Senior Reporter at New York Focus
Tips/praise/rants: Sam(at)nysfocus.com
Signal: mellins.613
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Last week, we reported that state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, who chairs the judiciary committee, has repeatedly botched clients cases in his work as a private lawyer.
Yesterday, top Senate Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins told us she sees "no reason" to remove him as judiciary chair:
NEW: State Senator and lawyer Luis Sepúlveda has repeatedly messed up clients' cases, leading to consequences including evictions.
One expert called his record of missed deadlines, incorrect paperwork, and no-shows “professional negligence.”
nysfocus.com/2026/04/09/s...
Last year, I broke the news that $400,000 raised for the survivors of a fatal 2022 fire in the Bronx had never been spent.
All the money has now reached the survivors. My story: nysfocus.com/2026/05/15/b...
NEW, for @nysfocus.com:
Last month, we obtained hours of body-cam from Oswego County. It showed sheriff's deputies pulling over drivers — and if the drivers didn't speak English, the deputies called Border Patrol. Some drivers were held for 30+ min while BP responded.
nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/o...
After a New York Focus investigation, a Bronx charity distributed nearly $400,000 to survivors of a deadly 2022 fire.
nysfocus.com
NEW: If you were in Albany on March 8, you might have felt the ground shake under your feet as 15,000 public sector union members chanted: “Fix Tier 6!”
It’s a cry for state leaders to boost the pensions of government employees.
nysfocus.com/2026/03/23/b...
As housing construction booms in red states, blue states are falling behind. That will likely boost Republicans in federal politics.
Thank you, @spectrumnewsny1.bsky.social for having New York Focus Senior Reporter @sammellins.bsky.social on the show to talk about his story.
Across more than 4,400 pages, lawmakers passed a $269 billion budget that funded major programs serving New Yorkers across the state.
New York Focus breaks down the process, outcomes, and what it means for you in The Haggle.
nysfocus.com/2026/06/09/n...
Sammy Sussman
New York Focus
New York Focus
New York Focus
NEW: A lawyer who has repeatedly caused clients to lose cases by missing court appearances and failing to file paperwork on time also leads the committee that oversees the practice of New York law — but his boss isn’t concerned.
nysfocus.com/2026/04/16/s...
New York Focus
NEW: A lobbyist who has been romantically linked to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie led a rally opposing plastic packaging legislation a week before the speaker declined to bring it to a vote.
nysfocus.com/2026/06/11/h...
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wanted a multibillion-dollar bailout from Albany this year, and he got one — but rather than a suite of big tax hikes, the final deal includes a mishmash of cost shifts, delayed pension payments and one notable new tax on pricey second homes.
New York Focus
Some of the city’s new aid will be canceled out by pension boosts.
