Capitol Confidential

The delivery of health care in New York has been in flux for more than a decade, but the current landscape was largely shaped by the Berger Commission. Created in 2005 under Gov. George Pataki, the commission was tasked with overhauling the delivery of care to New Yorkers. A year and half later, a final report was produced that recommended closing and merging hospitals all over the state. Mark Ust...

Cynthia Nixon and two-term incumbent Andrew Cuomo will meet once in a head-to-head primary debate before the Democratic gubernatorial primary. The matchup shares similarities with the 1982 primary debates that launched Mario Cuomo into the governor's mansion, although Nixon's road to an upset is littered with more roadblocks. Democratic consultant Bruce Gyory, former AP reporter Marc Humbert and G...

The state's chief elections enforcement officer either had her wings clipped this week or reasonable oversight authority was finally put in place. Your opinion of the actions taken by the state Board of Elections commissioners could depend on how you view the work of Risa Sugarman, New York's election law watchdog for the last four years. Her work is now subject to new reporting requirements and t...

The state's regulator of public utilities brought the hammer down on your cable company, assuming you haven't cut the cord and live in upstate New York. The controversy has been brewing for years and it came to head at a special meeting of the Public Service Commission, which gave Charter Communications 60 days to come up with a plan to give up its internet, cable and phone business in New York. T...

In the most meta episode yet, Times Union Editor Rex Smith discusses the evolution of Capitol Confidential from a print product to a blog and now as a podcast. The interview explores the changing media landscape and what that means for the Capitol Confidential brand, which could exist on other platforms in the future, such as video. The conversation is also a trip down memory lane, as Rex talks ab...

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, the Republican nominee for governor, joined host David Lombardo on a park bench outside the Capitol for this episode of the Capitol Confidential podcast. The interview touched on Molinaro's political ideology, reality television, a West Wing reunion, dialing for dollars, working in a deli and a lot more. It's a freewheeling conversation designed to solicit...

The next round of redistricting is still four years away, but every election is shaped by the last time the legislative boundaries were drawn. For four rounds of redistricting, Jeff Wice was a player in New York's redistricting process. He got to experience both sides of the process, as he worked for the Assembly majority and the Senate minority. The conversation with Wice touched on on the first...

The first annual Capitol Confidential awards recognized the winners, losers and best plot twists of the 2018 legislative session. It was a fierce competition for the top awards, as the past six months in Albany had everything. There was betrayal, overdue reunions, celebrities, a changing of the guard and melodrama. This year's presentation was hosted by David Lombardo, with Casey Seiler filling in...

In 2002, largely behind the scenes, the Democratic leader of the state Senate was toppled and the rise of David Paterson began. The change in power was aided by a relative newcomer to the chamber, Neil Breslin, who joined the podcast to reflect on the last successful coup in the Capitol. He revealed the secret conversations to recruit support for Paterson, explained how the failed challenge to She...

Saratoga County Republican operative Nick Willock joins the podcast to explain the campaign petition process, which is how candidates for elected office secure their spots on the ballot. The conversation explores the infrastructure needed to collect signatures, legal complications that can arise and Cynthia Nixon's effort to get on the Democratic primary ballot. Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Associated Press reporter David Klepper talks about the shenanigans that have dominated the narrowly divided state Senate in recent weeks. The episode explores the cause of the chaos, explains the AP's approach to covering the melodrama and examines what it all means for this fall's elections to control the chamber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Citizens Budget Commission Director of State Studies David Friedfel joined the podcast to talk about fuzzy budget math, future state deficits, the failing New York Mets and economic development projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Don Levy, of the Siena Research Institute, talks about the new Associated Press guidelines for reporting on a poll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Trichter joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk about his long shot bid to be the next state comptroller. Trichter, a Democrat, is pursuing the Republican nomination and believes he is the right candidate to exercise the "super powers" of the office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices