Power & Politics

Adem Bunkeddeko, a former Congressional candidate, discusses his run for New York State Comptroller. He breaks down his approach to the office, talking investing in entities like the Knicks, divesting, auditing, oversight and more

0:00:00 – 0:02:24 — Introduction and Why He’s Running
0:02:24 – 0:07:03 — Why Comptroller and Using the Pension Fund for Housing
0:07:03 – 0:13:13 — Audits, Policy, and the Role of the Comptroller
0:13:13 – 0:21:28 — What the Pension Fund Is and the New York Opportunity/Trust Fund
0:21:28 – 0:27:21 — Investing in New York: MSG, Local Assets, and Energy
0:27:21 – 0:33:29 — Values, Divestment, and Audit Priorities
0:33:29 – 0:35:25 — Petitioning Onto the Ballot and Closing

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Peter Gannon, President & CEO of United Way of the Greater Capital Region joined Power & Politics this week, discussing the organizations programs revolving around housing, food, emergency assistance and more.

His appearance comes less than a week after New York State announced their "Downtown Albany Strategy" plan, which involves a $200 million investment into Albany's Downtown.

He also addressed their analysis of ALICE data, and how they use the tool to help address the needs of communities.

The full conversation will be available via podcast at 5:00 a.m. Friday, with the video available on Youtube Friday afternoon.

Albany’s $200 Million Downtown Bet (0:00–3:15)

Intro to Peter Gannon and the $200M state investment in Albany, why downtown needs a bold reset, and how COVID exposed weaknesses in downtown vibrancy.

Peter’s vision of downtown Albany as the hub that connects all neighborhoods, and how United Way sees community-building at the center of revitalization.

Explanation of ALICE, why the federal poverty line is outdated, how two in five households in the Capital Region struggle, and why even some six-figure earners feel squeezed.

How food banks and pantries are still under pressure, United Way’s summer meals for kids, the link between nutrition and learning, and the push for universal and summer school meals.

How child and earned income tax credits lift families above poverty and ALICE, and Peter’s argument for getting money to families during the year instead of one big refund.

Peter’s response to critics of public spending on kids, and his case for investing in the next generation as future workers and caregivers.

How COVID permanently changed restaurants, retail, delivery, and work habits, and why rebuilding in-person community life is so important.

United Way’s on-the-ground response to federal shutdowns, from supporting TSA workers to quickly deploying groceries and gas cards when paychecks and benefits stopped.

Why charity alone can’t fix hunger, who SNAP really serves, and why federal, state, and county policy choices will determine how hard families are hit.

The reality of food-insecure college students, campus pantry models, and using tech like parcel lockers to make food access dignified and discreet.

Overview of the VITA free tax prep program, who it serves, and how it saves families fees while bringing millions of dollars back into the Capital Region.

Peter’s response to skepticism about nonprofits, the emphasis on accountability, and examples of how relatively small grants generate large community impact.

Downtown as the Region’s Crossroads (3:15–4:40)

ALICE and the Real Cost of Living (4:40–10:20)

Food Security and Summer Meals (10:20–13:10)

Tax Credits and Cash Upfront (13:10–16:00)

Why Investing in Kids Pays Off (16:00–17:10)

Government Shutdowns and Rapid Response (16:31–21:40)

SNAP, Safety Nets, and Public Policy (21:40–23:10)

Hunger-Free College Campuses (23:10–24:35)

Free Tax Prep and Local Dollars (24:35–26:42)

Trust, Transparency, and Nonprofit Impact (26:42–29:10)

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New York State Assemblymember Brian Cunningham (D-Brooklyn), sits down for a wide-ranging interview on CBS6's Power & Politics with Tom Eschen. In the interview, Cunningham discusses Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State proposals, the FY2027 Budget, universal childcare, and affordability.

He reacted to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's testimony during the State Budget Hearing, and talked about "taxing the rich".

He also addressed being on the short list for Governor Hochul's ticket in 2026, how he felt about his Brooklyn Democratic Party rescinding, then restoring, their endorsement for Governor Hochul. He finishes by discussing immigration, and 988 funding.

(This interview was conducted on 2/11/2026)

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New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has been in office since 2007, and is running for reelection in 2026. For the first time in about two decades, he's potentially being challenged in a primary. Now, following last week's NYS Democratic Convention, DiNapoli is the party's nominee, with none of the challengers receiving enough of the vote to be automatically on the ballot. Therefore, Raj Goyle, Drew Warshaw and Adem Bunkeddeko will need to petition to get on the ballot. Joseph Hernandez has been chosen as the nominee for the New York GOP.

Listen to Raj Goyle's interview here.

Listen to Joseph Hernandez's interview here.

0:00 – Introduction; polarization, social media, public anxiety, and explaining the comptroller’s role.
2:40 – DiNapoli’s motivation to stay, his record, ethics, and criticism of long tenure.
5:35 – Medicaid audits, roughly $1B in potential savings, fraud cases, and work with DAs.
10:42 – CDPAP controversy, exclusion from contract review, debate over thresholds and delays.
21:10 – Audits of the Public Service Commission, climate planning shortfalls, and limits on regulating private utilities.
25:01 – What the Common Retirement Fund is, size, returns, diversification, and funding level.
31:24 – Palantir & ICE, guns, fossil fuels, Israel bonds, BDS, and how ethics are weighed against fiduciary duty.
44:12 – State and NYC budget risks, federal cutbacks, rural and youth issues, and DiNapoli’s pitch for re‑election.

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On Tuesday, Joseph Hernandez was unanimously nominated to be the Republican representative on the ballot for New York State Comptroller in the November election.

In this discussion, Hernandez discusses his motivations, platforms and more:

-Role of Capitalism and Entrepreneurship

-Vision for the Comptroller's Office

-Economic Development and Investment Strategies

-Auditing and Fraud Prevention

-Political Independence and Investment Decisions

-Personal Background

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With the Super Bowl days away, it's estimated $1.7 billion will be wagered this year. With that in mind, CBS6 sat down with NYS Assembly's Standing Committee on Racing & Wagering Chair Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake) on Thursday. 

"When we look at the revenue reports associated with mobile sports wagering, it is a steep slope. Every month we see more and more people playing on mobile sports wagering, or people who have been playing more frequently, the amount of money wagered in New York is going up," Woerner said.

That means more revenue for the State of New York, which broke a national record for revenue in 2025, gaining nearly $2 billion from Jan 2024-Nov 2025. 

 "That is part of the motivation in every state for legalizing different forms of wagering, and that's been true since we legalized para mutual wagering at race tracks way back when," Woerner said. "I do think that we are seeing, however, the the emergence of significant social costs associated with the intensity of sports wagering, and so I think at this point we really need to be and New York is not the only state experiencing this. Other states are as well. Thinking back to, okay, what are the guardrails that need to be in place so that we can that we can avoid the high social costs associated with gambling, that we can take it back to it's supposed to be entertainment and not how somebody thinks they're going to pay the bills and and the intensity of the wagering, we know from the hotline calls that people are are chasing that next bet because they they need to pay the rent."

Woerner says 77 bills are in Committee right now, most of which are in regards to problem gambling. 

She discussed:
-"Affordability windows"
-banning prop bets/unders
-parlays
-advertising bans (SAFE Bet Act) 
-Polymarket/Kalshi
-NYRA's CAW move 
-Gaming Commission's Role

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 Raj Goyle, a Democratic candidate for New York State Comptroller, joined Power & Politics this week. His candidacy, along with fellow Democratic candidates Drew Warshaw and Adem Bunkeddeko have all announced campaigns, the first primary challenges against incumbent Tom DiNapoli in two decades.

Goyle says he wants to leverage more power out of the Comptroller's office, hoping to counter Trump Administration policies and threats.

The DiNapoli campaign responded to Goyle's interview, you can read those responses here

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Prior to his role with Albany Law School, Wildes managed several State Agencies, (Office of Mental Health, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, and the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs). He also played a major role in implementing the Governor's $1 billion investment into New York State's mental health system.

He also addressed:
Affordability and Policy in the Budget
Advocacy and Mental Health Funding
Impact of Involuntary Commitment Laws
Housing and Homelessness Initiatives
Substance Abuse and Overdose Prevention
Overdose Prevention Centers and Psilocybin
Daniel's Law and Law Enforcement Training

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The family of Robert Brooks met with Governor Kathy Hochul at the State Capital on Monday, calling it a good first step as they advocate for prison reform.

Robert Brooks was killed while in custody at Marcy Correctional Facility in December 2024, the video of his beating going viral and sparking a movement to end violence in prisons. A prison omnibus package, inspired by this movement, aimed at transparency and oversight was signed by Governor Hochul in December.

Now, the Brooks family says the work will continue, with the meeting with the Governor aimed at pushing for more change.

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