Threat at NYS Capitol, data center NDAs, Albany's Budget and Where's Upstate? Guests: NYS Asm. John McDonald, Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs and Financial Advisor Bob Ward, August 21st, 2026

00:00:00 Intro to Power and Politics; preview of Capitol threat, data centers, Albany deficit, and the “upstate NY” debate.

00:01:00 Thwarted Capitol Plot – FBI complaint against Jessica Bowie, alleged ISIS support, and targets from the NYS Capitol to Times Square and beyond.

00:04:34 Data Centers, NDAs, and Public Pushback – Pennsylvania’s executive order on data centers, local approval power, NDA ban, and parallels to New York’s data center and transparency debates.

00:08:21 Albany’s $22 Million Budget Hole – How the deficit went from 22 million to 7 and back again, driven by healthcare under-projections, higher pensions, and a revenue shortfall.

00:11:40 Capitol Security with John McDonald – McDonald on tightened security at the Capitol, active-threat training, home protection for lawmakers, and coordination across law enforcement.

00:20:08 Mayor Applyrs and Bob Ward on Fixing Albany’s Finances – Multi-year plan to stabilize Albany: realistic numbers, state aid, bond rating hit, rising debt costs, and what’s on the table for taxes and cuts.

00:46:25 Power and Pop Culture: Where Is Upstate New York? – Tom and Olivia debate where “Upstate” starts—Rockland, Albany, Syracuse—and how Long Island and city perspectives shape the map.

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