Free Republic

Let’s make a deal – or not. Gov. Kathy Hochul bungled the announcement of a deal on New York’s long-delayed budget Thursday — as state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie shot down her claims that top Democrats reached an agreement. The budget drama unfolded after Hochul announced the supposed agreement at 9 a.m., releasing the spending plan’s top lines. Roughly two hours later, however, Heastie effectively called the governor a liar. “There’s no budget deal. There’s no deal,” the Bronx Democrat said. “I’m not conferencing anything else until I know what the financial picture is.” Heastie said he walked out of...

Progressives, socialists and Bernie Bros are gearing up for war should Joe Biden fall short of his quest to unseat President Trump in Tuesday’s election. “You would see a complete repudiation of the Democratic establishment as we know it,” said Jabari Brisport, 33, a Democratic Socialist-backed candidate for state Senate expected to easily win a Brooklyn seat next week. “The Democratic establishment is not working for everyday people.” Brisport said a Biden loss would completely discredit the moderate wing of the party, paving the way for more successful insurgents like himself. “It’s going to be the mirror image of what...

Leaders of New York City’s Democratic Socialists, energized by the rise of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are buzzing over the 32-year-old Brooklynite, saying he looks like a new star of the party. “I’m really excited to see what Jabari Brisport is going to do next,” said Bianca Cunningham, a co-chair of the city’s Democratic Socialists.