POWER ALBANY POWER 100 LIST eing powerful is like being a lady,” mused our choices based upon what we believed to be “ the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. a genuine refl ection of Albany—even while being B“If you have to tell people you are, you disheartened by the image cast. aren’t.” As our savvy readers can surely appreciate, the In Albany, as in every political arena, bluster is challenges in compiling a list such as this one are often mistaken for true power. Of course, even the daunting and many. One particularly noteworthy perception that one has infl uence can yield genuine diffi culty is the shifting sands of power amid the authority, but more often that not, those with true current dynamics at play in state government. power in government are not the grandstanders Several of the insiders we consulted pointed out but those who work dutifully, quietly and shrewdly that more so than ever, victories in Albany are behind the scenes to achieve their aims. achieved by coalitions, not individuals, and as such it With this ranking of the 100 most powerful players is problematic to determine who deserves credit for in Albany, we have aimed to pull back the curtain what. on who really has the clout to get things done in All we can say in response is that we have the Capitol. Through off-the-record discussions with done our best to cut through the noise. We fully a number of the most respected insiders in state acknowledge that the following list is subjective; in politics, the insights of our readers and a series of no way do we assert its infallibility. On the contrary, online polls, we have tried our utmost to construct we hope that it provokes discussion and that, a list that credibly reveals the politicians, staffers, through the collective expertise of its defenders advisors, lobbyists, advocates, consultants, business and critics, we all get a clearer understanding of our bigwigs, members of the media and labor leaders government and its internal workings. who really wield power in New York. We also grant that these rankings represent In making our selections, we have sought to only a snapshot of this current moment in state insulate our process from any preconceived notions history. Time and again we have learned all too or considerations beyond this exercise’s only well that those who are riding high in Albany right objective: accuracy. We have attempted not to now could already be in line for a precipitous be awed by titles or egos, and instead to make a downfall tomorrow. Our intention has not been to clearheaded evaluation of a person’s power not on prognosticate but to capture the present. paper but in practice. If by the time you are reading this list, one or Some may be surprised by how comparatively more of its members are under arrest or shattered few elected offi cials are on this list. Others may be by allegations, we will not be surprised. All we can angered by the glaring lack of diversity among our promise is that when we compile it again next year selectees, and the paucity of women, particularly it will be updated to refl ect all of the wild twists and at the highest rungs of this ranking. These turns that are certain to occur between now and observations cannot be disputed. We have made then. 10 APRIL 22, 2013 | www.cityandstateny.com CITY&STATE POWER 100. RObERt DuffY develop the Resorts World New York casino in Queens 93. biL LY EastOn and in securing a living wage for home care workers. LiEutEnant Cordo cut his teeth as special counsel to the state ExEcutivE GOvERnOR Senate majority, where he learned how to deliver for DiREctOR, a wide range of clients spanning business and labor. aLLiancE fOR The former mayor QuaLitY EDuca- of Rochester is in tiOn Of nEW a largely symbolic 96. RichaRD Ravitch YORk role now, standing in for the governor at fORmER Easton has shown ribbon-cutting cere- LiEutEnant himself to be one of monies and serving GOvERnOR the most effective as Cuomo’s personal advocates in Albany, cheerleader. But he Ravitch is hands- pushing successfully could be the next down the expert for an increase in David Paterson. You never know. when it comes to school aid—the principal goal of his organization— sorting out govern- and moving the ball down the field with key initiatives ment fiscal crises. like the expansion of prekindergarten education. 99. DaviD GRanDEau The former lieu- tenant governor Ethics cOmPLi- has been a savior of 92. aLfOnsE D’amatO ancE cOnsuL- New York before—he tant, DaviD brought the MTA back from the brink in the 1970s and fORmER u.s. GRanDEau & imbued the Paterson administration with some cred- sEnatOR; assOciatEs; ibility. He could play a similar role for cash-strapped fOunDER & bLOGGER municipalities in the near future. manaGinG DiREctOR, PaRk The ethics gadfly stRatEGiEs has been a consis- 95. RichaRD RunEs tent thorn in the side Those who forget of the governor and LObbYist that D’Amato’s voice the Legislature. But still matters in New amid the ongoing string of public corruption scandals Richard Runes York politics do so in Albany, the influential blogger’s tough love has come is a strategist and at their peril. With a across as prescient and given him ample opportunity consultant for the long relationship with to claim, “I told you so.” real estate and virtually every power player in the state, the former publishing interests senator is still a key figure in New York politics as a in New York, but he’s consultant, commentator and consigliere. under the radar and 98. biLL mahOnEY likes it that way. His knowledge and roots LEGisLativE in Albany are deeper REsEaRch than almost anyone cOORDinatOR, around, and he’s so connected that he can keep his nEW YORk number unlisted and still do quite well. PubLic intEREst REsEaRch GROuP 94. micah LashER Nobody digs into attORnEY the numbers like Bill GEnERaL’s chiEf Mahoney. By whip- Of staff ping up stunning statistics faster than anyone, he has found his niche Mayor Bloom- 91. tOniO buRGOs in influencing the way that good-government issues berg’s former are framed in the media and in policy discussions. lobbyist in Albany fOunDER anD Mahoney proves that one can be a wonk and still have recently took over as cEO, tOniO a real-world impact. the attorney gener- buRGOs anD al’s chief of staff. assOciatEs Joining the progres- 97. JOhn sive AG is a shift Burgos has been cORDO for Lasher, whose roaming the halls of last job was as one of the leading advocates for the the state Capitol as a PRinciPaL, charter school movement in New York, but he is a lobbyist since Mario cORDO & formidable political strategist with the chops to build Cuomo’s admin- cOmPanY Schneiderman’s re-election campaign and to lay the istration, and he groundwork for his future aspirations. still knows his way The influential around. Burgos and Associates may not haul in as lobbyist was a key much money as some of Albany’s other top lobbying player in Genting’s firms, but its CEO has been an enthusiastic fundraiser successful bid to and ally to the governor. CITY&STATE www.cityandstateny.com | april 22, 2013 11 POWER 90. MICHAEL AVELLA Association. the Wilson-Pakula law are enacted. PARTNER, MEARA AVELLA 83. CAROL KELLERMAN DICKINSON CITIZENS BUDGET Along with his COMMISSION partner Brian Meara, PRESIDENT Avella is one of the most infl uential Good-government lobbyists in Albany. A groups are often former chief counsel scoffed at in Albany, to two Senate but the Citizens majority leaders, Budget Commis- Joe Bruno and Dean 86. MICHAEL MCKEON sion’s analyses have a Skelos, Avella also has deep connections on both sides real impact on policy of the aisle. PARTNER, in the Capitol. The MERCURY PUBLIC accessible, well-researched reports from Kellerman AFFAIRS and her team cut through the rhetoric with substance 89. HERMAN “DENNY” that lawmakers fi nd diffi cult to ignore. FARRELL JR. Mercury is one of the Capitol’s most ASSEMBLYMAN; important public 82. BRIAN KOLB CHAIR, WAYS strategy fi rms, and AND MEANS McKeon isn’t just a ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE partner there——he MINORITY was communications LEADER An elder statesman director under Gov. of the Assembly, George Pataki and a He may be head of Farrell has been a senior advisor to Rudy Giuliani. He was also the execu- the Assembly’s lowly powerhouse in Albany tive director of Republicans for Cuomo, and is one of minority, but Kolb since the 1970s. One the GOP operatives closest to the governor. has shown himself to of the few state legis- be a reasonable and lators with national adept politician who infl uence, Farrell will 85. BRIAN SAMPSON makes the most of his likely never be Speaker because of his age, but he is position. And as the one of the most respected and important players in the EXECUTIVE leader of the perpetual state Democratic Party and the Capitol. DIRECTOR, minority, he’s the unique legislative leader with the UNSHACKLE latitude to speak candidly. UPSTATE 88. BRIAN COYNE Sampson is one 81. MICHAEL GORMLEY DIRECTOR OF of the leading voices LEGISLATIVE in advocating for CAPITOL EDITOR, OPERATIONS, upstate’s business THE ASSOCIATED NEW YORK STATE interests, which PRESS ASSEMBLY has been one of the governor’s key areas Gormley is consis- Coyne is a staffer of concern since taking tently one of the best whose infl uence offi ce.