Analysis: As GOP control of state Senate ends, Democrats outline

Senate Democrats lead by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins call to reform the New York Criminal Justice System during a press conference Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. less Senate Democrats lead by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins call to reform the New York Criminal Justice System during a press conference Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. less New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, center, speaks during a news conference with Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, left, and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Sen. Jeff ... more Nichole Potter casts her ballot as son Zion, 4, looks on at the Ward 3 polling station on Orange Street Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018 in Albany, NY.

Senate Democrats lead by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins call to…

Senate Democrats lead by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins call to reform the New York Criminal Justice System during a press conference Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. less Senate Democrats lead by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins call to reform the New York Criminal Justice System during a press conference Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. less New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, center, speaks during a news conference with Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, left, and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Sen. Jeff ... more Nichole Potter casts her ballot as son Zion, 4, looks on at the Ward 3 polling station on Orange Street Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018 in Albany, NY.

‘Blue Wave’ Threatens GOP’s Last Bastion In NY Politics

... Senate that will protect New Yorkers - not simply bury their heads in the sand," said Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Yonkers, who now leads the Democratic conference and stands to lead the entire Senate if her party prevails on Tuesday. Republicans ...

39 ex-IDC staffers purged after unity deal

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, center, speaks during a news conference with Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, left, and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Sen. Jeff Klein, D-Bronx, right, Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in New York. less New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, center, speaks during a news conference with Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, left, and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Sen. Jeff ... more New York Independent Democratic Conference Leader Sen. Jeff Klein, D-Bronx, right, Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in New York.

School budget voting dwindles

... annually. Enrollment outside of New York City and the other "Big 5" districts of Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, and Yonkers has dropped steadily over the years. This year it is 1,475,094 down from 1,477,203 the year before, according to the CBC and ...

Senate Dems say they were excluded from sexual harassment talks

Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, arrives for a news conference on ethics reforms legislation on Monday, Feb. 9, 2015, in Albany, N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters Wednesday that the state's sexual harassment policies would be informed by a bipartisan "working group" of female legislative staffers from both houses - including a delegate from the Senate Democrats. "We have a working group that's doing the sexual harassment bill," he said during an impromptu press conference at the Empire State Plaza, following the arrest of a New York Daily News reporter.

NY Senate’s revised sexual harassment policy drawing fire

In this April 27, 2015, file photo, Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, speaks during a news conference in Albany, N.Y. Stewart-Cousins, the only female leader of a legislative conference in Albany, is taking issue with the state Senate's newly revised anti-sexual harassment policy because it includes a warning to false accusers. The Republican-controlled chamber distributed the policy Monday Jan. 29, 2017 to senators and staff.

NY State Lawmakers Again Pushing For Voting Reforms

It's time New York state finally changed its antiquated voting rules and procedures that are perpetuating the state's low voter turnout, Democratic lawmakers in the Legislature said Tuesday as they announced yet another election reform package. New York ranks among the bottom in terms of voter turnout, a situation Senate Democratic Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, of Yonkers, called "extremely embarrassing" during a news conference detailing some of the 13 voting rights bills aimed at making it easier for New Yorkers to cast ballots.

Independence chair says IDC arrangement meant to aid minority

Senate IDC Leader Jeff Klein speaks with reporters following his appearance at New York AFSCME's annual Albany Lobby Day lunch Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at the Empire State Convention in Albany, N.Y. less Senate IDC Leader Jeff Klein speaks with reporters following his appearance at New York AFSCME's annual Albany Lobby Day lunch Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at the Empire State Convention in Albany, N.Y. ORG XMIT: NYR101 less FILE - In this April 27, 2015, file photo, Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, speaks during a news conference in Albany, N.Y. Billionaire hedge fund executive Daniel Loeb has ... more ALBANY - The chairman of the state Independence Party suggested in an affidavit that he formed an alliance with the state Senate's breakaway eight-member Independent Democratic Conference to show a "commitment" to the needs of minority communities in New ... (more)

Add Wilsona s niece to TZ name critics

There's been some criticism of the way the replacement Tappan Zee bridge was named for the late Mario Cuomo, courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo who inserted a bill to that effect at the very end of this year's legislative session. When Barbara Gaffuri was returning to Albany from a family funeral in Yonkers a few months ago, a relative told her to take a good look at the sign on the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Billionaire suggests black senator worse than Ku Klux Klan

In this April 27, 2015, file photo, Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, speaks during a news conference in Albany, N.Y. Billionaire hedge fund executive Daniel Loeb has apologized for an online post saying Stewart-Cousins has done "more damage to people of color than anyone who has ever donned a hood." "I regret the language I used in expressing my passion for educational choice," Loeb said in his statement about the post, emailed to The Associated Press on Friday, Aug. 11, 2017.