Capitol Confidential

The "Senate Coup" of 2009 caught Albany by surprise, but the writing was on the wall months earlier after Senate Democrats first secured their slim majority.

This first episode of Capitol Confidential's "Tales from the Coup" series focuses on the leadership battle after the 2008 election and how it signaled the stalemate that was coming.

The podcast will introduce the "Four Amigos," highlight the political rise of Malcolm Smith and explain the deal that was struck to hold the Democratic conference together.

New episodes will be available every Friday and a live forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the coup will be held at the Hearst Media Center in Colonie on May 7.

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For the 10-year anniversary of the Senate Coup, the Capitol Confidential podcast is doing a deep dive into the players and politics that shaped this historic struggle for power in Albany.

This multi-episode journey will unearth buried memories, shine a light on all the plot twists and explore the ramifications for the past decade, as we hear from the lawmakers, reporters and staffers who survived the tumultuous summer of 2009.

The leadership battle will also be the focus of a live forum at the Hearst Media Center in Colonie on May 7.

The first episode will be available April 26 and listeners should subscribe to Capitol Confidential wherever they get podcasts so they don't miss out on this trip down memory lane.

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It was a little more than 12 years ago that Tom DiNapoli, then a member of the state Assembly, was tapped by his legislative colleagues to become the next state comptroller.

The Long Island Democrat has since won three elections to the post and is planning on running again in 2022.

DiNapoli joined the podcast to talk about his elevation in 2007, the controversy surrounding his selection and his flirtation with a run for lieutenant governor.

The interview also explored his re-election bid and thoughts on the process for filling vacancies in the state attorney general and comptroller jobs.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo is known for bold and progressive rhetoric addressing climate change, and this year's talking points were backed up by new language in the state budget.

Environmental Advocates of New York Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to discuss the governor's rhetorical commitment to the "Green New Deal," as well as the substantive plan to get New York on “100 percent clean power by 2040."

The conversation also addressed climate change legislation making its way through the Capitol.

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A president from the Capital Region.

That's the promise embodied in U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's run for the White House. The Democratic contender has deep roots to the region, including her grandmother's role in Albany's political machine, and she calls Rensselaer County home today.

Gillibrand joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk with Times Union reporter Rachel Silberstein about serving the area in Congress, her political evolution, and much more.

An even deeper dive into her formative years was the focus of a recent Times Union profile, and a look into her rise in politics in print on Sunday.

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State lawmakers on this week adopted the first major batch of gun-control measures in New York since the SAFE Act of 2013, and pledged they won't wait another six years before revisiting state firearm laws.

The package of bills would enable New Yorkers to seek a court order to temporarily remove guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others, ban bump stocks, prohibit teachers from being armed in schools, establish a fund and guidance for local gun buyback programs, and extend the period for completion of background checks to 30 days.

While Democrats and gun control advocates were celebrating, most Republican lawmakers found themselves on the opposing side of the issue. To explain their position, the podcast turned to GOP senators Patrick Gallivan and Daphne Jordan.

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New York is poised to adopt adult-use marijuana in a few months, as lawmakers appear to be on board and Gov. Andrew Cuomo included a regulatory framework in his state budget.

As the state heads into these uncharted waters, the Capitol Confidential podcast turned to Weedmaps President Christopher Beals for guidance.

The episode explored what makes a successful marijuana market, examined different tax structures and revealed what consumers in New York might be able to expect with legalization.

The conversation also highlighted how Weedmaps, known as the Yelp of the pot world, might be utilized by New Yorkers in the future.

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It's that time of year again in the Capitol, when life as we know it stops and the budget process begins. 

This year's season is off to a familiar start, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo offering a PowerPoint presentation in a frigid state theater packed with acolytes and lawmakers, but it's also poised to be very different.

The variable heading into budget negotiations is the Democratic-controlled state Legislature, which is an unfamiliar quantity in Albany.

Newsday's Mike Gormley joined the podcast to break down the big news, high drama and compelling subplots of this $175 billion high-stakes holiday.

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Before the media fascination with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (lack of) national ambition, it was his father who stirred up speculation about a White House run.

In 1991, 32-year-old Terry Lynam was one of the staffers then-Gov. Mario Cuomo dispatched to New Hampshire to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign that never came to fruition.

This episode features Lynam talking about his experience in the field, the political atmosphere at the time and what could have happened if Mario ran.

And when you're done, check out this New Hampshire television segment that explored this moment in history with the state's former Democratic chair.

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Long before the world would meet New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott through the performance by actress Bonnie Hunt, then-Gov. Mario Cuomo was looking for the first person to fill the newly created post.

The original state inspector general was FBI special agent Joseph Spinelli, who joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk about creating the office and going after corruption in New York.

The interview explores the tip line he set up, the need for procurement oversight and his own brush with Hollywood.

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