Rep. Mike Lawler: 'We didn't need to know about Iran before the strikes'

Facing a competitive reelection race this fall, Rep. Mike Lawler joined NY1's Errol Louis for an exclusive one-on-one conversation in the nation's capital. Lawler discussed how he splits time between Washington, D.C. and his Hudson Valley district, and defended the president's decision to bomb Iran without getting full congressional approval.

House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sat down with NY1's Errol Louis in Washington, D.C. this week for an exclusive one-on-one interview. Jeffries highlighted his new leadership office and outlined the party's strategy for the 2026 midterms, aiming to capture 40–45 seats. He also criticized President Donald Trump's family dealmaking, while praising New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for prioritizing affordability and public safety in the city. Regarding urban development, Jeffries addressed how gentrification is displacing Black and working-class communities, emphasizing the need for policies that protect these neighborhoods.

They're not just a New York power couple. Former New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks and former First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright have launched a new podcast, focusing on their decades in public service. "The Beacon and Blueprint" aims to "inspire, educate, and activate" listeners toward civic engagement. Banks and Wright joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss their new project and their current work in consulting, literacy initiatives, and affordable housing. They also reflected on the state of Black political power, emphasizing the need for a clearer agenda and a stronger collective strategy. Banks and Wright pointed to their City Hall accomplishments as well, including the five boroughs' rollout of a new approach in teaching reading in public schools.

Novelist and critic Emily Gould joined NY1's Errol Louis to talk about building a writing career and sustaining a creative life in New York City. Gould recounted moving to New York in 2001 at 19 years old, starting in book publishing and being recruited as editor for the Gawker blog. She also discussed the economics of book advances and how child care and market rent make savings difficult despite steady work, and how Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants to help change that. 

Renowned legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss the politics of presidential pardons and how he thinks that Gerald Ford's pardoning of Richard Nixon created a dangerous precedent that reverberates in politics today. Their wide-ranging conversation also tackled ICE's national crackdown and upcoming Supreme Court cases on birthright citizenship and a Louisiana Congressional redistricting case that could fundamentally change the Voting Rights Act.

According to the latest census figures, there are approximately 3.87 million people of Hispanic or Latino origin living in New York state. They constitute about 19 to 20% of the state's total population, and the majority of this population, which is about 2.5 million, live in New York City, making up 28 or 29% of the city's population. And yet, New York has never elected a Latino to a statewide office or a citywide office. Scholar, activist, political adviser and ordained minister Eliezer "Eli" Valentine has some theories as to why. Valentin joined Errol Louis to talk about this, as well as his book, "Politicking in the Barrio: Essays on Latino Politics in New York." The conversation also reviewed Latino political history and figures, including Fernando Ferrer's mayoral run, former Rep. Herman Badillo's shift from progressive reformer to later alliances with Republicans, former Rep. Nydia Velázquez's coalition-building support across Latino groups, and the careers of Nelson Denis and Adam Clayton Powell IV.

Editor's Note: This episode of "You Decide with Errol Louis" originally aired in 2019. We are re-releasing it after Jesse Jackson's death Tuesday at the age of 84. Jesse Jackson joins Errol to look back on how he got his start in the civil rights movement, his relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. and his time in the ministry. He also shares his experiences of running for the White House, counseling Bill Clinton during his impeachment hearings, and weighs in on the current race for the White House. A former college football player, Jackson also shares his thoughts about the NFL. Join the conversation using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message.

On Dec. 22, 1984, a loner named Bernhard Goetz shot four Black teenagers on a New York City subway, saying they were trying to mug him. The incident sparked an international debate about crime, fear, race and justice, which persists to this day. This year, two new books about the shootings and its impact on America are getting a lot of attention: "Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Getz Shootings, and The Rebirth of White Rage" by Heather Ann Thompson, and "Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York's Explosive Eighties, and The Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation" by Elliot Williams.  Thompson and Williams joined NY1 political anchor Errol Louis to discuss their books and why they felt compelled to write them more than 40 years after the shootings. Thompson examines the historical context of the Reagan era and the rise of white rage, while Williams offers a legal analysis and chronicles the case's broader implications, including codified racial biases and the evolution of self-defense laws. 

Brooklyn Councilman Chi Ossé has introduced a new initiative aimed at ending deed theft, a growing problem in neighborhoods like Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, where criminals have disproportionately targeted homeowners to steal property deeds. Ossé joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss his efforts to combat deed theft, including a proposed temporary eviction moratorium and increased legal transparency for homeowners. They also talked about his use of social media as a tool for political engagement and the broader need to address housing issues. The conversation also touched on why Ossé ultimately abandoned his bid to unseat House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and his current relationship with Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

In an exclusive, in-depth interview, Mayor Zohran Mamdani sat down with NY1's Errol Louis as his first month in office came to a close. The mayor addressed the city's $12 billion budget gap, his proposal to raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations and his relationship with President Donald Trump.