You Decide with Errol Louis

At just 22 years old, Katrina Brownlee was shot 10 times by her fiancé and left for dead. She miraculously survived and became a decorated NYPD detective, a mentor and the founder of a nonprofit support group for at-risk women. She also made history as the first Black woman to serve on the protective detail of a New York City mayor. Brownlee's powerful memoir, "And Then Came The Blues," recounts h...

Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, is making another attempt at running for mayor as the Republican nominee. With millions in matching funds and competitive polling numbers, Sliwa joined NY1's Errol Louis to talk about his campaign and his potential path to victory. He discussed a range of issues, including animal welfare, public safety, homelessness and transportation. He emphasize...

It's been over a month since Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani stunned the city with his victory in the Democratic mayoral primary, a result that has sent shockwaves through the political establishment. Among the most forceful responses came from longtime Democratic strategist Dr. Hank Sheinkopf, who warned, "If Mamdani is elected mayor, Jewish New York is finished. It's only a question of when th...

This year's New York City mayoral primary delivered twists, upsets and a surprise victory that's redrawing the city's political landscape. To unpack the moment, seasoned strategist and key adviser Rebecca Katz joined NY1's Errol Louis for a wide-ranging conversation on strategy, authenticity and what it takes to win. Katz, whose track record includes advising Sens. John Fetterman and Ruben Gallego...

During an interview with NY1, Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, shot back at rival Andrew Cuomo, questioning the former governor's interest to "help working people." When asked where he stands on the phrase "globalize the intifada," Mamdani said the distance between what some intend and what others hear is "a bridge that is too far," and it is why he now discourages its use. Mamdani...

In 2024, Columbia University became the center of a U.S. pro-Palestinian protest movement that swept across college campuses and led to more than 2,000 arrests. The legal battles surrounding student protests, particularly the case of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, have been making headlines. Ramzi Kassem is a professor at CUNY School of Law, the co-director of the CLEAR clinic and one of Khalil'...

After Andrew Cuomo announced he's running for mayor as an independent candidate, the former governor spoke with NY1's Errol Louis about what went wrong with his Democratic primary campaign while also heavily criticizing the man who beat him, Zohran Mamdani. Cuomo also reflected on past initiatives during his tenure as HUD secretary under Bill Clinton, emphasizing the cultural impact of home owners...

Recent shifts in national policy and bold local proposals have put hunger relief at a crossroads. President Donald Trump's newly passed bill slashes billions of dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — once known as food stamps. Meanwhile, Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is pushing a radically different vision: opening city-funded grocery stores in all five boroughs...

Google's monopoly in online search was recently adjudicated by a federal court. There is also an ongoing FTC case against Meta for anti-competitive behaviors involving Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions. What are the legal and commercial dynamics of these key antitrust cases, and what is the broader impact on the market? Lina Khan is an associate professor of law at Columbia University and a form...

The surprising Democratic primary victory of 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has left many political insiders scratching their heads. What does this mean for the future of the Democratic Party and how did a young assemblyman who was polling at 1% in February defeat a well-known New York political giant? NY1 political reporter Ayana Harry joined NY1 political anchor Errol L...

Political history was made in New York City on June 24, and once NY1's live TV coverage wrapped early Wednesday morning, NY1's Errol Louis, Courtney Gross and Bobby Cuza broke down the surprise results of the Democratic primary in this special crossover episode of Off Topic/On Politics and You Decide. Queens Assemblyman and Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, 33, pulled off an upset over former G...

With the June 24 primary almost upon us, could Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani pull off an upset over Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic race for mayor? Could City Comptroller Brad Lander capitalize on his arrest by federal immigration officials and make a last-minute push? Gerson Borrero is a journalist, radio host and political commentator who appears weekly on NY1's "Inside City Hall." He's also...

When it comes to mayoral primaries, few people know the terrain better than Bill de Blasio. As the 109th mayor of New York City, he served two terms from 2014 to 2021, the last Democratic mayor since Ed Koch to serve two terms in office. De Blasio joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his thoughts on the 2025 Democratic primary. They also discussed the importance of a clear message and how he looks...

With the June 24 Democratic primary fast approaching, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams sat down with NY1's Errol Louis to discuss her run for mayor. A late addition to the race, Adams emphasized her leadership style, which she says is based on appointing competent, community-based leaders. The episode marks the eighth and final installment of the "You Decide" mayoral candidate interview series....

Queens state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani sat down with NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his high-energy grassroots campaign and his attempts to close the polling gap with frontrunner Andrew Cuomo. The episode marks the seventh installment of the "You Decide" mayoral candidate interview series. Their conversation touched on Mamdani's journey from being a longshot candidate to a formidable contender. The...

With the June 24th Democratic primary less than a month away, City Comptroller Brad Lander sat down with NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his campaign for mayor. The episode marks the sixth installment of the "You Decide" mayoral candidate interview series. The conversation touched on Lander's background and his various roles in the city government. He outlined his proposals, including ending homeless...

Back in March of 2019, Errol had the honor of speaking with Rep. Charles Rangel for just the eighth episode of this podcast. They talked about everything—from his roots in Harlem and his service in the Army, to his rise through New York politics and his experience on the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate era. He also shared his thoughts on the first Trump presidency, with the insight...

With the June 24 Democratic primary fast approaching, Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie sat down with NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his decision to run for mayor. The episode marks the fifth installment of the "You Decide" mayoral candidate interview series. Myrie discussed proposals including increasing affordable housing by building one million homes, boosting police headcounts and ensuring accou...

Whitney Tilson, a newcomer to politics, is trying to make a splash in the crowded Democratic race for mayor. A successful investor, civic activist and lifelong Democrat, Tilson sat down with NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his decision to run for mayor and try to shake up the political establishment. The episode marks the fourth installment of the "You Decide" mayoral candidate interview series. Tils...

With the June primary approaching, plenty of attention has been focused on the race for mayor. But there's an important and highly competitive contest on the undercard: the race for City Comptroller. What does the comptroller do and why should New Yorkers care? NY1's Errol Louis decided to talk more about the job with two former comptrollers who were major players in New York's political arena — L...

With the June 24 Democratic primary fast approaching, Scott Stringer — the former state assemblyman, comptroller and Manhattan borough president — sat down with NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his second bid for mayor. The episode marks the third installment of the "You Decide" mayoral candidate interview series. Stringer highlighted his extensive political experience and discussed his campaign platf...

With the June primary quickly approaching, Michael Blake, the former assemblyman and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, sat down with NY1's Errol Louis for the second installment of his mayoral candidate interview series.  Blake highlighted his multifaceted governmental experience and emphasized the need for a mayor with managerial skills and empathy, particularly in the current poli...

With the June 24 Democratic primary fast approaching, Queens state Sen. Jessica Ramos sat down with NY1's Errol Louis for the first installment of a series of interviews with the mayoral candidates. Ramos, who hopes to become the city's first woman and Latina mayor, focused on key issues such as affordability, housing and mental health. She reflected on her journey from growing up in a working-cla...

A combination of economic stagnation, disinvestment and mismanagement of the city's budget brought New York into a fiscal crisis in 1975 — unlike any it had seen up to that point. The result was shuttered schools and firehouses, mountains of garbage on the streets, and cops being laid off by the thousands. But what happened next is perhaps even more important: the city somehow united to pull itsel...

The Trump administration is continuing its efforts to claw back $20 billion worth of Biden-era climate funding for low-income communities — part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. For now, the $20 billion remains frozen in a Citibank account, preventing eight organizations from distributing the money that would finance tens of thousands of projects across the country to fight climate change. EP...