Our Team

Akash Mehta, Editor-in-Chief
akash@nysfocus.com

Akash’s reporting on New York politics has appeared in The Intercept, The Nation, THE CITY, Jacobin, City & State, and Gothamist.

Rebecca Klein, Publisher
rebecca@nysfocus.com

Rebecca was previously a senior reporter at HuffPost and teaches journalism at NYU. Her work has also appeared in outlets including NPR, The Guardian, and The Hechinger Report.

Maia Hibbett, Managing Editor
maia@nysfocus.com

Maia was previously the associate politics editor at The Intercept. She has also worked as a fact checker at New York magazine and has written for The Nation, The Baffler, and Lux magazine.

Lee Harris, Co-Founder and Contributing Editor
lee@nysfocus.com

Lee’s reporting has appeared in The American Prospect, The Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times. In 2020, she graduated from the University of Chicago, where she was editor-in-chief of the independent student newspaper.

Sam Mellins, Senior Reporter
sam@nysfocus.com

Sam’s reporting on New York politics has appeared in The Appeal, THE CITY, The Intercept, The Nation, and City & State.

Chris Gelardi, Criminal Justice Investigative Reporter
chris@nysfocus.com

Chris covers the criminal-legal system in New York. His work has appeared in over a dozen other outlets, most frequently The Nation, The Intercept, and The Appeal.

Colin Kinniburgh, Climate and Environmental Politics Reporter
colin@nysfocus.com

Colin covers New York climate, energy, and environmental politics. His reporting has appeared in outlets including Grist, France 24, Dissent, and The Nation.

Spencer Norris, Investigative Reporter
spencer@nysfocus.com

Spencer covers drug policy in New York, with an investigative focus on addiction treatment facilities. He was previously the investigative data reporter at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Web design by Stephan Shaw. Logo by Eric Doctor.

New Chief Judge Shortlist Features Previously Excluded Liberal Judges
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
New Chief Judge Shortlist Features Previously Excluded Liberal Judges
Hochul has a month to nominate one of the seven candidates to be New York’s next chief judge, after the state Senate rejected her first pick last month.

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March 24
Albany to Suburbs: We’ll Pay You to Build Housing. Suburbs to Albany: No Thanks
Budget, Housing, New York State
Albany to Suburbs: We’ll Pay You to Build Housing. Suburbs to Albany: No Thanks
Mayors said they aren’t interested in state grants to expand housing. “You can’t dig a hole in the ground for that kind of money,” one told New York Focus.

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March 23
Why Does Rikers Island Still Lock People in Shower Stalls?
Criminal Justice, New York City, Reporting
Why Does Rikers Island Still Lock People in Shower Stalls?
So-called “de-escalation units” were supposed to help people cool off after violent encounters. But months after their implementation, Rikers staff still use the old brutal methods.

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March 22
Rikers Intake Is a Mess, But We Can’t Expect Too Much Progress, Federal Judge Rules
Criminal Justice, New York City
Rikers Intake Is a Mess, But We Can’t Expect Too Much Progress, Federal Judge Rules
Nearly a year and a half after they were supposed to fix their system, jail officials still don't know how long they’re keeping people in notorious intake pens.

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March 21
Lawmakers Aren’t Sure Their Own Plan to Build More Housing Will Work
Budget, Housing, New York State
Lawmakers Aren’t Sure Their Own Plan to Build More Housing Will Work
The legislature signed on to Hochul’s goal of 800,000 new homes. But they aren’t confident their plan can get there.

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March 20
Here’s Your Guide to the 2023 State Budget Fight
Budget, New York State
Here’s Your Guide to the 2023 State Budget Fight
We added up the governor and the legislature's joint priorities and broke down their major divisions. The splits will define the year’s big legislative battles.

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March 16
The New Belmont Park Could Become the Country’s Deadliest Track for Horses
Budget, New York State, Reporting
The New Belmont Park Could Become the Country’s Deadliest Track for Horses
Dozens of horses die at the Long Island track each year. Governor Hochul — and now the state legislature — want to give it a state-funded renovation.

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March 14
Fossil Fuel Companies Enlist Customers to Fight New York’s Climate Law
Budget, Climate and Environment, New York State, Reporting
Fossil Fuel Companies Enlist Customers to Fight New York’s Climate Law
National Fuel urged customers to oppose a gas appliance ban. It’s just one strategy in the fossil fuel industry’s mounting offensive against climate action.

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March 7
Prison Department Writes Its Way Out of Following Solitary Confinement Law — Again
Criminal Justice, New York State
Prison Department Writes Its Way Out of Following Solitary Confinement Law — Again
After months of ignoring reforms, the corrections department published new rules. They look a lot like the old rules.

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March 6
Can Half a Billion Dollars Save New York Horse Racing? We Spoke With the Man Who Says Yes.
Budget, New York State, Reporting
Can Half a Billion Dollars Save New York Horse Racing? We Spoke With the Man Who Says Yes.
A conversation with consultant Shuprotim Bhaumik, whose firm wrote a study arguing that New York state can revitalize the failing horse racing industry by funding a $455 million track renovation.

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March 1
Meet the Top Private Earners Among New York Lawmakers
Electoral Politics, New York State, Reporting
Meet the Top Private Earners Among New York Lawmakers
A handful of state legislators made far more from second jobs than they did representing their constituents, a New York Focus analysis found. Find your rep in our database.

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March 1
Hochul Calls for Rail Safety Regulations — After Vetoing Keystone Rail Safety Bill
Labor, New York State, Reporting
Hochul Calls for Rail Safety Regulations — After Vetoing Keystone Rail Safety Bill
In December, the governor vetoed legislation requiring freight trains to be staffed with at least two crew members. Rail workers say it’s a bare minimum for safety.

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February 28
Hochul’s Budget Pads Prosecution Funding Without Match for Public Defense
Budget, Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Hochul’s Budget Pads Prosecution Funding Without Match for Public Defense
The governor proposed an outsized boost worth tens of millions for prosecutors — drawing comparisons to New York’s history of public defense neglect.

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February 27
For Scandal-Plagued For-Profit Colleges, No State Is More Welcoming Than New York
Budget, Education, New York City, New York State, Reporting
For Scandal-Plagued For-Profit Colleges, No State Is More Welcoming Than New York
As ASA College prepares to shut its doors after years of controversy, New York continues to shell out tuition subsidies to for-profit colleges — at rates higher than any other state.

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February 23
Hochul Projects Horse Racing Renaissance, Declines to Share Evidence
Budget, New York State, Reporting
Hochul Projects Horse Racing Renaissance, Declines to Share Evidence
Hochul says it "goes without saying" that a taxpayer-funded track renovation will bring jobs and boost attendance. Her proof: an industry-commissioned study that she refuses to release.

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February 22
The Corporate Lawyer Moonlighting as a New York Assemblymember
Electoral Politics, New York State, Reporting
The Corporate Lawyer Moonlighting as a New York Assemblymember
Keith Brown makes $142,000 representing his Long Island district — and about half a million representing corporate real estate interests.

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February 21
Hochul and Senate Clash on Public Power, With Utility Workers on Sidelines
Budget, Climate and Environment, Labor, New York State, Reporting
Hochul and Senate Clash on Public Power, With Utility Workers on Sidelines
The New York Power Authority manages resources built half a century ago. But a plan to make it the vanguard of clean energy could be hamstrung by labor-environmentalist divisions.

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February 16
Hector LaSalle’s Chief Judge Shot Ends With Historic Rejection by State Senate
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Hector LaSalle’s Chief Judge Shot Ends With Historic Rejection by State Senate
The surprise vote was a stinging rebuke to Governor Kathy Hochul, who pushed aggressively for LaSalle’s confirmation.

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February 15
Landfill Fight Tests New Yorkers’ Right to a Healthy Environment
Climate and Environment, New York State
Landfill Fight Tests New Yorkers’ Right to a Healthy Environment
A case challenging High Acres landfill leaves the fate of the so-called “green amendment” with New York’s courts.

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February 15
Can Anyone Make New York Prisons Follow Solitary Confinement Law?
Criminal Justice, New York State
Can Anyone Make New York Prisons Follow Solitary Confinement Law?
A recent hearing was legislators’ chance to have acting prison commissioner Anthony Annucci explain himself. They didn’t make him.

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February 13
Hochul Ditched Promise of Health Insurance for Undocumented People. She Could Cost New York $500 Million.
Budget, Health, Immigration, New York State
Hochul Ditched Promise of Health Insurance for Undocumented People. She Could Cost New York $500 Million.
The move will leave tens of thousands of undocumented New Yorkers uninsured.

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February 9
Kathy Hochul Bets Half a Billion on Horse Racing. Will the Industry Pay Her Back?
Budget, New York State, Reporting
Kathy Hochul Bets Half a Billion on Horse Racing. Will the Industry Pay Her Back?
New York’s biggest racetracks have been declining for decades. They’ll likely need more state subsidies to cover their debts.

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February 7
How Hochul Plans to Build Hundreds of Thousands of Homes Near Train Stations
Budget, Housing, New York State, Reporting, Transit
How Hochul Plans to Build Hundreds of Thousands of Homes Near Train Stations
The governor's proposal for “transit-oriented development” has so far gotten a mixed reception from suburban legislators, who killed a similar plan last year.

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February 2
Hochul’s New Bail Reform Plan Would Reverse Decades-Old Protections
Budget, Criminal Justice, New York State
Hochul’s New Bail Reform Plan Would Reverse Decades-Old Protections
Long before 2019, New York law mandated that judges setting bail consider only a person’s likelihood of returning to court. Hochul’s proposal would strip that limit.

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February 1
What Kathy Hochul’s Budget Tells Us About New York’s Cap-and-Invest Plan
Budget, Climate and Environment, New York State
What Kathy Hochul’s Budget Tells Us About New York’s Cap-and-Invest Plan
And what it doesn’t.

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February 1
‘Hot Spot’ Cops Killed Tyre Nichols in Memphis. Hochul Wants More in New York.
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
‘Hot Spot’ Cops Killed Tyre Nichols in Memphis. Hochul Wants More in New York.
The controversial units have been responsible for high-profile killings and civil rights abuses in cities nationwide.

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January 30
NYCHA’s Rehab Push Brought Jobs — Just Not for Its Residents
Climate and Environment, Housing, New York City, Reporting
NYCHA’s Rehab Push Brought Jobs — Just Not for Its Residents
Under federal law, the public housing agency is required to hire low-income tenants. Records show it has often missed the mark.

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January 25
Hochul Wants More Police Surveillance. Legislators Want Boundaries.
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Hochul Wants More Police Surveillance. Legislators Want Boundaries.
Legislators are taking aim at a host of police surveillance tools, from undercover social media accounts to facial recognition to aerial drones.

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January 24
The Wall Street Bet Behind Ithaca’s Green New Deal
Climate and Environment, Housing, New York State, Reporting
The Wall Street Bet Behind Ithaca’s Green New Deal
Big banks and venture capital firms have flirted with the residential energy market for years. Ithaca is giving these lenders a shot with theirs.

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January 23
Senate Committee Rejects Hector LaSalle for Chief Judge
New York State, Reporting
Senate Committee Rejects Hector LaSalle for Chief Judge
The judiciary committee voted Kathy Hochul’s nominee down 10 to nine. Senate Democrats say his candidacy is dead, but Hochul says the full Senate needs to vote.

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January 18
Hector LaSalle Faces Senate Judiciary Hearing: Live Updates
New York State
Hector LaSalle Faces Senate Judiciary Hearing: Live Updates
Governor Kathy Hochul's embattled pick faces steep odds in the legislature — if Senate leaders choose to bring his nomination to a floor vote.

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January 18
The State Police Are Watching Your Social Media
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
The State Police Are Watching Your Social Media
The New York State Police bought social media monitoring programs that have violated platforms’ policies and been used to surveil Black Lives Matter protesters.

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January 13
Kathy Hochul Calls for ‘Cap and Invest’ to Slash Emissions
Budget, Climate and Environment, New York State, Reporting
Kathy Hochul Calls for ‘Cap and Invest’ to Slash Emissions
The idea is winning over skeptics. Will the harmony last when it’s time to hammer out the details?

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January 11
As Hochul Makes New Promises in State of the State, Last Year’s Parole Pledge Is Still Waiting
Criminal Justice, New York State
As Hochul Makes New Promises in State of the State, Last Year’s Parole Pledge Is Still Waiting
This time last year, Hochul promised to fully staff the parole board. But vacancies have only grown — and went unmentioned in this year’s agenda.

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January 10
‘Highly Unlikely’ Hector LaSalle Gets a Floor Vote, Say Senate Democrats
New York State, Reporting
‘Highly Unlikely’ Hector LaSalle Gets a Floor Vote, Say Senate Democrats
Governor Kathy Hochul maintains that her chief judge nominee will go through a Senate hearing and vote. The Senate Democrats’ spokesperson disagrees.

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January 6
Surprise Veto Upended Immigrant Rights Bill Sought Over a Decade
Criminal Justice, Immigration, New York State, Reporting
Surprise Veto Upended Immigrant Rights Bill Sought Over a Decade
Legislators wanted to make judges warn defendants about deportation risks. They say Kathy Hochul’s veto left them blindsided.

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January 6
Will Hector LaSalle Be the Next Janet DiFiore?
Criminal Justice, Labor, New York State, Reporting
Will Hector LaSalle Be the Next Janet DiFiore?
LaSalle’s supporters argue opponents are cherry-picking his record. But on eight out of nine recent cases, he agreed with the Court of Appeals’ conservative bloc.

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January 5
Thousands of New York City Nurses Are on Strike. Statewide, a New Law Drove Bitter Staffing Debates
Health, Labor, New York State
Thousands of New York City Nurses Are on Strike. Statewide, a New Law Drove Bitter Staffing Debates
The law was supposed to deliver safer staffing ratios. Instead, it raised tensions at one in four New York hospitals.

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January 5
Here’s Every Bill Hochul Vetoed in 2022
New York State, Reporting
Here’s Every Bill Hochul Vetoed in 2022
Governor Kathy Hochul signed a record number of bills last year — but rejected 165 others, wielding her veto pen with newfound vigor.

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January 3
Hochul Pushes Changes to Carpet Bill, Igniting Bitter Debate Over ‘Chemical Recycling’
Climate and Environment, New York State, Reporting
Hochul Pushes Changes to Carpet Bill, Igniting Bitter Debate Over ‘Chemical Recycling’
Some environmentalists say the amendments would allow unacceptable pollution. Others argue they’re missing the point.

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December 23
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