All Over Albany

NY Attorney General files suit against Trump Foundation, attorney accused of stealing from clients, jobs at risk from automation, the former mayor as Uber driver

NY AG files suits against Donald Trump and Trump foundation
State Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced Thursday that her office is filing a lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation -- and its director, which include the President and three of his children -- alleging "a pattern of persistent illegal conduct, occurring over more than a decade, that includes extensive unlawful political coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing transactions to benefit Mr. Trump's personal and business interests, and violations of basic legal obligations for non-profit foundations." The AG's office also referred the case to the IRS and Federal Election Commission noting possible violations of tax and campaign law. [NYS OAG]
+ The suit alleges the foundation was co-opted by the Trump presidential campaign, specifically highlighting coordination in Iowa ahead of the caucuses there. [Politico NY]
+ On Twitter Donald Trump called the lawsuit an act of "sleezy New York Democrats." [NYT]
+ The former head of the IRS nonprofit division to the Washington Post: The lawsuit is" "an extraordinary catalogue of how not to run a private foundation. There's little else [Trump] could have done that would have made it worse." [Washington Post]

Immigration
+ A group gathered outside the federal building in Albany Thursday to protest the Trump administration's policies related to separating children from immigrant families trying to enter the United States or requesting asylum at border crossings. It was one of multiple rallies around the country. [WNYT] [TU]
+ Local immigration attorneys say the decision by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions to reverse a policy that allowed immigrants to request asylum because of domestic or gang violence makes those immigrants even more vulnerable. [TU]

Troy home invasion, stabbing
Troy police say they're investigating a robbery and stabbing inside a residence in North Central early Thursday morning. [TU]

Attorney accused of stealing from clients
Federal prosecutors allege a Slingerlands attorney stole at least $328k from clients and his Albany-based law firm. His attorney said the case is "a long way from being over." [US DOJ] [TU]

Former sheriff's deputy going to jail
A former Saratoga County Sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to serve time in the Saratoga County jail on a weapons charge. [TU]

State Police reverse themselves on seat belt claim in fatal crash
State Police initially said a following a Schoharie County crash that killed a boy that the child hadn't been wearing a seat belt, resulting in a wave of online criticism of his family -- then on Thursday State Police reversed themselves and said his injuries were consistent with being buckled in. [TU]

Dams
A state comptroller's report concludes that it could cost $360 million to perform work on dams considered high- or intermediate-hazard. [NYS OSC] [TU]

SUNY Poly
The next interim president of SUNY Poly is SUNY central interim provost and senior vice chancellor Jinliu "Grace" Wang. [TU]

Automation and jobs
A think tank report concludes that 72,000 jobs in the Capital Region are "highly" susceptible to replacement by automation. [TU]

Charter fine
The state Public Service Commission has fined Charter another $1 million for not expanding high-speed internet access fast enough per the terms of the merger Time Warner Cable. [Daily Gazette]

Major warehouse project
The developer behind the massive warehouse project proposed for Schodack is seeking a 10-year PILOT from the Rensselaer County IDA. The project has attracted attention in part because it hasn't been disclosed which company or companies would be using the facility. [TU] [News10]

Tax breaks sought for Park South apartment projects
Developers proposing to build a new 28-unit apartment building in Albany's Park South neighborhood are seeking an 18-year PILOT from the city's IDA. [Biz Review]

Schenectady smart city project
The city of Schenectady has gotten the OK from the state for a demonstration "smart" city project in which street lights will be fitted with LED lights as well as wi-fi and sensors. [Daily Gazette]

Al Jurczynski
Former Schenectady mayor Al Jurczynski on driving for Uber: "it's actually very relaxing." [TU]

Triangles and Arches
Here's how the 4-ton Triangles and Arches sculpture was moved from the ESP for restoration. [TU]

Stuff to do this weekend

Don't miss the big list of things to do this weekend.