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RAPE LAW LOOPHOLE: Gov. Kathy Hochul vowed today to close a loophole embedded in state rape law around voluntary intoxification as she laced into Cornell University police and a local district attorney for their handling of a 2024 gang rape allegation. Under current law, proving sexual assault is difficult if a victim voluntarily consumed alcohol or drugs. Individuals cannot consent “by reason of being mentally disabled or mentally incapacitated,” which generally applies to involuntary consumption of drugs or alcohol. Hochul said she would work with lawmakers “early” to change the law when they return to Albany in January. “Voluntary intoxication is not a license for sexual assault or gang rape,” Hochul told reporters at her Midtown Manhattan office. “Period. I support closing this loophole and will work with the New York State Legislature to accomplish this.” The State Senate has consistently attempted to do just that through legislation, but the Assembly has yet to bring the bill up for a vote. Hochul also appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor on the case. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff has agreed to an independent review. The plaintiff, a former Cornell student, alleged in a lawsuit that several men raped her at the Chi Phi house after coercing her into consuming drugs. The case attracted national attention after the student-run Cornell Daily Sun broke the story. The woman, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, told the Cornell campus police that she was “100 percent confident that she had been raped,” according to a transcript of her conversation with investigators. But that part of her account, Hochul noted, was omitted from the materials Cornell police sent to Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who declined to pursue charges without interviewing the woman. “In what world would the police learn from the victim that she had been literally gang-raped while intoxicated by five men in a fraternity house and not elevate those allegations to the district attorney?” she said. “In what world does the district attorney not even interview her or anyone else involved, or even request the full transcript?” Earlier this week, James expressed solidarity with Jane Doe on social media. When asked about her decision to affirm the allegation, she declined to comment. Rebecca Valli, a Cornell spokesperson, said the university agrees with the governor’s decision. “We fully support the appointment of a special prosecutor and efforts to change New York State’s rape law and are committed to an independent external review of all aspects of how Cornell has handled this case,” Valli said in a statement. Van Houten, the Tompkins County prosecutor, said in a statement today that “we were not provided the full picture by the university.” — Madina Touré MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Join POLITICO’s New York Outlook: Affordability, Industry & The Economy on Oct. 14 for live conversations about the business and policy decisions being made today — from City Hall to the State Capitol — that will shape the city’s economic future. The lineup includes New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, New York City Economic Development Corp. CEO Anthony Shorris, Partnership for NYC CEO Steven Fulop, Citizens Budget Commission President Andrew Rein, Charles H. Revson Foundation President Maria Torres-Springer, and more. Register now to attend in person or watch the livestream.From the CapitolSPACE JAM: The fledgling United States Space Force is trying to find a home for its academy. State Sen. James Skoufis wants to make it so in the Hudson Valley, proposing that the recently formed military branch select Stewart International Airport. “New York Stewart International Airport would be an exceptional site for this project. It offers existing aerospace infrastructure — including one of the few runways in the country designated for space shuttle landings — alongside significant on-site development opportunities,” Skoufis wrote in a letter to Hochul this week. The Democratic state lawmaker is seizing on a NASA-led effort seeking input from governors interested in hosting or sponsoring the academy in their state. Skoufis wants to build interest in having the academy placed in New York, where some officials are trying to encourage growth in the space sector. “We built the Apollo lunar landers and refined the optics for every major NASA telescope,” said Patrick Chase, co-founder of Empire Space, a non-profit promoting economic opportunities in space. “The Empire State is the best location for the United States Space Academy, continuing our bold legacy as a pioneer of the American Space Age.” — Nick Reisman BLAKEMAN’S VAGUE VOWS: Republican Bruce Blakeman has spent this year’s gubernatorial campaign focused on attacks — leaving serious questions about what he’d actually do if elected governor. With a month to go until Election Day, the Nassau County executive doesn’t have a policy section on his website. On the campaign trail, he’s opted against making detailed policy prescriptions in favor of going after Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani. When asked in August about his plan to reign in housing costs — a top concern among New York voters — Blakeman pivoted immediately to ideology: “It’s not through socialism.” “That’s a failed system,” he said at the time. “Mamdani the Commie and Comrade Kathy, they have this completely backwards because wherever they’ve instituted socialism it’s been making people miserable.” Blakeman’s policy agenda has focused on two major issues — massive tax cuts and an immediate 50 percent reduction in utility bills on his first day in office. But neither plan has been backed up by accounting that might suggest they’re plausible. His campaign declined repeated requests to release a plan detailing the cuts needed for the tax breaks. “It strikes me as very back-of-the-envelope,” said E.J. McMahon, who helped author former Republican Gov. George Pataki’s tax cut proposal. “A damp, coffee-stained envelope.” George Marlin, a former Conservative Party mayoral nominee in New York City and ex-director of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, took such criticism a step further, writing in a Times Union op-ed today that Blakeman’s record on Long Island suggests he is not “fiscally skilled enough to merit a promotion to the state’s top job.” “As county executive, Blakeman has done nothing to restrain spending,” Marlin wrote. “Despite his misleading campaign rhetoric, he has never cut a penny in county taxes.” Blakeman’s campaign did not respond to Marlin’s attacks. Read more from Bill Mahoney in POLITICO here.  TROOPER ONE’S SUIT: A federal judge this week dismissed one of the retaliation claims against ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a lawsuit filed by a former member of his State Police security detail. U.S. District Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall determined that because the alleged retaliation occurred in February 2022 — after Cuomo resigned from office — it did not constitute acting “under color of state law.” The woman, known in court documents as Trooper 1, alleged in the lawsuit that Cuomo sexually harassed her and that his former top aides subsequently retaliated against her. The former governor has denied any wrongdoing. “We respectfully disagree with the Court’s decision,” said Valdi Licul, Trooper 1’s lawyer. “Multiple federal and state agencies found that Cuomo sexually harassed Trooper 1 and other women. We don’t believe his resignation in response to his proven misconduct permitted him to further violate the law by threatening one of his victims. We intend to appeal as soon as we are able.” Azzopardi, Cuomo’s spokesperson, responded: “Despite what Trooper 1’s attorneys may think, New Yorkers aren’t stupid, they know Governor Cuomo never harassed nor retaliated against anyone and a simple review of the facts by the courts is why their case continues to crumble, the same way 5 DA’s review of those same ‘agency reviews’ found no there there and the two civil cases against him were ultimately dropped.” — Nick ReismanFROM CITY HALLFINAL FRONTIER FEAR: At least one of the artificial intelligence firms set to testify before the City Council is supportive of the lawmakers’ regulatory efforts. Council Speaker Julie Menin plans to convene the entire body Monday for a hearing where leading AI companies will testify and provide input on a legislative package that would put guardrails around the emerging technology. In a letter sent Thursday to Menin and her colleagues — and obtained by Playbook — an executive from OpenAI said the firm is broadly behind the Council’s push. “We appreciate the Council’s focus on frontier safety, including transparency, third-party assessments, reporting of critical incidents and protecting whistleblowers, consumer protection, election-related deepfakes, and other key safety areas,” wrote Chan Park, head of U.S. and Canada policy and partnerships for OpenAI. “We also strongly support the Council’s goal of strengthening the City’s readiness to prevent and respond to AI-related cyber threats and emergencies.” In his letter, Park noted the ways AI is contributing to advances in science and education, but acknowledged the concerns over frontier AI models raised by Menin and the company’s own executives as part of a broad unease over how rapidly the technology is advancing. Park did not get into the particulars of each Council bill, but he noted OpenAI is also supportive of a state regulatory framework known as the RAISE Act and has been providing Albany with input on tweaks to the legislation and the state’s cybersecurity efforts. “Our own safeguards are essential, but voluntary company commitments alone are not enough,” Park wrote. “Enforceable standards, independent scrutiny, and public accountability are necessary to ensure that increasingly capable AI is developed and used responsibly.” — Joe AnutaIN OTHER NEWS— FLUSHING’S FACELIFT: As plans for a new “town square” in Flushing move forward, residents have raised concerns about gentrification and displacement. (Gothamist) — FOSTER CARE: Foster care agencies in New York are facing an unprecedented crisis of rapidly rising insurance costs, and they want state Democrats to approve a relief bill. (Times Union) — HAMAS HELPERS: The NYPD helped catch two brothers from Louisiana allegedly involved in a Hamas fundraising scheme. (New York Post) Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.

The Senate GOP’s top PAC is diving into Kansas, a sign that the deep-red state is in play amid a worsening political environment for Republicans.

The Senate Leadership Fund’s decision to pause future spending is the latest evidence Republicans are not confident Michael Whatley can win in a state President Donald Trump carried three times.

Political cartoons from the desk of Matt Wuerker

Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here’s an offering of the best of this week’s crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.

Adam Hamilton on faith, Trump and the fight for Kansas lead image

WORKING OUT THE KINKS: New York’s Department of Health began transitioning more than 147,000 Medicaid and Medicare Savings Program enrollees to an upgraded case management system about a year ago. Since then, state officials say only a third of them have been able to automatically renew their coverage without assistance. The shift is part of a $1.1 billion contract aimed at creating an automated system for Medicaid enrollees to receive real-time determinations on their eligibility for the two programs. While the new system is intended to create a seamless enrollment process, for many consumers it’s been riddled with challenges. The initiative is part of a broader effort to move the Medicaid program away from local social services departments that still rely on paper applications and an outdated system in desperate need of overhaul. The state wants to transition the program to one centralized system run through its public health insurance marketplace, New York State of Health, according to officials. Lindsay Heckler, managing attorney for policy at the nonprofit Center for Elder Law & Justice, said her firm has seen a surge in inappropriate denials. “I’m not saying the new system shouldn’t be in place,” Heckler said. “But the concern is that the training and processes that are in place are preventing people from becoming eligible. My concern is that in the coming year they are moving more people into a system that doesn’t have the kinks worked out for the people that are in the system right now.” The state began rolling out the new Medicaid Eligibility and Client Management system in September 2025. A second wave of more complex cases is expected to migrate to the new system between November 2027 and February 2028. And while state officials say the system — which was created by Deloitte Consulting through a $1.1 billion contract — was thoroughly tested by both the Health Department and the company, they concede that problems remain and are being addressed as they’re flagged. Advocates describe the situation in starker terms. They say errors have put health care coverage in jeopardy for people who are 65 years and older, blind or disabled. They also told POLITICO they’ve discovered inaccurate information being transferred, a flawed automated asset verification tool and state workers’ inability to manually override inappropriate denials. Deloitte did not respond to a request for comment. New York entered into a $177 million contract with Deloitte in August 2023. But that projected outlay has grown to $1.18 billion after the state quietly filed four amendments to the initial deal, which ended on March 31, 2025. The latest amendment included an $866 million extension along with a work plan modification, according to details of the contract listed in the Open Book New York database. The Health Department said the contract extension will complete the migration of Medicaid enrollees to the new system, which includes more complex cases in the next wave, such as long-term care and nursing home patients. The contract also includes additional funding for Deloitte to conduct testing and ensure compliance with new federal requirements. “This multi-year transition to a centrally administered model will replace the outdated, expensive, error-prone and inefficient paper-based system with a streamlined, user-friendly platform that better supports the health coverage needs of New Yorkers while reducing the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse,” Health Department spokesperson Cadence Acquaviva said in a statement. “At every step of the way, this transition and contract were subject to extensive federal review and approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” Read more in POLITICO Pro from Katelyn Cordero.  MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Join POLITICO’s New York Outlook: Affordability, Industry & The Economy on Oct. 14 for live conversations about the business and policy decisions being made today — from City Hall to the State Capitol — that will shape the city’s economic future. The lineup includes New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, New York City Economic Development Corp. CEO Anthony Shorris, Partnership for NYC CEO Steven Fulop, Citizens Budget Commission President Andrew Rein, Charles H. Revson Foundation President Maria Torres-Springer, and more. Register now to attend in person or watch the livestream.From the CapitolJACOBS WINS: State Democratic Committee Chair Jay Jacobs handily won a new two-year term on the job, receiving 82 percent of the weighted vote at a party gathering in Westchester today. Jacobs — who angered the left last year by declining to endorse then-Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani in the general election — faced a challenge from Otsego County chair Caitlin Ogden. He preached unity as his victory message, inviting Ogden to join his leadership team in a “substantive” role. “This party has got to come to an understanding that our first priority is electing Democrats in whatever districts they’re in, and speak the language of the people in those districts,” Jacobs said. “All sides of our party need to learn to listen, to understand, to respect each other. There should be no vitriol inside the Democratic Party tent.” Party members have traditionally supported the governor’s choice for chair. Gov. Kathy Hochul never publicly wavered in her support for Jacobs, making clear in recent weeks he was still her pick. “I want to thank him for accepting the weight, the responsibilities,” she told party officials today. “Not the easiest job in the state. But he has done it in a way that has brought us together.” Jacobs, who also heads the Nassau County Democratic Committee, has chaired the state party under the past three governors, serving from 2009-2012 and since 2019. If he completes his new two-year stint, he’d be just one term away from surpassing FDR kingmaker James Farley as the longest-tenured chair in the history of the New York Democrats. — Bill MahoneyFROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILPOLL POSITION: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley are locked in a tight race, per a new Emerson College/PIX11 poll. Conley earned 48% of support to Lawler’s 46%, with 7% of respondents undecided. Lawler has more crossover support than Conley does, and independents break for him. But the pollsters note the percentage of Democratic backing for him fell from an Emerson survey in October 2024, while Conley’s GOP support increased compared to Lawler’s 2024 opponent, former Rep. Mondaire Jones. Hochul’s favorability is underwater in the district — 40% of respondents approve and 49% disapprove — though the pollsters acknowledge she’s on better footing than she was in 2024. President Donald Trump is also unpopular, with 43% approving his performance and 53% disapproving. The poll did not ask about Mamdani, a favorite foil of Lawler’s on the trail. The survey was conducted among 400 likely voters from Sept. 27-29. It has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.9 percentage points. — Madison Fernandez TRUMP TO CNY: Trump is considering a trip to upstate New York on Oct. 9 to appear alongside Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions. The event is being considered for central New York, but has not been finalized, said a fourth person. The people were granted anonymity to disclose the private conversations about the potential trip. Blakeman’s campaign did not comment and the White House did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Trump previously appeared on Long Island this summer to rally with Blakeman and Republican House candidates. Read more from POLITICO’s Nick Reisman.FROM CITY HALLBILLIONAIRE’S ZO: Mamdani hosted fifteen business leaders — several of them billionaires — at Gracie Mansion yesterday for the inaugural meeting of his Business Advisory Council. The council brings together business executives across industries to help guide the city’s economic policy and shepherd growth and innovation. Despite decrying the ultra wealthy, Mamdani welcomed input from billionaires such as Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya and Jefferson River Capital Chairman Tony James on how to address the affordability crisis, which has inhibited their ability to recruit top talent. The council also discussed potential plans to convert unused office space across the city into arts and research hubs, according to a spokesperson for the mayor. While he was welcoming other business execs to his home, one of the mayor’s biggest billionaire foes, Ken Griffin, was announcing his $3 billion donation to Carnegie Mellon University, the largest single donation in the history of American higher education. Most of that money is earmarked to build the university a new campus in Miami — months after Griffin said the mayor’s rhetoric prompted him to “double down” on investments in Florida, rather than New York. The Mamdani-Griffin beef swelled this spring when the mayor posed in front of Griffin’s $238 million penthouse in a social media video promoting his pied-à-terre tax. In the post, Mamdani framed the billionaire as a prime target of his tax-the-rich agenda. Griffin responded by calling the video “creepy and weird,” saying his plans to further invest outside of New York were “an immediate and direct consequence of the mayor’s poor decision.” “We will welcome anyone’s support, anyone’s involvement, and we will always do so because this is a city that belongs to all who live here,” Mamdani said when asked about Griffin’s historic donation. — Molly ReinmannIN OTHER NEWS— RETREAT: NYC first lady Rama Duwaji reportedly sojourned at an Islamic wellness retreat with a history of calling for the destruction of Israel, as her husband was rolling out his blueprint to combat antisemitism. (Washington Free Beacon) — CHATBOT GOVERNANCE: The Mamdani administration is planning to unroll new AI safeguards, including cracking down on chatbots used in customer service and launching a formal study of AI assistants. (POLITICO Pro) — SPEEDING THINGS UP: Mamdani’s administration unveiled 12 districts where housing will be fast-tracked. (POLITICO Pro) Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.

Voting groups and election officials continue to work to quell voters’ fears after Trump’s push to restrict the practice.

Republicans are counting on Trump to energize the voters they need in November, even as some candidates fear his unpopularity could alienate the persuadable voters they also need to win.

If Democrats win big in November, Ossoff will have cemented a leading role in a key swing state.