A photo of Chris Bragg.
Authors
Chris Bragg

Chris Bragg is the Albany bureau chief at New York Focus. He has done investigative reporting on New York government and politics since 2009, most recently at The Buffalo News and Albany Times Union.

Transparency Advocate Rejected From Ethics Commission Plans to Sue

Gary Lavine says law school deans illegally blocked his nomination to the state’s ethics body.

October 22, 2025
She Says Her Lawyer Stole Her Money. She Can’t Get the DA to Return Her Calls.

Despite mounting evidence that a disbarred attorney stole client funds, Manhattan prosecutors have taken no action.

October 10, 2025
Half-Billion Dollar Casino Rescue Plan Hinges on Boom. Analysts Predict Bust.

Sullivan County is telling investors there will be massive growth at a Catskills casino resort, but its own consultants predict decline.

September 25, 2025
Brooklyn Power Broker Files Raft of Lawsuits for Doctor Tied to Alleged Fraud

Frank Seddio is representing Jules Parisien in over 500 cases — despite the physician’s history of insurance fraud allegations.

August 18, 2025
Comptroller to ‘Slow Roll’ Returning Lost Money to New Yorkers

Several states already proactively send out payments in much larger amounts than New York currently does.

August 5, 2025
Photo collage of a desk with a notepad and voice recorder in a newsroom.
Shadowy Political Attack Targets Harrison Mayor Amid Primaries

A harsh mailer capitalized on recent reporting about a controversial rezoning deal in the Westchester town.

June 24, 2025
New York Owes $20 Billion in Lost Cash. An Upstart Challenger Says He’ll Give It All Back.

Drew Warshaw is taking on Comptroller Tom DiNapoli with a pledge to repay the entire pot of unclaimed funds as soon as ‘humanly possible.’

June 18, 2025
Albany Capitol superimposed over 100 dollar bill money printer
Here’s How to Check If You’re Owed Money in New York

New York is sitting on a $20 billion pot of unclaimed money, and some of it might be yours. Here’s how to see if you’re on the list.

June 18, 2025
Lobbyists ‘Deploy’ to Stop Sovereign Debt Reform Bill

Four lobbying groups representing Wall Street firms are trying to block the bill from passing in the final days of the legislative session.

June 12, 2025
A Powerful Bronx Politician Dines on Developers’ Double Donations

An expert calls the six-figure haul “extraordinary” for an unpaid party seat whose powers are picking judges, poll workers, and party officers.

June 5, 2025
Illustration of Alex Bores speaking at a press conference.
Why New York Judges Are Fighting a Major Plan to Fix Court Backlogs

As courts buckle under hundreds of thousands of unresolved cases, a quiet fight is erupting in Albany over how — and where — to add more judges.

May 30, 2025
Harrison Mayor Helped Rezone His Own Land — Then Sold It for $2.9 Million

Richard Dionisio participated in multiple votes related to a controversial rezoning effort without publicly disclosing his financial interest.

May 21, 2025
5 Key Takeaways: How Yonkers Mayor’s Family Profited from His Administration

Nick Spano went from prison sentence to multimillion-dollar lobbying comeback.

May 5, 2025
For a Yonkers Political Dynasty, a Succession of Blurred Lines

Mayor Mike Spano has stated his administration has not been lobbied by his powerful brother’s firm. Emails indicate otherwise.

April 30, 2025
Top New York Judge’s Son, and His Boss, At Center of Ethics Dispute

A Queens court’s failure to reveal a romance has sparked accusations of bias.

April 9, 2025
The Behind-the-Scenes Rainmakers of Andrew Cuomo’s Campaign

The campaign has created 64 public fundraising web pages for people to raise money on its behalf. But it didn’t disclose any intermediaries.

March 28, 2025
Cuomo and Burgos
Cuomo Failed to Disclose Lobbyists Who Bundled Donations

Donors solicited by at least three undisclosed bundlers — Tonio Burgos, Jim Whelan, and Rick Ostroff — were told their gifts would be matched with public funds, despite that being barred by city election law.

March 20, 2025
Cuomo’s State-Funded Defense Lawyers Are Throwing Him a Fundraiser

They got tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to defend Andrew Cuomo against scandal. Now, they’re helping fund his comeback.

March 11, 2025
Four Takeaways From Our Investigation Into New York’s Judicial Patronage Problem

No time to read our big investigation? Here’s a quick summary of everything you need to know.

March 7, 2025
Patronage Never Left: New York Courts Still Favor the Politically Connected

A New York Focus investigation reveals how party officials and politically connected law firms continue to profit from court-appointed roles.

March 5, 2025
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