provide a guaranteed minimum income to more than 21,000 homeless children and young adults, and much more with hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel.
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Mar 31, 2025 • 37min

Episode 411: A High-Stakes Casino Contest

What's the difference between a parking lot, a park and a casino? Just a few words scribbled on some paper if Mets owner Steve Cohen gets his way, and it looks like he might now with a well compensated assist from State Senator John Liu that's also a kick in the shins of his legislative colleague and mayoral candidate Jessica Ramos. Co-host Katie Honan explains it all, and then Christina Greer and Harry Siegel go deep on the mayor's race, political science and why no one should be allowed to review a book if they haven't written one.
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Mar 24, 2025 • 34min

Episode 410: Andrew Cuomo Muscles Into Adrienne Adams’ Turf

After eight Black elected officials from Southeast Queens put out a joint statement saying they were endorsing Andrew Cuomo for mayor, three of them said that, actually, they’re not doing that (and, in one case, won’t be ranking Cuomo at all). Guest Jeff Coltin of Politico New York, who broke that story over the weekend, talks with hosts Christina Greer and Katie Honan about how the powerful and controversial ex-governor is making things weird for elected officials and voters alike — and why the Democratic ranked choice primary might present particular challenges for him amid a wave of "Cuomo killed grandma" attacks from his campaign rivals.

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