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Good Morning, New York! Brad Lander was detained by federal agents at an immigration court yesterday, Trump’s EO blocks NY’s electric truck mandate, and comptroller hopeful Justin Brannan claimed 70 faith leaders endorsed him, but several religious figures say they've never even heard of the guy! This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Wednesday, June 18th, 2025.

WHERE’s KATHY: In New York City with no publicly scheduled events.

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Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— Brad Lander was briefly detained by masked federal agents after allegedly assaulting law enforcement and impeding and investigation outside immigration court. Lander was released without charges, and video of the incident shows Lander holding on to the immigrant being arrested, but not assaulting people. The Comptroller was escorting someone from his immigration hearing at the building at 26 Federal Plaza when the situation escalated. DHS said: “it is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment.” (The City)

— NYC parents council elections saw a surge in candidates this year, but overall voter turnout remains stubbornly low. Despite culture war controversies driving more people to run, less than 2% of eligible parents cast ballots. Advocates are now calling for the Department of Education to do more to engage parents and boost participation in these important advisory roles. (Gothamist)

— Mayor Adams is straight-up banning a Daily News reporter from his press conferences. After reporter Chris Sommerfeldt tried to ask a clarifying question without being called on, the mayor told him "stop calling out." Adams then instructed his staff to bar Sommerfeldt from future pressers if he did it again, while the Daily News is standing by their reporter's right to ask questions. Sommerfeldt had previously not been called on in three months. (NY Daily News)

Capitol Gains

— New York is trying to get ahead of the AI curve, but success is mixed. While several AI protection bills passed both houses, including one requiring safety protocols and incident disclosures from large AI companies, and another requiring human oversight for the use of automated decision-making systems by government agencies, a key bill mandating impact assessments for AI development is likely dead in the Assembly. Big tech is pushing back, arguing the regulations could stifle innovation and drive development out of the state. (State of Politics)

— Trump's attempt to halt electric truck mandates isn't sitting well with New York. Despite a federal executive order and legal challenges, the state's DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton insists New York will keep pushing for the transition to electric vehicles. Trump's order paused a mandate which would require manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of heavy duty EV trucks starting this year, which his administration called overreach by state governments. The Truckers Association of New York is celebrating the change. (CBS 6 Albany)

— A local mayor in Ostego County is facing charges for allegedly raping a teen over a decade ago. Laurens Mayor Frank Kovacs was indicted on multiple counts of rape and criminal sexual act, and is currently held on bail. (Syracuse)

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Trail Mix

— Awkward! NYC comptroller hopeful Justin Brannan claimed 70 faith leaders endorsed him, but several religious figures say they've never even heard of the guy. After some leaders cried foul on social media, the Brannan campaign blamed an outside vendor for the mix-up and has taken down the endorsement announcement. Now, with the primary just around the corner, Brannan is scrambling to verify his support. (NY Post)

— Could Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano be the next Lieutenant Governor? Sources say he's on Gov. Hochul's short list and is interested in the position. Spano emphasized his experience as a mayor, saying he's a team player ready to support the governor's agenda. (Westchester)

— POLLING UPDATE: In the final round between Cuomo and Zohran, we get Manhattan Institute: Cuomo 56% - Mamdani 44%, and Marist: Cuomo 55 % - Mamdani 45%.