NEW THIS MORNING

NEW THIS MORNING: * Gov. Andrew Cuomo admits that this legislative session has brought his administration back to Earth, telling the New York Times that while he accomplished many of his goals, he "failed" to bring about independent redistricting: http://nyti.ms/ztCFHl * After hearing a final set of critiques, a panel of federal judges appear poised to accept a set of court-drawn congressional district maps with minimal changes, the Times Union reports: http://bit.ly/A9y0Fs * Two of the CityTime scammers, a married duo that ran a now-defunct tech group, have fled to their native India with at least $39 million in stolen taxpayer money, the Daily News' Juan Gonzalez reports: http://nydn.us/FPb7Oo * A former aide testified that ex-Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. Loaded more than a dozen family members, cronies and hangers-on onto the payroll of his Soundview health clinic, the New York Post says: http://nyp.st/x5MYne * Zehy Jerisis, the former Yonkers GOP chairman, testified that he lavished gifts on a Yonkers councilwoman, Sandy Annabi, to win her love, not buy her vote, the Times reports: http://nyti.ms/xHlIEL * State education officials will create a new investigation unit to combat cheating, aid local school districts and probe the most egregious cases, the Wall Street Journal says: http://on.wsj.com/wvMbSe