Bochinche and Buzz: My return to the political merry-go-round

In this era of constant breaking news, the 35 days I’ve been away is a lifetime (for more on my absence, click here). The political climate in New York City and state, however, appears stuck in a time loop.  

I pondered writing about the Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s obsessive chest-thumping. There's certainly plenty to pick apart from the rounds he’s been making ahead of his State of the State address on Wednesday. Judging from the rollout of “initiatives,” Cuomo may be setting a new record for the most bloated, expensive State of the State in Albany’s history.

Alas, in the spirit of our weekly “Bochinche and Buzz” blog post – a roundup of political gossip – I thought I would instead give a rundown of what the rumor mill is churning up these days across the city and state.

·       A certain Cuomo administration member has been complaining forever about being tired of the traveling throughout the state. The whining – which he shared on more than one occasion – got so loud that he was scheduled to leave on Dec. 31, 2015. One knowledgeable Cuomo insider told me months ago that New York Secretary of State Cesar Perales had already said on various occasions that he wanted to retire. So, they pinned him down to a date. Weeks later, the secretary of state is still occupying his same office, with no sign that he's leaving anytime soon. However, as I'm writing this I got a call back from a reliable source who assured me: “It's all been worked out.”

·       A Queens politico, a member of the City Council, has been actively looking for a candidate to run against a promising Assembly member in their district. As of right now, the search is ongoing. The young, ambitious City Council pol feels overshadowed by the rising star.

·       There seems to be a shared concern among at least three of the contenders in the race to replace legendary U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel in the 13th Congressional District. It appears that this trio – whom I have either spoken to directly or to a top surrogate – all seem to feel that Charlie has assured them that he is leaning toward backing them or has talked of helping them win what will certainly be one of the most contested and heated races in New York. Only Charlie knows for sure. My guess? Charlie stays out of the fray and doesn't endorse anyone. Veremos.

·       There's also this bit of bochinche from City Hall – there's always a buzz in that place –  about how Mayor Bill de Blasio decided on the selection of his new deputy mayor for health and human services, Dr. Herminia Palacio. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s podcast with Nick Powell for the full scoop.