- Monday Morning Memo
- Posts
- The Big Sell
Good morning from Toronto, Canada, where on this date in 1921, Frederick Banting and Charles Best successfully extracted the pancreatic secretion known today as insulin, conclusively demonstrating it could dramatically lower blood sugar in diabetic dogs. By January 1922, with the addition of biochemist James Collip, who purified the extract, the team successfully administered insulin to |  |
a fourteen-year-old diabetic boy, the first successful treatment of diabetes in a human. Thank God for modern medicine.
Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul continued a celebratory tour highlighting her first-in-the-nation Executive Order halting hyperscale data development and construction across New York State, a decision that has drawn public plaudits from the numerous attendees at these roundtables, notably in Suffolk and Erie, and disapproval from Nassau County Executive and GOP standard-bearer Bruce Blakeman.
Hochul said, "Last week, I signed the nation's first one-year moratorium on building these hyperscale data centers just to give us some breathing room, to slow it down, because right now I have over 30 projects before us in the state of New York, and if I powered every one of them, you would not be able to turn on the lights tomorrow." She laid out additional rationale in a Wall Street Journal op-ed here. Further, Hochul pledged to end any tax breaks available to these data centers and require them to generate their own power or pay a premium for energy. "I don't just want to be first, I want to be the first in the right way," she declared.
Last week, we asked Memo readers if they support Governor Hochul's decision to temporarily halt permits for new, large data centers while the state develops new environmental and energy standards. It’s a hot topic! Scroll down for results and comments…
Business groups and organized labor have continued to push back because the moratorium "strips away local control and a community's ability to decide on projects that could be pivotal to their economic growth and job creation," and also "kills good-paying union jobs." They were joined by Bruce Blakeman, who promises that as governor he would work with developers and local governments “as a partner” and require them to be “self-sustaining with respect to utilities and generation of energy.”
So far, if campaign finance reports are any indication, New York’s business leaders and labor unions and football team owners have bet on Hochul despite any disagreements—on data centers or elsewhere—to be reelected. She has a more than 4-to-1 financial advantage; Hochul reported a campaign war chest of $21,030,466 to Blakeman’s $4,591,461. Blakeman’s campaign is likely to receive between roughly $1.5 million and $2 million from the state’s public financing board, while Hochul and her fellow Democrats will benefit from the more than $22 million on hand at the New York State Democratic Committee. Blakeman's top donations included $1.82 million transferred into his campaign from the Nassau County Republican Committee, and $60,000 transferred in from the Suffolk County Republican Committee. Hochul’s donors include Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, while Blakeman is being backed by Madison Square Garden executive James L. Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, and his family members.
Worth noting, according to a report by Politico’s indomitable Bill Mahoney, Hochul’s campaign put a major focus on low donors and included contributions from 27,000 unique donors. “The majority is from the email list and the SMS list we’ve been investing in since last year,” said deputy campaign manager Lexie Kelly, who joined Hochul’s team in 2025 after working as Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s national finance director. “About 22,000 of our donors this filing period came from online.” Read more here.
New York saw a further break between the Democratic middle and Left with a letter-writing campaign demanding Democratic Leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries join the crusade to abolish ICE. Spearheaded by state Sen. Julia Salazar, Assemblywoman Diana Moreno, and New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif, it was signed by at least 44 Democrats in the Legislature and another 25 in the New York City Council. You can read the letter here.
OD&A’s End-of-Session Bill Summary highlights the key legislation that crossed the finish line and the issues likely to shape the months ahead. Check it out here, and if you have questions or would like to discuss what it means for your organization, let’s chat! |  |
As divided as Democrats are and remain, we saw plenty of divisions from Republicans in Washington this week as well.
Let’s start with Reconciliation, which is getting quite messy.
Only a few weeks ago, Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House agreed upon a pared-back, $95 billion spending blueprint, a.k.a. reconciliation 3.0, with the hope Congress would expedite it, deliver needed funds to the Pentagon to fund the Iran war, and also advance the SAVE America Act, a major priority of President Donald Trump.
Differences between Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune changed that. Thune announced plans to hold the House-passed budget resolution as a backup option to fund the government past Sept. 30 rather than advance it immediately, marking another blow to House-Senate relations. Thune also announced he would pursue bipartisan negotiations with Democrats because the House’s CR did not include everything the White House had requested.
Of course, government funding would require at least some Democratic votes, and absent them, Thune is threatening to pass a CR via reconciliation; an arduous process full of risk, but also a naked threat to force Democrats to the negotiating table.
The clear result is that money for the Pentagon is unlikely until the end of September at the earliest, and although he has promised a vote on the budget resolution before recessing, that is increasingly unlikely. All this is also in the shadow of a major interparty fight over the SAVE America Act. This week saw that blow up as well.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s “patience” with Thune “is running out.” She continued, “[Trump] wants to see as much of the SAVE America [Act] passed as possible by the August recess. He knows that’s what the American people want to see passed.” Thune volleyed back, calling on Leavitt or “somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes, right?” The Majority Leader continued, “So instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats.”
Thune has been clear that there is not enough Republican support for the SAVE Act, nor is there enough support for gutting the filibuster or beginning a so-called “talking filibuster.” Senate Republican leaders say White House officials like to gripe, but they also can’t get the votes for the legislation.
Meanwhile, there is no indication that Senate appropriators have made any progress towards a bipartisan deal on a stopgap funding bill. Thune’s funding-first strategy most likely pushes reconciliation back to a lame duck session.
Not quite the Trojan War, but certainly an Odyssey.
Finally, perhaps you, too, could own a piece of American history. The Virginia property where Thomas Jefferson spent much of his childhood is now up for sale, carrying a price worthy of its historic significance. Read on! |  |
 | OD&A’s VP of Public Affairs Ralph Ortega goes ‘On the Record’ after representing the firm in New York City, where O'Donnell & Associates earned Top Workplace honors from City & State New York. Joined by Associate Emily Sullivan, Ralph accepted the award and reflects on what makes OD&A a place where talented people thrive. Read on! |
 | 🎙️What do lobbyists actually do? 🎙️Who needs a lobbyist? 🎙️Why lobbying gets a bad rap |
Go beyond the resumes and titles and get to know the people behind the work at O'Donnell & Associates with our Meet the Team podcast series. Listen as we go ‘From the Lobby’ with candid conversations on politics, government, and life beyond the office. Catch every episode on our employee bio pages here!
 |  |
Welcome to Summer Vibes! ☀️
Throughout the summer, we'll be asking the O'Donnell & Associates team about their favorite reads, must-watch shows, go-to summer foods, vacation plans, and more. Follow along for a little seasonal inspiration and a fun look at how our hardworking staff makes the most of summer, too!
For me, summer is all about slowing down, soaking up the season, and making time for good people, great stories, and favorite local spots. Real-life stories have always fascinated me, probably because I spent so many years telling them in my television news career.
I'm currently reading Shoe Dog, Phil Knight's memoir about building Nike. It's a fascinating story of passion, perseverance, and just the right amount of luck behind one of the world's most iconic brands. |  |
I also enjoyed Joan Lunden's memoir. Fun fact: her real last name is Blunden! I can certainly understand why ABC executives encouraged her to change it. Other recent favorites include Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush, Melinda French Gates' book on life's transitions, and a few Mel Robbins' books for some personal development.
As for what I'm watching, I recently finished all seven seasons of The West Wing. My evening news schedule kept me from watching it during its original run, and I'm struck by how relevant many of the issues still feel today. I'm also enjoying The Gilded Age, especially its glimpse into New York City's history. (Did you know a woman oversaw construction of the Brooklyn Bridge?!) I also liked Hacks, Your Friends & Neighbors, and The Boroughs.
This summer, I'm looking forward to dinner on the beautiful patio at our favorite winery, Two Sisters Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake. And, of course, it wouldn't be summer without a few stops at Bye's Popcorn in Olcott, New York. Their caramel popcorn with nuts is a roadside tradition—and my absolute favorite!
Joanna is the Director of Communications at OD&A. Learn more about her here!
How are you spending the last stretch of summer? |
 |  |
 |  |
July 27, 1974: The House Judiciary Committee recommends that America’s 37th president, Richard M. Nixon, be impeached and removed from office. The impeachment proceedings resulted from a series of political scandals involving the Nixon administration that came to be known as Watergate. |  |
 | Syracuse Pizza Shop Building Boasts 135 Years of History!It may be known for its pizza today, but the unassuming five-story building has a remarkable past. |
Was our Monday Morning Memo forwarded to you? Subscribe here to get it sent right to your inbox.
