Max Politics

Matt Wing, a political strategist and founder of Wingspan, joined the show to analyze the first of two televised debates in the general election for Mayor of New York City and what comes next. Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa debated on NBC NY on the night of Thursday, October 16, 2025, and this conversation between Wing and host Ben Max was recorded right after. (Ep 535)

In our fourth episode, we discuss the federal indictment of New York Attorney General Tish James, how the mayoral candidates are reacting, and how the next mayor could influence President Trump’s approach to the city. Then, DSA-backed City Council Member Alexa Avilés of Brooklyn, chair of the Council immigration committee, joins us to talk about Trump’s immigration crackdown, her hopes for a Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and her own potential run for Congress. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort. Rachel Lightner engineered this episode. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound. (Ep 534)

New York State Assemblymember Robert Carroll, a Brooklyn Democrat, joined the show to discuss his push to ensure that education issues are discussed in the home stretch of the race to be the next Mayor of New York City, the importance of prioritizing literacy instruction, his short list of potential next city school chancellors, mayoral control of city schools, and more. (Ep 533)

In episode three, we talk about the massive infrastructure cuts trickling down from the federal government – one of the many developments that have us holding our breath for what’s to come in our city. We’re also joined by ‘Gridlock’ Sam Schwartz, who gives us the lowdown on the past, present and future of transit in New York. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro spoke with host Ben Max at a live event at New York Law School on the morning of September 30 to discuss Mayor Eric Adams' decision to drop his reelection bid, Adams' legacy, priorities Mastro has spearheaded, and much more. The event was hosted by NYLS' Center for New York City and State Law. (Ep 531)

Letitia (Tish) James, New York State Attorney General, joins to discuss her high-profile legal battles with Donald Trump, emphasizing her commitment to investigating his business practices. She shares insights on her endorsement of mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, highlighting the importance of youth involvement. James expresses concerns over federal pressures and the potential risks of a Republican governor for NYC protections. With a packed agenda, she expresses determination to defend civil rights and maintain accountability in government.

In our debut episode, Public Advocate Jumanne Williams joins us to talk about his arrest outside of 26 Federal Plaza, what the mayor and other elected officials can and should be doing in response to President Trump's threats, and why Williams thinks it's time for New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs to step down. --- FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming at you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin, Vital City, the Charles H. Revson Foundation and P&T Knitwear. This week's episode was hosted by Harry Siegel, Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Ben Max. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound. (Ep 529)

New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos joined the show to discuss the start of the new school year, key education policy initiatives underway like an overhaul of reading instruction, the new statewide student cellphone ban, mayoral control of city schools, and more. (Ep 538)

Post-Labor Day and with under 2 months until Election Day (Nov. 4) the general election for Mayor of New York City is now in full swing, and four new polls out this week (Sept. 8-12) help shed light on the state of the race among Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, and Eric Adams. Joining the show to discuss the polling, the state of the race, candidates' paths to victory, and what comes next are pollster Adam Carlson of Zenith Research and political analyst and professor JC Polanco. (Ep 527)

State Senator Jessica Ramos, a Queens Democrat, returned to the show to discuss her performance and endorsement of Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral primary, her 2026 bid for Senate reelection against a tough primary challenge, key issues facing her constituents, and more. (Ep 526)