You Decide with Errol Louis

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Inside the life of City Council Speaker Julie Menin Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

In a plan that's now being echoed by the Trump administration, New York City has helped close to 400,000 public school students and their families pay for college by creating savings accounts, which include start-up seed money.

Joining NY1's Errol Louis to discuss the program was City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who helped launch NYC Kids RISE in 2015 when she was the city's Consumer Affairs Commissioner.

In their conversation, Menin also reflected on her career and her path into politics, including her work rebuilding Lower Manhattan after the Sept. 11 attacks and her push to release long-withheld 9/11 files. She also outlined her responsibilities as council speaker and her current priorities, including an oversight hearing on Legionnaires' disease; a proposed ban on horse-drawn carriages; and the creation of an office dedicated to insurance accountability.

Why state politicians could be the tail that wags the dog Aug 06, 2026

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Former N.Y. state Sen. Daniel Squadron believes that state legislatures are becoming successful laboratories for smart politics and good policy. Since leaving Albany, Squadron helped found The States Project, an organization that works to strengthen state legislatures by helping build better-funded, more effective state legislative campaigns.

Squadron joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his new book, "The Fourth Branch," which is part history, part handbook and part personal narrative. The book argued that while state legislatures are often overlooked, they are among the most powerful forces shaping public policy, passing tens of thousands of laws each year and serving as the focus of intense lobbying and influence from special interests.

What's it like inside an employee-owned media company? Jul 30, 2026

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Journalist David Roth left the popular sports and culture website Deadspin during the staff's 2019 mass resignation after its new owners pushed for less political commentary and a greater focus on sports. Roth and many of his former colleagues went on to launch Defector Media, a worker-owned, subscription-based publication.

Roth joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss the split from Deadspin, building a worker-owned newsroom, and the story behind the name "Defector." They also talked about his political writings on Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump, why he's reluctant to write more about Trump, his view that prediction markets are a scam and his thoughts on political corruption in New York, former Mayor Eric Adams and political organizing.

NYC's first female chief lifeguard fought waves… and the system Jul 23, 2026

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In 1988, Janet Fash made history as New York City's first female chief lifeguard. She recounted her journey in a new memoir, "Lifeguard: A Love Story," which is making waves across the city. Fash joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss her working-class upbringing in Park Slope, how she discovered Rockaway's ocean-beach culture, the demands and dangers of lifeguarding and the safety protocols she helped implement. Much of the conversation centered on Fash's clashes with Peter Stein, who was dubbed the "Boss of the Beach" for his powerful role in the city's lifeguard union.

Mamdani's New York seven months in Jul 16, 2026

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This year, New York City under Mayor Zohran Mamdani has looked like a different city after Eric Adams' turbulent term. The contrast is stark: Adams-era crises have given way to a wildly popular first six months for Mamdani, which includes excitement around the World Cup and a long-awaited New York Knicks championship.

Katie Honan, who covers City Hall for newsoutlet The City Reporter and co-hosts the "FAQ NYC" podcast, joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss Mamdani's first year in office and recent budget negotiations, including a new housing voucher program. They also dug into City Hall's growing use of influencers for messaging and the misinformation risks that come with it. Honan also outlined some of Mamdani's stalled campaign promises amid fiscal constraints and shared her reporting on sports books losing $48 million after the Knicks' victory.

Do union endorsements still matter? Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

Is labor union influence in New York shifting? Recent elections have raised new questions about the political value of a major labor union endorsement. Andrew Cuomo secured backing from many prominent unions in the 2025 mayoral primary but lost to Zohran Mamdani, while Antonio Reynoso fell to Claire Valdez in a congressional race despite broad labor support.

NY1 statehouse reporter Bernadette Hogan joined NY1 political anchor Errol Louis to examine what a union endorsement means for candidates in 2026. They discussed how an endorsement's value depends on more than a logo: unions must invest money, mobilize members, and build a real turnout operation for their support to matter. The conversation also explored the union-backed Working Families Party, its tensions with the Democratic Socialists of America, and its challenge of maintaining ballot status while deciding whether to align with Gov. Kathy Hochul in this November's election. They also considered Mamdani's high popularity as he approaches consequential contract negotiations with powerful public-sector unions.

It took 33 years to overturn his double murder conviction Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

In 1995, Allen Porter was convicted of a double murder in Queens. He spent nearly 34 years in prison, maintaining his innocence every step of the way.

On Jan. 30 of this year, a Queens judge vacated his conviction, but the case is far from over. Porter, who is out on bond and wearing an ankle monitor, and his attorney, Charles Linehan, joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss why Porter remains in legal limbo as the Queens district attorney appeals the ruling.

Linehan explained the judge's findings that prosecutors suppressed significant exculpatory evidence, including notes documenting that a witness said Porter was not at the scene. The prosecutor acknowledged that the evidence had not been disclosed to the defense. Porter reflected on earning his degree from Bard College while incarcerated, his plans to study finance at Baruch College, and what life has been like since his release. They also discussed what comes next in Porter's fight to fully clear his name.

Steve Kornacki breaks down the future of New York politics Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Steve Kornacki is the chief data analyst at NBC News and a familiar face to anyone who watches election night coverage. He joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss this week's surprising New York Democratic primary, where multiple democratic socialist candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won, including Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, while several incumbents suffered unexpected defeats. Kornacki also explained his "KornackiCam" livestream, which tracks election results in real time, and broke down the night's biggest surprises, particularly Chevalier's victory, which significantly outperformed expectations.

Patrick Gaspard: Mamdani and Obama adviser weighs in on the problem with Democrats Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Patrick Gaspard has worn an array of political hats — from U.S. Ambassador to South Africa to President Barack Obama's political director to special assistant to New York City Mayor David Dinkins. An adviser to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Gaspard was recently appointed the chairman of the Mamdani administration's Commission on Government Efficiency, also known as COGE, which began holding public hearings across the five boroughs last week. The newly formed Charter Revision Commission is made up of more than a dozen close allies of Mamdani.

Gaspard joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss the commission, but their conversation also covered national politics, including why Gaspard expects Democrats to have a strong showing in the midterm elections this fall. He also argued that Democrats must launch an affirmative economic agenda and address perceived weaknesses on inflation, immigration and foreign policy.

Who won the NY-12 debate? Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

The five leading candidates in the Democratic primary for New York's 12th Congressional District in Manhattan squared off this week in a spirited debate hosted by NY1, seeking to draw sharp contrasts ahead of Election Day. The debate was moderated by NY1's Errol Louis, WNYC host Brian Lehrer and WNYC senior political reporter Brigid Bergin.

Bergin joined "You Decide" to discuss the behind-the-scenes decisions that shaped the debate, including the need to focus on a handful of key federal issues such as the state of the Democratic Party, affordability, Israel and healthcare. They also assessed the candidates' performances, examined who gained the most from the debate, and highlighted important questions that didn't make it to the stage.

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