Good Morning, New York! A state auditor has been arrested for allegedly stealing over $405,000 from the town he was assigned too, Waymo is pushing to get permission to operate in New York, and Lawler says there will not be a primary for the GOP nomination for Governor in 2026. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Friday, July 11th, 2025.

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Front Pages

Hall Monitors

The "Broadway of the Bronx" is getting a major cleanup! City agencies, backed by the NYPD, swept into the drug-infested area, setting up barricades and a command center to tackle the rampant drug use and trash. Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres, who recently blasted the city over the situation, is cautiously optimistic that the crackdown will be sustained long-term. (NY Post)

31 NYPD officers might get the boot! An internal investigation revealed they allegedly lied on their applications about things like criminal records and past terminations. The police union stepped in, securing a temporary restraining order to block the firings, setting the stage for a court battle next week. (CBS News)

A state court has ordered Mayor Adams to implement the City Council's plan to expand housing vouchers, despite his warnings about a $17 billion price tag. The reforms aim to speed up voucher access and remove barriers, but Adams argues it'll worsen the affordable housing crisis, costing $17 billion over five years, while the city council claims City Hall has overshot the cost of the reforms by $7 billion. This is the second legal blow for the mayor in recent weeks, though he did secure a temporary restraining order in a separate case regarding solitary confinement. (NY Post)

Capitol Gains

Driverless cars may be coming to New York, as Waymo pushes lawmakers to let its robotaxis transport passengers throughout the state. The company, currently collecting data in NYC, is lobbying for a change in state law to allow fully autonomous rides. But some transit advocates worry the tech could increase traffic and negatively impact public bus service. (Times Union)

The state auditor assigned to review the Town of Wallkill's finances has been arrested for allegedly stealing over $405,000 from the town. Tobias Otieno, 41, reportedly used confidential information obtained during the audit to transfer funds into his personal accounts. While the town has been made whole by the bank, Otieno now faces grand larceny and public corruption charges. (Mid Hudson News)

New York's health care system is bracing for impact as the federal budget director warns of potential destabilization due to upcoming federal cuts. The budget director argues that these cuts could seriously undermine the state's ability to provide adequate healthcare services. The cuts may affect both providers and patients throughout the State. (Times Union)

Trail Mix

Mike Lawler says he isn't worried about a primary in the 2026 GOP race for governor, stating that a primary would be a "waste of time, money and effort." The New York Congressman believes he'd have appeal to a broader range of voters than fellow Republican Elise Stefanik. (State of Politics)

Wall Street is panicking over Zohran Mamdani. Some of New York's wealthiest financiers are reportedly joining forces to take down the Democratic nominee for mayor, whom they see as a surging progressive threat. Though they haven't agreed on a single candidate, the anti-Mamdani war chest could make this one of the most expensive mayoral races ever, with the group planning to raise an additional $20 million on top of the money originally raised for Cuomo. (WSJ)

Hakeem Jeffries' team fired shots at Zohran Mamdani's supporters, labeling them 'Team Gentrification' after left-wing groups threatened to primary incumbent congressional Democrats. While DSA leaders eye potential challenges to Reps. Nadler, Clarke, and even Jeffries himself, allies of the House Minority Leader are promising a 'forceful and unrelenting' response, with Ritchie Torres warning that siding against Jeffries ultimately helps Trump. (NY Post)