Sunday, November 17, 2013

Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up, JCOPE 478

More on JCOPE









JCOPE Battles the Lobbyists and Their 1st Amendment Pushback 
JCOPE Releases FAQ On Grassroots Lobbying Regulation(YNN) Amid ongoing concerns being raised over an advisory opinion that would require consultants to inform lobbying regulators when they seek to influence an editorial board’s opinion, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics has released a set of frequently asked questions on the regulation. JCOPE has insisted the regulation is not aimed at having journalists register with the government or have PR representativeshas dipped her toe back into the lobbying world in light of new rules passed by the state’s lobbying regulator, JCOPE. 



The FBI Needs to Offer A Reward on Their Billboards to Stop Corrupt Elected NYOfficials Not Just A Tip Phone Number 









No wonder the feds are feeling a little lonely. No wonder they’ve turned elsewhere for help — to the public. The FBI has just commissioned a set of digitized billboards along Albany-area highways. They flash “Report Corruption” at drivers — no kidding.  This is at best an amusing gesture and, at worst, a cynical joke. Amusing, because why not prompt public virtue like folks sell automobile tires? And cynical, because while an Albany winter can make the city seem like East Berlin in the ’60s, there is no informer culture there. Just the opposite: It’s expected that what happens in the halls of government stays in the halls of government. This is in return for stuff: A revised tax assessment, a job, preferred entry to a government-funded social program, admission to a favored school, etc.* Bob McManus: “The FBI has just commissioned a set of digitized billboards along Albany-area highways. They flash ‘Report Corruption’ at drivers — no kidding. This is at best an amusing gesture and, at worst, a cynical joke.”



JCOPE Rule Limiting Contributions Targets AG and Comptroller
Schneiderman: JCOPE rule would unfairly target AG, comptroller (PoliticoNY) A decision by the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to wade into the state’s campaign finance system produced a stern letter from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office on Friday, after the ethics commission released its latest draft of a proposal to limit contributions by state elected officials who have “enforcement powers” over potential donors. The letter, signed by Schneiderman’s deputy counsel Leslie Dubeck, criticized the proposal for unfairly targeting only two of the three statewide offices, that of the attorney general and comptroller. (The other statewide office is, of course, the governor.)





Even Involvement in the Skelos an Silver Corruption Does Not Stop Lobbyists . . . Where is JCOPE

Lobbyists Are Teflon Proof with the Law
1.  Lobbyist Meara Recommended the Law Firm That Pay Off Silver, Yet He Testified He Did Not Know Silver Was Getting Paid Off Until 2011 2. When Silver Said Gleenwood’s LLCs Was Not Glenwood Lobbyist Meara Told Runes and Dorego and Disengaged Himself, Because He Said It Was A “Dangerous Position” to Be In  3. Lobbyists Runes Said He Remained Uncomfortable About the 2011 Private Letter  of Agreement (outlining related terms outside of the main retainer) Between Silver and Glenwood Put Together After the Changes In the Lawmakers Disclosure Law Which Led to the Silver LLC BS





The Media Has Not Done One Story That Bharara Went After Silver and Skelos Shut Down Moreland
One of Cuomo’s bold moves was creating another Moreland Commission designed to weed out all aspects of wrong doing. That grandiose plan faded within months, when the governor suddenly decided to shut down the panel. As a result, Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, had sufficient grounds to probe into that decision too. Some critics on Capitol Hill are still convinced that the governor may have felt intimidated by what direction the commission seemed to pursue. Was the investigation perhaps moving too close to the Governor’s Office?  Not surprisingly, some in Albany, especially reform advocates, were calling for a special legislative session focusing on ethics and changes required to restore the public confidence in government. Cuomo, never keen on calling back the lawmakers for that reason, said he could not legislate morality or intelligence and that his administration had already proposed every ethics law imaginable.* Asked about Moreland commiss in light of Silver, Skelos convictions, @NYGovCuomo says, "It was a temporary process. ... It did its job."


Tone Deaf Heastie Reappoints Silver's Appointees to Joke Ethics Committee JCOPE
 Recently convicted ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's two remaining appointees to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics were reappointed to five-year terms by his successor, Carl Heastie, but one will be "transitioning off," theTimes Union reports: * Heastie selects state ethics panelists originally picked by Silver (NYP)Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie just reappointed two “ethics watchdogs” originally named by the now-convicted Silver. Renee Roth and Marvin Jacob got new five-year terms at the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, a k a JCOPE. The last thing Heastie should be doing is keeping any Silver remnants. Especially on an ethics panel — even a joke like JCOPE. If Roth and Jacob were truly “ethical,” they would’ve quit JCOPE the minute their patron was convicted (if not before). Same for ex-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ JCOPE picks — George Weissman, Joseph Covello and ex-state Sen. Mary Lou Rath. Their terms expire this month; let’s hope Skelos’ successor, John Flanagan, is smart enough to offer an entirely new slate.* The Joint Commission on Public Ethics raised concerns that the state's latest ethics reform law contained significant loopholes that may obscure the disclosure of state lawmakers' legal clients, the Times Unionreports:  * The Joint Commission on Public Ethics raised concerns that the state’s latest ethics reform law contained potentially significant loopholes that could obscure the disclosure of state lawmakers’ legal clients. The law was passed this year in the wake of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s indictment on charges that he used his office to garner millions in legal payments. * JCOPE members are looking to offer guidance for when discussions of policy matters on social media constitute lobbying * In a letter to commissioners of JCOPE, the head of Citizens Union slammed a push by one of the commissioners to allow the “hand-delivery” of forms lawmakers submit seeking exemptions from a law requiring the listing of legal clients, the Times Union reports: *  Common Cause New York found only 40 percent of state lawmakers elected before the most recent cycle have income other than the $79,500 and stipend pay they are given for their job as elected officials,State of Politics reports: 
.
Silver After Helping to Kill Moreland Hoisted By His Own Petard 
Feds eyed Sheldon Silver's outside income for two years (NYDN) in April 2014, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara seized documents from Gov. Cuomo's suddenly shuttered Moreland anti-corruption commission, providing new leads into the Albany cesspool. in April 2014, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara seized documents from Gov. Cuomo's suddenly shuttered Moreland anti-corruption commission, providing new leads into the Albany cesspool. Court documents hint at the first threads prosecutors began to tug at as they built a corruption case against Silver, which ultimately helped build the case against Skelos. In 2009, under new guidelines, Silver first disclosed he earned outside income that “included being of counsel to Weitz & Luxenberg,” according to a criminal complaint. As prosecutors examined Silver’s legal work that vague use of “included” stood out — pointing to outside income that had not yet been revealed. It later emerged he was paid $3 million for doing no legal work at all beyond directing clients to the firm. The Moreland Commission had subpoenaed Glenwood Management — the mammoth real estate company that is the top political campaign contributor in Albany. “There was a lot of stuff there," a separate Moreland source said, adding documents featured "pretty explicit" conversations regarding how to influence legislators with cash.
Moreland Investigation Ends, Media Cover-Up



Cuomo Who Kills Moreland Claims Victory for the Silver Conviction But Lowers Bar On Albany Reforms
Casey Seiler: Moreland panel: the rewrite (TU) Things are true because they are backed up by facts, not because they are said once, or 10,000 times. Which brings us once again to the cursed life and premature burial of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Moreland Commission on public corruption, which haunts the Capitol's second floor like the chain-wrapped ghost of Jacob Marley in "A Christmas Carol." The death of the commission midway through its planned 18-month lifespan occurred as part of the negotiation of the state budget in March 2014, and it was a three-man job. One of the perpetrators, former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, was on Monday found guilty of selling his office for private gain. Another, former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, is on trial for the same thing. (The case of Skelos & Son had its own Jacob Marley moment on Wednesday, when a federal prosecutor noted that the defense's witness list included former state Sen. Owen Johnson, who has been dead since — wait for it — last Christmas Eve.)* Cuomo answers Silver verdict with excuses, not action (PoliticoNY)*   AFTER SILVER CASE, CUOMO LOWERS BAR ON ETHICS FIXES -Bill Hammond for POLITICO New York: The guilty verdict against former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was less than 24 hours old when Gov. Andrew Cuomo began lowering expectations that he and the Legislature would do anything about Albany's ongoing corruption epidemic. Rationalization No. 1: Further reform is futile. "I don't care how strong the law is," Cuomo told reporters on Tuesday. "If a person is going to break the law, the person is going to break the law." Rationalization No. 2: Getting pols to agree on certain high-concept reforms, such as switching to a full-time Legislature and strictly limiting outside income, is also futile. "There was no appetite to do it in the Legislature," Cuomo said. With all due respect, Mr. Governor: Excuses, excuses.

The man held principally responsible for the panel's demise is Cuomo, because as he noted in April 2014 in response to questions about his administration's meddling in its work, "It's my commission. My subpoena power, my Moreland Commission. I can appoint it, I can disband it." The Moreland Commission did do its job," Cuomo said Tuesday at the Apollo Theater. * "The Moreland Commission was not an investigative, prosecutorial commission," he continued. "That commission was to spur — to educate the public, to spur the Legislature to pass ethics laws, which they did."  That description directly contradicts several things, including the fact that the panel was named "The Commission to Investigate Public Corruption," and that 10 of its 25 members were sitting district attorneys. It also belies a 30-second TV ad that Cuomo released two weeks after launching the commission in July 2013 — the first TV spot in his re-election campaign.  Its now-quaint title:

 "How We Are Cleaning Up Albany." "Trust is everything to me," the governor says straight into the camera. "That's why, for all we've accomplished to fix state government, our job's not done until we've cleaned up the legislative corruption in Albany. So I am appointing a new independent commission, led by top law enforcement officials from all across this great state, to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing." The precise words the governor would deny 17 months later appear as text: "Investigate and prosecute wrongdoing."Cuomo reappears on screen, looking resolute. "Politicians in Albany won't like it, but I work for the people." At some point in the past few weeks, the Moreland Commission's website went away. If you think that might have been due to the state approaching its data limit, consider that the website for Cuomo's equally defunct SAGE Commission (which issued its final report in February 2013) and a page devoted to the governor's desire to see same-sex marriage legalized (which happened in June 2011) remain in working order. Even weirder, the official Executive Chamber videos of two of the Moreland Commission's three public hearings were "unlisted" on YouTube, which means you couldn't find them by searching for, say, "Moreland" and "hearing." Video of the third Moreland session — a real doozy in which top staffers from the state Board of Elections get grilled like flank steaks — appears to be in the wind altogether: Previously working links now show the video to be "unavailable."


Even Weak JCOPE Says consultants who take actions related to lobbying efforts must register as lobbyists
 The state Joint Commission on Public Ethics said consultants who take actions related to lobbying efforts must register as lobbyists, even if they do not directly ask officials to take action on bills,the Times Union reports * Legislative Gazette: Senator Avella worried about lobbyistsin consultants' clothing * Just don't call these consultants lobbyists | Crain's New York ... They move government without having to disclose their activities. Call them clever, call them stealthy.consultants' clothing." * Cuomo has pushed the legislature to enact a series of ethics reforms in response to scandals and public pressure, but public integrity in New York is worse today than it was three years ago, according to a new 50-state analysis. * Silver, Skelos &secrets and why JCOPE is a joke (NYDN) The Joint Commission on Public Ethics sprung in 2011 from seed planted by Gov. Cuomo, who saw a chance to strengthen New York’s pathetically weak oversight of elected officials after authorities had busted a string of legislators. But the beast of a law that emerged from his negotiations with Skelos and Silver made investigations of wayward legislators all but impossible. By statute, the half-Republican, half-Democratic JCOPE operates in near-total secrecy. Indeed, it is a crime for its 14 members to reveal anything about proceedings. Commission meetings, vote tallies and even the names of those under investigation are shielded from public view. Ugliest of all: a measly two commissioners can kill a probe before it’s begun, even if the other 12 members give the green light. How very convenient for the Assembly speaker and Senate majority leader who each appointed three commission members. Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan must kill the partisan veto and open JCOPE proceedings except where public disclosure would hamper an investigation. They need to understand that transparency breeds accountability and accountability breeds honesty. The blackout produces absurd results that undermine trust. In September, for example, JCOPE ended a 20-month study of a complaint filed by Donald Trump against Attorney General Eric Schneiderman — without any explanation. Did JCOPE conclude that Trump was full of bull? Or did it find that, although the accusations were true, Schneiderman violated no ethics rules?* The secrecy and partisan nature of the state’s Joint Committee on Public Ethics has rendered it a joke, but the state Legislature’s new leaders should make changes to ensure greater accountability, the DailyNews writes: * The reforms offered in a report on JCOPE don’t come close to addressing the issues of independence that have made it a joke, and the only real weapon against corruption in Albany now is Bharara, the Post writes:  * New teeth for New York’s ethics watchmouse (NYP) *  New York'santi-currption laws ranked 30th in the nation. Three men in a room budgeting?Dead last. (by @Mahoneyw
The Times Union writes the same JJOKE editorial over and over and over again http://bit.ly/nvxQUf  Gagan v Grandeau to lead JJOKE




A Record of Berlin Rosen Lobbying For Developers  
The NYT Wrote in 2014 Berlin Rosen Negotiated A Deal With the the Developer of the Domino Sugar Site
Berlin Rosen’s current and recent clients include Two Trees Management (3/3/2014, NYT) "Negotiations between Mr. de Blasio’s team and two trees' Walentas’s firm took place over a few days. The two men share a mutual adviser: Jonathan Rosen, one of the mayor’s top political hands and the chief executive of a public affairs firm, Berlin Rosen that counts Mr. Walentas’s company as a client."

Berlin Rosen Works for Blackstone Which Bought Stuy Town
The Guardian

Berlin Rosen Work for the Brooklyn Library System That Sold the Brooklyn Heights Library to A Developer Against Community Opposition 
Sold! Brooklyn Heights library to developer for $52 ...


Berlin Rosen is Work for Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards
In NYC Power 100, Ratner one notch ahead of City's Housing director; p.r. firm BerlinRosen continues rise; Lewis, James slip (AYO) BerlinRosen also represents developers Forest City Ratner and Two Trees Management, potentially putting the firm on both sides of a contentious issue: how much affordable housing must be part of residential projects. Two Trees clashed with de Blasio officials on that issue last winter but ultimately resolved the dispute.



JCOPE Panel Review Total Bull Shit
JCOPE’s Review Panel Gives Lukewarm Criticism Of Ethics Regulator (YNN) A nine-member panel formed to assess the oft-criticized Joint Commission on Public Ethics on Monday released its long-awaited report and largely kept the gloves on when it came to its review of the ethics regulator. That’s not to say the 307-page report didn’t contain a number of recommendations to change the panel, including reducing the 14-member commission’s board and make itself more responsive when it comes to the state’s Freedom of Information Law.* Cuomo’s ethics-watchdog agency is ineffective: review board (NYP) * A long-delayed report on the functioning of the state Joint Commission on Public Ethicsconcludes that the 4-year-old watchdog panel is probably too big and should aim to be more transparent. * Good-Government Groups Embrace JCOPE Report (YNN)
Review Panel forgot Sep of Pwrs regime; + Control is corruption!

Albany Kills Moreland Bharara's Brings It Back to Life
The governor’s creation of the anti-corruption panel in 2013, known as the Moreland Commission, brought high hopes; it began to uncover what many of its members believed were the institutional problems forming the bedrock of Albany’s troubled culture.  Among them were two broad issues that are expected to figure prominently in both trials: ineffectual campaign finance laws that give moneyed interests — especially large real estate developers — outsize influence; and lax financial disclosure rules that allow corrupt lawmakers to list part-time jobs or consulting work to mask political payoffs. * New York magazine’s Chris Smith does a deep dive into the demise of the governor’s corruption-busting Moreland Commission.


Killing Moreland Revenge
How Cuomo Bid to Clean Up Albany Backfired (NYM) * Often, this work is listed at law firms that represent clients with business before the state. These laws and rules, largely written by the lawmakers themselves, are seldom enforced. The cases against Mr. Silver and Mr. Skelos, who remain in office but who relinquished their leadership positions after their arrests, were among several investigations that either grew out of or were spurred by the work of the Moreland Commission, which Mr. Cuomo abruptly shuttered in March 2014, outraging good-government groups. He closed it in a deal to pass modest ethics reforms that year, but the move led Mr. Bharara’s office to examine the shutdown and the governor’s role in it. The status of that investigation is unclear.
Moreland Investigation Ends, Media Cover-Up 

Moreland Control: Cuomo Moves to Control Already Corrupt JCOPE
Three Cuomo-tied hires spark JCOPE board unrest (TU)  As the executive director of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics departed for a job in the Cuomo administration in July, she hired three former Cuomo aides to prominent positions within JCOPE, a commissioner disclosed at a meeting Tuesday. With some commissioners complaining of meddling by the executive branch and “midnight appointments,” a majority of the 14 JCOPE board members on Tuesday approved a motion revoking the ability of the ethics and lobbying watchdog’s staff to make new hires without the consent of commissioners. In late July, JCOPE Executive Director Letizia Tagliafierro — herself a former Cuomo staffer before she landed her post at the ethics panel in 2013 — took a job as the deputy commissioner at the state Department of Taxation and Finance.


The sometimes tense JCOPE meeting came as a number of commissioners appointed by Skelos and ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver – who stepped down from their leadership posts this year as they confronted corruption charges – face uncertain futures. Their terms expire in mid-December, and it’s unclear if new legislative leaders will reappointment them. Weissman declined to tell the Times Union the names of the new JCOPE staffers beyond Gagan. But a JCOPE spokesman confirmed they were Stacey Hamilton and John Harford, who are both listed in payroll records as being former staffers in Cuomo’s attorney general’s office. Hamilton is manager of education and training at JCOPE, while Harford is director of ethics and compliance, the spokesman said. * US Attorney Preet Bharara trumps the governor as the most powerful person in Albany, according to The NY Observer’s list of the Capitol’s 40 top political players.* As the executive director of the JCOPE departed for a job in the Cuomo administration in July, she hired three former Cuomo aides to prominent positions within the commission. A majority of the 14 JCOPE board members yesterday approved a motion revoking the ability of the ethics and lobbying watchdog’s staff to make new hires without the commissioners’ consent.
Moreland Investigation Ends, Media Cover-Up 
Silver's Trial Exposes Moreland Panel Belief That Cuomo Intervened In Their Investigations
Leaders of Moreland Commission Panel Felt Cuomo Intervened, Prosecutors Say (NYT) The United States Attorney’s office summarized the officials’ statements in a letter included in court papers filed by lawyers for Sheldon Silver, the former Assembly speaker. Senior officials of a state anticorruption commission shut down last year by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo have told federal prosecutors that they believed he and his staff intervened in its operations “in a manner that, at times, led them to question the independence” of the panel, the prosecutors said in a recent letter. The letter, which briefly summarizes the officials’ statements, was attached to court papers filed on Friday night by lawyers forSheldon Silver, the former Assembly speaker, as he prepares for his corruption case in federal court in Manhattan.The officials have not spoken publicly about the involvement of the governor’s office in the operation of the panel, which was known as the Moreland Commission. * Andrew Cuomo controlled anti-corruption commission: courts (NYP) Gov. Cuomo and his staff tampered with their anti-corruption commission to the point where panel members believed they were handcuffed, ​Moreland Commission ​panelists told prosecutors.  “Various members and staff of the Moreland Commission, including Kathleen Rice, Milton Williams, and Danya Perry stated during interviews, in substance and in part, that they believed that Governor Cuomo and his staff were intervening in the activities of the Moreland Commission in a manner that, at times, led them to question the independence of the Moreland Commission,” Bharara wrote in the last paragraph of a July 29 letter to defense lawyers.* Gov. Chris Christie, Mayor Bill de Blasio ramp up rhetoric (WSJ).

Silver Just Being Silver
New documents reveal Sheldon Silver’s back-room dealings (NYP) Included in e-mails put into the court record by federal prosecutors is one from the cancer doctor at the center of Silver’s case, who writes to an associate, “If he delivers, I am sure it will cost me” about the then-Assembly Speaker helping him get city permits for a charity walk. Silver also stepped in to block a Manhattan drug clinic on behalf of a real-estate developer who was paying him hundreds of thousands of dollars. And he even wrote a letter on his official Assembly stationary to try to reduce property taxes on his own Lower East Side apartment building, the papers, filed Friday, allege.  The new court papers detail how Silver blocked a methadone clinic slated to open near a Glenwood building.“I thought Shelly killed this damn thing?!” a Glenwood rep wrote in a 2013 e-mail after another clinic was proposed near the same building. “We need to kill this again,” a Glenwood lobbyist responded.

The Media is Still Covering Up Real Estate's Role in the Silver, Skelos and the Killing of the Moreland Commission
 “Silver’s efforts to reduce local real-estate taxes for his own building — without disclosing to the Department of Finance that he resided in the building and accordingly stood to personally benefit — reflects deliberate deception by Silver ,” prosecutors wrote. In July 2011, the New York Post reported that Silver, a prominent proponent of rent stabilization, had led the campaign to take the complex market rate, although he denied that he had played a role.* Federal prosecutors allege former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver intervened with state agencies to block a Manhattan substance abuse clinic as a favor to a powerful developer helping Silver generate legal fees, Newsday reports:  * Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver intervened with state agencies to block a Manhattan substance abuse clinic as a favor to a powerful developer (lenwood Management Corp.) that owned a nearby building and was helping Silver generate legal fees for himself, federal prosecutors allege in a new court filing. * How Sheldon Silver rewarded political friends (reports)


Their statements to prosecutors are in contrast to Mr. Cuomo’s assertions last summer that his office did not inappropriately intervene in the work of the panel, which he created in July 2013 and abruptly disbandednine months later. It is unclear from the filings how or if the defense or government might seek to use the former Moreland officials’ statements about Mr. Cuomo in Mr. Silver’s trial, or if they would be allowed to by the judge. The trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 2. The government says in the letter, which is dated July 29, that the statements about the actions of Mr. Cuomo and his staff came from “various members and staff” of the commission — including two of the panel’s three co-chairs and its chief of investigations.

An investigation by The New York Times published in July 2014 showed that Mr. Cuomo’s office had hobbled the Moreland Commission’s work, intervening when it focused on groups with ties to the governor or on issues that might reflect poorly on him. In response, Mr. Cuomo said that his office had merely offered advice to the panel, which he said possessed “total independence.”

He repeatedly cited a statement released by one of the panel’s three co-chairs, William J. Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney, who said that “nobody ‘interfered’ with me or my co-chairs.” On Saturday, Mr. Fitzpatrick declined to comment on the court filing, saying he was not privy to the exact substance of what was said in the interviews between prosecutors and the individuals in question. He added that there remains in his mind a big difference between interference and attempted interference.






We Are Still Paying for Lawyers for the Assembly to Protect Them From Moreland
Comptroller approves another $27K for MorelandCommission-related expenses  * What Happens When You Call The Moreland Commission’s Tip Line (YNN)  It still works! Well, sort of. The defunct anti-corruption panel was shut down in April 2014 following an agreement on ethics and campaign finance reform measures in the state budget. But the commission’s impact lingers like Albany’s very own phantom menace.


The Albany Cover-Up of Killing Moreland
The Elected Officials Who Did Not Speak Out Against Moreland Being Closed Down are Upset Castro Wore A Wire 

HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Democrats in the state Legislature are all performing the same duck-and-cover routine when it comes to commenting on Moreland Commission interference, writes City & State’s Morgan Pehme in his latest column: * Even some of Bharara’s investigative tactics have come under fire from lawmakers. Perry is critical of the decision to allow then-Bronx Assembly Democrat Nelson Castro to twice run for reelection while secretly under indictment. 



Silver's Lawyers What Moreland Corruption
Lawyers for former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver asked a federal judge Friday to limit at his upcoming trial any testimony about corruption cases against other lawmakers or the reasons for creating the Moreland Commission, Newsday reports:   * Federal prosecutors filed a letter in Assemblyman Sheldon Silver’s case that notes senior officials of the now-defunct Moreland Commission believe the governor and his staff intervened in the commission’s work, the Times reports: * . Prosecutors also told Mr. Silver’s lawyers in a Sept. 3 letter that they may offer testimony about arrests and convictions of state officials more broadly as background to the Moreland Commission investigation, Mr. Silver’s lawyers said in their filing.  Mr. Fitzpatrick, one of the former co-chairs of the Moreland Commission, said he also expected further action by prosecutors against Albany lawmakers as a result of information that was provided to Mr. Bharara’s office in April 2014. That month, federal prosecutors took possession of the files of the anticorruption panel. The former commission officials whose statements about Mr. Cuomo and his staff are summarized in the government letter include the panel’s two other co-chairs: Kathleen M. Rice, now a Democratic congresswoman from Long Island and the former Nassau County district attorney; and Milton L. Williams, Jr., a partner at the law firm Vladeck, Raskin & Clark. They and the third official, E. Danya Perry, who was the panel’s chief of investigations, all declined to comment on Saturday.
How No Ethics Reform Albany Kills Ethics Investigators Moreland JCOPE
JCOPE has always been control by the same people in the same way as those who killed the Moreland Commission   Moreland is Killed Leading to the Federal Arrests of Silver and Skelos
Albany's no-can-do watchdog: The Joint Commissionon Public Ethics needs more than a new director (NYDN Ed) After three and half years of watchdogging Albany — a target-rich environment if there ever was one — the Joint Commission on Public Ethics has failed to sniff out even a single instance of wrongdoing by an elected official.  Now, more of a joke than ever, JCOPE is bickering over hiring practices and job titles.  The public crackup began when departing executive director Letizia Tagliafierro made two hires without consulting the board — drawing a rebuke from four of 14 commissioners in a letter to the Albany Times Union.  At a meeting last week, the dissident faction argued, with some reason, that JCOPE should recruit an executive director from outside the Albany bubble — in contrast to the first two, who had both been aides to Gov. Cuomo. Chairman Daniel Horwitz — a Cuomo appointee — countered that “an understanding of state government is beneficial.” They might as well have been debating the arrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic. JCOPE’s structure is so flawed, so rigged for the benefit of political insiders, that who holds what title hardly matters.  Not when a supposedly independent ethics cop is controlled by appointees of the very politicians it’s tasked with policing. Not when two commissioners on the 14-member board have the power to block probes of the officials who appointed them. Not when those votes, like almost all of the panel’s critical business, are cloaked in utter secrecy. This is why — as federal prosecutors have been picking off crooked pols like so many tin cans on a fence post — JCOPE has come up empty. Yes, the fact that people with ties to Cuomo hold high-ranking staff positions sends an unfortunate message. Yes, bringing in a director with fewer ties would be welcome. But JCOPE needs a lot more than new names on the letterhead.* The Daily News writes that the Joint Commission on PublicEthics, which has failed to bring a single significant finding of corruption, is ineffective because it is controlled by the politicians it investigates:* @ Ravi Batra - Cuomo got favored veto-treatment embedded in PIRA law, and then became the "employer" of JCOPE staff. Gave new jobs for EDs *  The Daily News’ Bill Hammond writes that while the line between corruption and politics is sometimes ill-defined under the law, Albany politicians should know the difference:


Flanagan’s law firm Tried to Stop A Subpoena From the Moreland Commission
Mr. Flanagan’s law firm was also one of more than two dozen employers of state legislators that were subpoenaed in 2013 by the Moreland Commission, an anticorruption panel created by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat. The panel, which was examining the outside income of lawmakers, sought documents regarding his clients and compensation, as well as building access records showing when he came to work, according to a copy of the subpoena his firm received. The law firm joined with other firms employing legislators to challenge the subpoenas in court, and the matter was unresolved when Mr. Cuomo struck a deal last year to shut down the Moreland Commission.* Son of state Sen. Thomas Libous working to clear charges of tampering with a drug test (NYDN) * Bill Hammond: Translating the new Senate boss (NYDN)* * State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, who took over for former majority leader Dean Skelos in the wake of corruption charges, has a lot in common with his fellow Long Islander and predecessor, Crain’s New Yorkwrites:

Moreland Was Killed to Protect Silver's Real Estate Conspiracy That Made Him Millions
 Governor Cuomo’s top real estate donor is Glenwood Management, with $800,000 contributed through 19 LLCs, according to ProPublica * Of the LLCs giving to Cuomo, the most generous are controlled by Glenwood Management, a real estate development company headquartered on Long Island. * Gov. Cuomo received $76,000 from real estate investors weeks before giving their property a tax break on bill (NYDN)  *  At least 6 citywide candidates got the loot from the buildings developers.(NYDN)  Extell contributions to city officials were designed to take advantage of the public matching fund program.  


Nonprofit Under Investigation When Moreland Was Shut Down Funded Again 
The recently passed state budget steers $505,000 to a nonprofit that was intensely scrutinized by the Moreland Commission during its foreshortened nine-month lifespan, the Times Union reports:

2014 Feds Go After Moreland Target None Profit 
The Moreland Commission has referred its findings about a Brooklyn charity with ties to New York politicians to U.S. Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution
Lawyers For Moreland And Legislature Debate Over Briefs(YNN) *  2 probes against ‘charity’(NYP) Cuomo’s commission to combat public corruption referred its investigative findings about Relief Resources Inc. — a Borough Park-based storefront charity that took in nearly $3 million in legislative grants but did not seem to provide many services — to US Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution, sources close to the commission said. The group has received legislative grants from two heads of the state Senate — $250,000 from ex-GOP Majority Leader Joe Bruno and $300,000 from former Democratic leader Malcolm Smith, as well as backing from Brooklyn lawmakers Martin Golden and Simcha Felder.  Bruno was convicted of fraud in 2009, but the case was overturned on appeal. Smith was indicted earlier this year for allegedly trying to bribe his way onto the Republican line for mayor.* One of the TU’s top stories of 2013:


NYP: Why Did the AG Not Scream to High Heaven About Moreland Being Shut Down
Eric the silent(NYP Ed) Ever since Sheldon Silver’s arrest, there’s been nothing more thunderous in New York than the silence of the state’s top lawman, Eric Schneiderman. If what US Attorney Preet Bharara alleges is true — that for years Assembly Speaker Silver “monetized public office” — why should it have taken a federal prosecutor to bring him down? Why wasn’t it New York’s attorney general? Schneiderman has said before that our state laws don’t give him much power toprosecute crooked pols. But even if it’s true, the excuse doesn’t wash in this case. When Gov. Cuomo set up the Moreland Commission to “probe systemic public corruption and the appearance of such corruption in state government, political campaigns and elections in New York State,” commission members were deputized under Attorney General Schneiderman. This was done specifically to give them the authority to investigate the Legislature. Gov. Cuomo later shut down the Moreland Commission before it could finish its work — as we can see by Bharara’s corruption charges against Silver. He did so, moreover, after his own staff had been pressuring Moreland investigators against some subpoenas they’d wanted to send out.Which leaves us with questions. First is whether the governor in fact had the authority to take these powers from Schneid-­­­ erman’s deputies in the middle of their investigation. Even if he did, why wasn’t Schneiderman scream to high heaven about what was happening to his deputies?* Preet Bharara seemsto like to steal Gov. Cuomo's thunder (NYDN) His arrest last Thursday of Silver, a day after Cuomo unveiled his 2015 agenda, is not the first time he’s stolen the governor’s thunder. Last year, a Bharara radio interview in which he made veiled references to his investigation of the Cuomo administration’s handling of a now defunct anti-corruption commission aired the day of the only gubernatorial debate. * Did Cuomo know about Silver? (CrainsNY) The question during the historic Watergate hearings in the 1970s was "What did he know, and when did he know it?" When the answers became known, President Richard Nixon had no choice but to resign. The same question looms following Thursday's arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. "What did Gov. Andrew Cuomo know, and when did he know it?"


NYP: Why Did the AG Not Scream to High Heaven About Moreland Being Shut Down
Eric the silent(NYP Ed) Ever since Sheldon Silver’s arrest, there’s been nothing more thunderous in New York than the silence of the state’s top lawman, Eric Schneiderman. If what US Attorney Preet Bharara alleges is true — that for years Assembly Speaker Silver “monetized public office” — why should it have taken a federal prosecutor to bring him down? Why wasn’t it New York’s attorney general? Schneiderman has said before that our state laws don’t give him much power toprosecute crooked pols. But even if it’s true, the excuse doesn’t wash in this case. When Gov. Cuomo set up the Moreland Commission to “probe systemic public corruption and the appearance of such corruption in state government, political campaigns and elections in New York State,” commission members were deputized under Attorney General Schneiderman. This was done specifically to give them the authority to investigate the Legislature. Gov. Cuomo later shut down the Moreland Commission before it could finish its work — as we can see by Bharara’s corruption charges against Silver. He did so, moreover, after his own staff had been pressuring Moreland investigators against some subpoenas they’d wanted to send out.Which leaves us with questions. First is whether the governor in fact had the authority to take these powers from Schneid-­­­ erman’s deputies in the middle of their investigation. Even if he did, why wasn’t Schneiderman scream to high heaven about what was happening to his deputies?* Preet Bharara seemsto like to steal Gov. Cuomo's thunder (NYDN) His arrest last Thursday of Silver, a day after Cuomo unveiled his 2015 agenda, is not the first time he’s stolen the governor’s thunder. Last year, a Bharara radio interview in which he made veiled references to his investigation of the Cuomo administration’s handling of a now defunct anti-corruption commission aired the day of the only gubernatorial debate. * Did Cuomo know about Silver? (CrainsNY) The question during the historic Watergate hearings in the 1970s was "What did he know, and when did he know it?" When the answers became known, President Richard Nixon had no choice but to resign. The same question looms following Thursday's arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. "What did Gov. Andrew Cuomo know, and when did he know it?"


Follow the Money Weitz and Luxenberg to the AG and Others 
Weitz and Luxenberg was equally generous with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Perry Weitz, Felicia Weitz, Arthur Luxenberg, and Randi Luxenberg alone combined for $200,000, with each giving $50,000 according to an article that says “The attorney general has topped even his popular predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, in raising money from organized labor.” There have been other donations since, including $12,500 each from the two named partners.Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) said, “Did Schneiderman go along with Cuomo’s decision to shutter Moreland? Did Cuomo have the power to shut it down if Schneiderman deputized these guys? And if Schneiderman didn’t go along with it, did he just appear to while continuing to investigate? We just don’t know.” The good-government publication Gotham Gazette wrote, “Schneiderman’s entire involvement in the Moreland Commission mess, both past and present, remains a question mark as the AG has only commented to say he shouldn’t comment – something that is becoming a familiar refrain for many of those involved with the commission.”Interestingly, referral fees are at the core of the case against Mr. Silver. The government alleges that Weitz & Luxenberg paid the speaker $1.4 million in salary and another $3.9 for referrals – and that some of those referrals came from a doctor who himself was the beneficiary of state money that Mr. Silver helped arrange.With the stunning arrest of the Speaker, the disbanding of the Moreland commission once again takes center stage. The Attorney General was not only involved with that disbanding, but also counts the law firm at the center of the Speaker’s demise among his biggest donors. With US Attorney Preet Bharara hinting that New Yorkers ought to ‘stay tuned‘ for additional corruption arrests, the next few weeks could prove to be wildly interesting in the Empire State. (NYO)
More on the Attorney General Schneiderman 

JCOPE Covering Their Ass After Bharara's Indictment of Silver for Outside Income
Silver Fined For Hiding Outside Income  
Embattled former Speaker Sheldon Silver fined on charges of not properlydisclosing outside income (NYDN) The Joint Commission on Public Ethics — the state’s top ethics watchdog agency —notified Silver that he faces up to $120,000 in fines for filing inadequate financial disclosure statements in 2011, 2012 and 2013. A spokesman for Silver, however, says that the politician believes he filed correctly and 'intends to prove that.' The Joint Commission on Public Ethics — the state’s top ethics watchdog agency —notified Silver that he faces up to $120,000 in fines for filing inadequate financial disclosure statements in 2011, 2012 and 2013. A spokesman for Silver, however, says that the politician believes he filed correctly and 'intends to prove that.'* JCOPE says Sheldon Silver's disclosure forms are deficient (Capital)* Ethics commission demands more information from Silver about his income(NYP) A legislative ethics commission has sent a notice of delinquency to former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver demanding information about his outside income.* The state Joint Commission on Public Ethics yesterday quietly filed a notice that former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver faces up to $120,000 in fines for not properly disclosing his outside income on ethics forms, Gannett Albany reports:

Silver Still Pulls Stringers on JCOPE Despite Conflict Of Interests With His Indictment  
Sheldon Silver’s pals leading ethics probe (NYP) Scandal-scarred Sheldon Silver may no longer be the powerful Assembly speaker, but he still has pull through friends he’s appointed to positions throughout state government — including the Joint Commission on Public Ethics that’s investigating his outside income, The Post has learned. Silver’s three appointees to the JCOPE board — Paul Casteleiro, Marvin Jacob and Renee Roth — will serve at least through December amid the probe . Silver’s selection in 2011 of Jacob, 80, a retired lawyer for Weil, Gotchel and Manges, is especially drawing scrutiny in light of the ex-speaker’s federal corruption bust, sources said. Jacob is the brother of Harold “Heshy” Jacob, a Silver pal who manages the Grand Street co-op complex where Silver lives, as well as an adjacent building. In a federal complaint last month, US Attorney Preet Bharara charged that Silver accepted $700,000 in kickbacks from the tax firm Goldberg & Iryami.  The firm represented the two Grand Street buildings managed by Heshy Jacob in city tax appeals. That would put Marvin Jacob in a position of reviewing an ethics case against Silver that potentially implicates Marvin’s brother. Marvin did not return a call. *  Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie needs to address criticism of the “three men in the room” by being transparent and dissolving secret slush funds, Michael Benjamin writes in City & State * US Attorney Preet Bharara faces a Feb. 23 deadline to formalize charges against former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver with a grand-jury indictment.
Cuomo's 100,000 So Far Legal Bill to Shut Down Moreland
 Cuomo’s spent $100,000 last month on the law firm representing him and the executive chamber in the federal probe into his administration’s handling of the governor’s anti-corruption commission
Andrew Cuomo's campaign pays $100K fighting federal probe(NYDN)Gov. Cuomo’s campaign shelled out another $100,000 to the law firm representing him and the executive chamber against a federal probe into his administration’s handling of his anti-corruption commission. Cuomo’s campaign sent the $100,000 to Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello on Dec. 29, according to his latest campaign disclosure filing. Cuomo previously had paid the firm $10,000. The Daily News reported in August that prominent white-collar criminal attorney Elkan Abramowitz, a longtime Cuomo pal, had been hired. He had been advising Cuomo since May.* Andrew Cuomo's Top Aide Lobbied For Firms With StateBusiness  (ibtimes.com)means-tested state personal income break.” Plus it treats the “symptom” and not the “disease” of high taxes. * The late former Gov. Mario Cuomo had a history of failing to support fellow NY Dems – a criticism some have also directed at his son. * You could say a lot of things about how Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s second term is shaping up, but “out of gas” is not one of them. * A community college dean muses on Cuomo’s college loan forgiveness proposal, giving it a mixed review. * Skelos Urges Cuomo To Include Education Tax Credit In Budget * A Sienapoll found Cuomo’s favorability rating has improved to 60 percent, its highest level since July, while jobs and education are the top two issues voters want him to prioritize this year:* Testing Andrew: Teacher unions on attack(NYP)* Bob McManus on what he hopes to hear from Cuomo regarding education reform: “Any proposal that lacks meaningful mechanisms for ridding the schools of incompetent teachers — that is, for cracking the union hold on the process — is also fraudulent.”* The first signal of Cuomo’s second-term approach(Capital)* Klein ‘optimistic’ about ability to affect agenda (Capital) Independent Democratic Conference has big plans, even with Republican majority* The Republican Prebuttal Focuses On Cuomo’s Promises(YNN)* After years of protesting Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State addresses, anti-fracking activists will be throwing parties tomorrow to toast the governor instead. * Alexis Grenell thinks Cuomo should let the Women’s Equality Party die. *The state Democratic Committee’s housekeeping account brought in nearly $770,000 in receipts and spent more than $1.2 million over the past six months.


Moreland Prequel
Moreland, the prequel: Cuomo meddled with investigation intoLong Island Power Authority, @susannecraig reports.  *Governor "spent most of his first term redistributing New York’s taxes ratherthan reducing them." (City Journal)




Moreland we hardly knew ya 2014
Schneiderman Breaks Silence on Moreland Commission(NY1) * Andrew Cuomo hires criminal lawyer to represent governor's office as scandal over Moreland anti-corruption commission grows: sources EXCLUSIVE: Cuomo hired prominent white collar criminal defense lawyer Elkan Abramowitz in May to represent the governor’s office, sources told The News. Cuomo’s top aides

U.S. Attorney Warns Cuomo on Ethics Investigation(NYT) Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, threatened to investigate the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for possible obstruction of justice or witness tampering after the governor’s cancellation of his own anticorruption commission. The warning, in a sharply worded letter from Mr. Bharara’s office, came after several members of the panel issued public statements defending the governor’s handling of the panel, known as the Moreland Commission, which Mr. Cuomo created last year with promises of cleaning up corruption in state politics but shut down abruptly in March.



What Did the US Attorney Tell the AG About Cuomo and Moreland?
 No doubt Attorney General Eric Schneiderman didn’t mean his press conference Monday to look like a circus. But that’s how it came across, complete with a city comptroller, public advocate and assorted other officials who appeared in support, like clowns tumbling out of a tiny car. Instead of using the podium to call for citizens to respect the justice system, New York’s top law-enforcement officer — with no hard evidence to show why it is necessary — asked for the authority to investigate claims of police brutality where there is a death. This from the same man who constantly tells us he can’t do anything to clean up Albany, and whose car, driven by a staffer, sideswiped another car when he was running for office but then kept on going.*Editorial: Nextsteps after Garner (NYDN Ed) The heat of the moment is the wrong time to attempt the extremely complicated task of reforming the state’s criminal laws and procedures.* Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann called Schneiderman’s request “arrogant” and an “unnecessary knee-jerk reaction to the decision of the impartial 23-member Richmond County grand jury.”

Moreland Update

0 of the 11 indictments of legislators during Cuomo's tenure have come as a result of JCOPE or Board of Elections investigations

* In a speech to business leaders this week, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara endorsed forcing legislators to disclose not only their outside income but who’s paying them. We’re not likely to see that any time soon, but we’re sure glad to have the U.S. attorney making our point, the New York Post writes:  * Preet wants paystubs(NYP) Preet Bharara has put his share of New York pols in handcuffs. Even so, the US attorney has always insisted we can’t prosecute our way to honest government. In a speech to business leaders this week, Bharara endorsed a reform The Post has been pushing for years: forcing legislators to disclose not only their outside income but who’s paying them. * New York needs Preet Bharara to stay as US attorney andkeep fighting corruption (NYP Ed)


Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up, JCOPE


State Democratic Party Tried to Distract Public Attention From Cuomo's Moreland Scandal
Pro-Cuomo ad blitz to soften anti-corruption panel scandal’s hit(NYP) The state Democratic Party opened its war chest for an ad blitz promoting Gov. Cuomo to blunt a blistering report detailing how his administration meddled with an anti-corruption panel, records show. The state Democratic Campaign Committee spent $281,655 for ads that began airing July 19, one day after the governor’s office learned The New York Times was going to print a lengthy story about how Cuomo aides compromised the workings of the Moreland Commission panel.

Cuomo Best for Tax Payers to Close Moreland * Gov. Cuomo’s Moreland mess: He did it for us(NYP)  Rest easy, New York: In his handling of the Moreland Commission, which was investigating Albany’s corruption, Andrew Cuomo was only doing what’s best for us taxpayers.After five days in hiding, the governor emerged Monday to deploy some Clintonesque grammar to explain that it all depends what you mean by the words “interfered with.” Turns out in Cuomo’s office it means offering “advice.”* State Democrats launch new attack ad against Rob Astorino(NYDN) * Of the two dozen companies so far announced that will receive 10 years of tax breaks as a part of Start-Up NY, more than half are actually expansions of companies that already operate in New York or elsewhere, the Times Union writes: 

Cuomo Top Aide Schwartz to Avoid Subpoena Moves to Meet With Feds
Cuomo aide to meet with prosecutors in commission probe (NYP)The top aide to Gov. Cuomo has agreed to meet with federal prosecutors investigating the governor’s disbanding of his own anti-corruption panel. Larry Schwartz voluntarily agreed to meet with prosecutors from US Attorney Preet Bharara’s office, according to a source with law-enforcement ties. Schwartz and others “want to avoid the  embarrassment of a subpoena, so they proactively volunteered to go in,” the source said.Schwartz has been accused of contacting one of the panel’s co-chairs to yank a subpoena issued to an ad-buying firm that had worked for the governor’s campaign.* Top Cuomo Aide to Meet With Prosecutors(WSJ)  * "the commission had identified 15 lawmakers who may have been involved in potential criminal activity .."  National Republican Committee weighs in on Moreland Commission scandal(NYDN)* National GOP Takes A Swipe At Cuomo And Rice(YNN)Duffy: ‘I Have Faith’ In Cuomo(YNN) * A top official in the Westchester and Yonkers Independence parties called GOP gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino as a “f—ing racist liar.” * In response to a FOIL request, Cuomo’s office claims staff do not use private email accounts for official business, but that’s not actually true.Tuesday Update Gov. Cuomo’s criminal defense(NYP Ed)

Round 1 Teachout Still On the Ballot

RT  Round 1. Cuomo's first effort to get me off the ballot, challenging 45,000+ petitions, fails. Thanks to all of you. *  Included in Cuomo's subpoena, in his effort to prove I don't live where I live: "Copies of all banks statements" of any kind since 2009.

Andrew Cuomo could take leadership this week by explaining his role in directing assistant AG interference w/ subpoenas to powerful friends.

Rice Might Be the Feds Guild to Document Cuomo's Interference With Moreland

Explains Bharara's Move With the AG Meet

A spokesman for Rice, who's also the Nassau County district attorney, confirmed that she's helping federal investigators, but would not comment on her role. Investigators are looking at the commission's abrupt end and whether Gov. Cuomo's administration interfered with the commission's work. Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, one of three people who co-chaired Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission, is “assisting” a federal probe into the governor’s handling of the panel, the Daily News has learned. Rice has met multiple times with U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, whose probers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the panel’s abrupt end and, specifically, whether the Cuomo administration interfered with the commission’s work, said a source with ties to the commission.* Before the Moreland Commission was mothballed this spring, the panel’s staffers pressed Albany County District Attorney David Soares to pursue their investigations and leads.

Schneiderman Slamed on Moreland  
Republican attorney general hopeful John Cahill is hitting the airwaves with his first TV ad, in which he links his Democratic opponent, AG Eric Schneiderman, to the failed Moreland Commission and pledges to be “tough enough” to clean up corruption in Albany.
Schneiderman says he "can't comment" on Moreland or any other ong

Now the AG Has No Comment After the Meal With the U.S. Attorney  . . .  AG No Comment on the Independent Moreland Commission
Schneiderman Breaks Silence on Moreland Commission(NY1)
When Governor Andrew Cuomo created the Moreland Commission to investigate public corruption, he was assisted by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who deputized 23 of the 25 commissioners with subpoena power. Earlier this year, Schneiderman argued in court documents that the commission was independent.  "The attorney general had a critical role here," said John Cahill, the Republican candidate for state attorney general. "Once the executive order was signed, the commission, the investigation really was in the hands of the attorney general, as he states clearly in his papers that this was an independent investigation.""The attorney general had a critical role here," said John Cahill, the Republican candidate for state attorney general. "Once the executive order was signed, the commission, the investigation really was in the hands of the attorney general, as he states clearly in his papers that this was an independent investigation." "He needs to come forward and tell the people of New York, the people that he serves, what he knew about this investigation, what he knew about the political interference," Cahill said. "These deputies were required to report to the attorney general on a weekly basis. Was that done? Did he know about political interference? If he did know, what did he do about it?* Attorney general stays quiet on Moreland panel Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

What Did the Weekly Reports of the Moreland Commission to the AG Say About the Governor's Staff?
The attorney general did receive weekly reports from the commission, although it's unclear what was in those reports. People familiar with the commission's work say they are unlikely to document instances of interference. However, others say it's also unlikely Schneiderman would not have heard about the Cuomo administration's interference. What he did, if he knew, remains unclear.* VIDEO: Schneiderman stays mum on Moreland Commission probe (LoHud)

Is the Party Line Covering Up Corruption . . . You Bet
Hochul Discusses Moreland Commission While Campaigning in Queens(NY1) Things aren't exactly coming up roses for the Cuomo campaign these days, but while the governor keeps a low profile following a rebuke from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, his running mate, Kathy Hochul, is suddenly seemingly everywhere, backing Cuomo's position that he did not interfere with his anti-corruption commission.

 "When the Republican district attorney in Onondaga says that there's been no interference, I'm going to take him at his word," Hochul said."I had breakfast in Harlem this morning up at Sylvia's. Nobody asked  me about it," Hochul said. "They want to know what the governor can do for them, help with jobs, help with education." Indeed, that is now apparently the party line, echoed by other Democrats campaigning alongside her Friday."The people that I represent, they care about affordable housing, they care about opportunities for their kids," said City Councilman Rory Lancman of Queens. Ironically, the Cuomo campaign had earlier been accused of keeping Hochul out of public view thanks to her conservative-leaning views on issues like immigration. In Queens, she emphasized her support for the Dream Act.* Reporters Roundtable: Cuomo's "bag of tricks" won't work against Bharara(NY Now)* How did Cuomo keep hidden that he had hired criminal defense attorney for 2 whole months ?* Moreland mess erodes Cuomo’s fear factor(Capital) *  A lesson of Watergate, 40 years on, for Andrew Cuomo(TU)

Cuomo Criminal Lawyered Up in May
Andrew Cuomo hires criminal lawyer to represent governor's office as scandal over Moreland anti-corruption commission grows: sources EXCLUSIVE: Cuomo hired prominent white collar criminal defense lawyer Elkan Abramowitz in May to represent the governor’s office, sources told The News. Cuomo’s top aides, Secretary to the Governor Larry Schwartz and counsel Mylan Denerstein, have also hired their own personal attorneys, the sources said. Cuomo’s top aides, Secretary to the Governor Larry Schwartz and counsel Mylan Denerstein, have also hired their own personal attorneys, the sources said.


Cuomo to Albany: "Take the Money and  Run"

Fitting Woody Allan's Lawyer Represents Cuomo


Cuomo separately has sought advice from several lawyers, the sources said. Abramowitz confirmed to The News that he was hired to represent the executive chamber. He said he is serving in much the same role Denerstein might have filled if she wasn’t a potential witness.
Cuomo apparently irked Bharara with what appeared to be a coordinated effort with some commission members on Monday to beat back criticism that the governor and his aides interfered with the panel. On a day Cuomo was set to face the press for the first time since the controversy reignited last week, four commission members released statements defending the governor’s actions.
Bruce Blakeman, who is running for Congress on Long Island against Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, who co-chaired Cuomo's Moreland commission, ripped the Democrat for thus far staying silent nad called on her to come clean by releasing all her emails on the matter. Rice spokesman Eric Phillips said that’s not going to happen.* Sources: Joe Percoco recruited Moreland support statements; even offered to draft them:  Astorino: ‘Mr. Cuomo’s Morelandgate’(YNN)

Astorino Keeps Up Moreland Drumbeat (Updated)(YNN) * Although Cuomo hired Abramowitz three months ago, the lawyer never filed a contract with the state Attorney General’s Office for approval, the Daily News reports:  .: "Andrew Cuomo couldn’t get 30 people to come see him in Poughkeepsie."


Cuomo Tries to Distract the Press and Public
After The New York Times story on the governor's alleged interference in the Moreland Commission, Cuomo’s press office released nearly twice its average number of press releases—all on unrelated topics, Crain’s reports:

BhararaNado: Obstruction of Justice, Witness Tamperin




































U.S. Attorney Warns Cuomo on Ethics Investigation(NYT)
Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, threatened to investigate the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for possible obstruction of justice or witness tampering after the governor’s cancellation of his own anticorruption commission. The warning, in a sharply worded letter from Mr. Bharara’s office, came after several members of the panel issued public statements defending the governor’s handling of the panel, known as the Moreland Commission, which Mr. Cuomo created last year with promises of cleaning up corruption in state politics but shut down abruptly in March.

Cuomo Says He Was Only Setting the Record Stright
Cuomo on Thursday acknowledged the existence of the letter from Bharara’s office and that his office raised “concerns with relevant parties” in response to inaccurate reporting following the Times’ story.
“We are aware of the letter sent by the U.S Attorney for the Southern District. The New York Times published a story last week that generated a wave of news reports across the state, some with numerous inaccuracies, and we wanted to correct them,” Cuomo said. “We discussed these concerns with relevant parties.”
U.S. Attorney Rquested End to Public Dialogue and Cuomo Accepted
Cuomo added that due to Bharara requesting an end to a “public dialogue” he won’t have any additional statements to make on the Moreland issue.
“Several members of the Commission (District Attorneys and a law school dean) issued personal statements to correct the public record,” Cuomo said. “These statements reiterated comments they had made over the past year. As I believe the U.S. Attorney has made it clear that ongoing public dialogue is not helpful to his investigation, we will have no additional comment on the matter.”* In response to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s warning about contact between the governor’s office and Moreland Commission members in recent days, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the communications were appropriate and that he would have nothing more to say on the matter, Gannett Albany reports: 

At least some of those statements were prompted by calls from the governor or his emissaries, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation who were unwilling to be named for fear of reprisal. One commissioner who received a call from an intermediary on behalf of the governor’s office said he found the call upsetting and declined to make a statement.



Did DA Fitzpartick Get An Offer He Could Not Refuse?
The letter from prosecutors, which was read to The New York Times, says, “We have reason to believe a number of commissioners recently have been contacted about the commission’s work, and some commissioners have been asked to issue public statements characterizing events and facts regarding the commission’s operation.” “To the extent anyone attempts to influence or tamper with a witness’s recollection of events relevant to our investigation, including the recollection of a commissioner or one of the commission’s employees, we request that you advise our office immediately, as we must consider whether such actions constitute obstruction of justice or tampering with witnesses that violate federal law.

”Just hours before Mr. Cuomo faced reporters, one of the co-chairs of the commission, William J. Fitzpatrick, released a three-page statement in which he asserted that “nobody ‘interfered’ with me or my co-chairs.”Facing questions from the news media, Mr. Cuomo repeatedly cited the statement by Mr. Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney. The governor called the statement “very helpful,” explaining that Mr. Fitzpatrick “knows better than anyone else what happened with  the Moreland Commission.” “Now we have facts that we can actually deal with, right?” Mr. Cuomo said. Mr. Fitzpatrick’s statement seemed at odds with frustration he had expressed to colleagues last year; in one email reported by The Times, he wrote that Mr. Cuomo’s office “needs to understand this is an INDEPENDENT commission and needs to be treated as such.” Mr. Cuomo dismissed that email as “snippets of conversations.”  Mr. Fitzpatrick’s statement on Monday also appeared to contradict previous statements he made to federal prosecutors, according to three people briefed on the matter but not authorized to speak on the record.

Mr. Fitzpatrick did not immediately return a call late Wednesday seeking comment.The letter noted “the commissioners and the commission’s employees are important witnesses in this ongoing investigation, and information from those with personal knowledge of facts of the investigation is highly material to that investigation.” The letter warned that tampering with the recollections of commission members or employees could be a crime, and directed them to preserve any records of “actual or attempted contact” along those lines. *Cuomo never rescinded the executive order that established the Moreland Commission toInvestigate Public Corruption, leaving the panel in limbo and maintaining 23 of its 25 members as deputy attorneys general, the Times Union reports:  The fallout from the Moreland mess has now extended to impact Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice, one of the commission’s three co-chairs who has remained quiet about its demise. She’s running for Congress, and her GOP opponent, Bruce Blakeman, has seized on this issue. * Astorino: Cuomo’s Hole Getting Deeper(YNN) *The Fitzpatrick-Cuomo Connection(YNN) * Cuomo running mate: 'I can't imagine any pressure that would make these people.. say something that wasn't factual'  *Cuomo, Responding to U.S. Attorney, Seeks to Justify Recent Contacts...(NYT) * "Fitzpatrick’s wife...is a Court of Claims Judge...up for re-appointment...." The Fitzpatrick-Cuomo Connection (YNN) * “There’s this pathological need on the second floor for exact control – control  at a level that’s not really achievable, and not even healthy, over the  long-term.” vThe Moreland mess was again addressed on ”Morning Joe,” with MSNBC host Ari Melber remarking on the “serious cloud hanging over the governor’s mansion.” Mediaite notes that CNN, which employs Cuomo’s brother, Chris, has avoided the Moreland scandal, even as other national outlets have picked it up.* Rocland County DA Thomas Zugibe confirmed he was contacted by Cuomo’s office about issuing a Moreland statement, but didn’t feel pressured to do so.*( Rocland County DA Thomas Zugibe confirmed he was contacted by Cuomo’s office about issuing a Moreland statement, but didn’t feel pressured to do so.* Cuomo aide offered draft statements to and encouraged private email exchanges w/ ex-commission members in past week

The New New Yorkers Are Dumb Hicks and the Elected Officials, Lobbyists and Permanent  Government Know it 

67% of New Yorkers Know Nothing About the Moreland Commission  

new Siena poll found New York voters view corruption in state government as a serious issue, yet only about a third of them have followed recent developments about Cuomo’s disbanded Moreland Commission closely enough to be able to offer an informed opinion.*  Three weeks after Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration was engulfed in scandal over his office’s alleged interference with the Moreland Commission, only a third of New Yorkers, 32 percent, have even heard of the now-defunct ethics panel, even as the percentage of voters who believe corruption is a “ serious problem” in state government has climbed to 86 percent, a new Siena poll shows.” 
New Yorkers believe Gov. Cuomo interfered with Moreland anti-corruption commission: Siena Poll (NYDN)  Most New Yorkers don't know much about Gov. Cuomo's corruption-fighting Moreland Commission -- but nearly twice as many believe newspaper reports that he and his office tampered with it than say they were just providing information, a poll released Monday finds. "Despite the political swirl, Cuomo continues to lead Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino by 32 points, down a little from 37 points three weeks ago," shows the new Siena Poll of likely gubernatorial voters.“While 32% say they’re familiar with Moreland or its work, 67% are not. Sixty-four percent say they’ve heard nothing or not very much about the federal investigation of the Moreland Commission. And a similar 63% say they don’t have enough information to judge whether actions by the governor and his staff should be characterized as potentially criminal, simply inappropriate, or perfectly appropriate,” Siena Pollster Steven Greenberg said.* Voters Call Corruption Serious But Aren’t Following Moreland Commission Fallout(NYO) * Uneducated &/or Uninformed Voters Support Cuomo: Voters Unaware, Unconcerned About Cuomo's Ethics (Newsmax)



": Buying silence? Head of scandal-plagued Moreland Commission in line for cushy job  via " Go get 'em.


. re-hammers Cuomo, or: When you’re quoted saying “ipso facto,” you’re losing:

Bharara has prosecuted Al Qaeda members, drug kingpins, mobsters, Wall Street billionaires and mega-corporations. Not easily intimidated.* WashPost" "More trouble for Cuomo." via * "Fitzpatrick’s wife...is a Court of Claims Judge...up for re-appointment...." The Fitzpatrick-Cuomo Connection (YNN)

The Short Life of an Anti-Corruption Commission(NYT, Timeline)


Dicker: Buying Silence? Head of Scandal-Plagued Moreland Commission in Line for Cushy Job 
Head of scandal-plagued Moreland Commission in line for cushy job(NYP) The executive director of Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission — accused of reporting its every move to Cuomo aides — is in line for a cushy landing at the State Insurance Fund, sources said. Although Cuomo disbanded the Moreland Commission panel in April, Executive Director Regina Calcaterra continues to receive her $175,000-a-year salary. One source said her move to the low-profile insurance agency, which sells disability and worker-compensation policies, wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone familiar with government. “Anything in parole or insurance is a reward,” the source said. The governor’s office declined to comment about what Calcaterra is currently doing or where she might be headed.

NYT: "On Monday, Cuomo made a preposterous claim that the commission’s work was “a phenomenal success” when, in fact, the commission was shut down halfway through its term and had not concluded its investigations."
Gov. Cuomo’s Latest Excuses(NYT Ed) The governor of New York finally responded to a report in The Times about his interference with ethics investigators with more unconvincing spin.  Cuomo finally took public questions on Monday about a scorching report in The Times last week that revealed how his aides had interfered with ethics investigators in Albany. The governor’s delayed press briefing was a defiant attempt to defend himself against politically damaging evidence of his conduct. Once again, Mr. Cuomo has changed his story about the way he created, handled and then suddenly disbanded the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption. When Mr. Cuomo appointed the commission last year, he promised commissioners they would be “totally independent.”

QUOTE OF DAY: “Now, he’s trying to sell New Yorkers another unconvincing spin.” -- New York Times editorial on Cuomo’s explanation about what happened to the Moreland
They could investigate anybody in state government, even him, he said. Then, as The Times reported, his top aide tried to head off investigations that touched on the governor’s own interests. The aide, Lawrence Schwartz, told some investigators that the governor was off-limits and their job was to go after legislators.Mr. Cuomo abruptly shut down the commission in March, and in April argued that because he had created it, “it is mine. It is controlled by me.” Now, he’s trying to sell New Yorkers another unconvincing spin. At a press briefing in Buffalo on Monday, he said that his administration had merely offered “advice” to commissioners and investigators. “Independence doesn’t mean you get holed up in an ivory tower and you don’t talk to anyone,” he said. The investigators who had to respond to the governor’s pressure almost certainly did not view the directives of his aides as optional. Preet Bharara, United States attorney in Manhattan, has taken over the commission’s inquiries. Any truly independent investigation of corrupt practices in Albany will now depend on Mr. Bharara’s work. What is truly disturbing is that Mr. Cuomo now wants to deny interfering with the commission while claiming that its job was done.* Records show the Moreland Commission spent over $350,000 in its nine months of existence for travel, information technology and data analysis, Capital New York reports:That $350,000 doesn't include money for commission staff: Executive Director Regina Calcaterra remains on payroll  Bill Hammond says Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s commission “was an elaborate bluff — and the Legislature called him on it, not once but twice.” Cuomo bashed by both the Times-the Post * Cahill Fundraises Off Moreland Controversy(YNN) * Moreland = Troopergate?http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2014/07/moreland-troopergate/(YNN)* NY Times Moreland Commission Report Continues to Cause Fallout for Cuomo(NY1) * Cuomo: Astorino’s Moreland Criticism ‘Entertaining’(YNN) * The Anti-Astorino Ad Blitz Continues(YNN) * de Blasio Hasn’t Followed Moreland Commission But Blasts Astorino’s Response to It * No word on what Bharara &  ordered, but AG likes vegetarian, while the US attny prefers raw meat.  De Blasio won't comment on timing of Moreland Commission closure: "I'm just a fan of multiple layers of oversight.  Tim Wu calls on statewide officials to investigate Moreland meddling via  * Mayor de Blasio calls Gov. Cuomo an 'agent of reform' when asked about Moreland Commission (WSJ) * Bronx DA Robert Johnson tells  that serving on the Moreland Commission was "one of the most rewarding" things he ever did. * Giuliani won’t endorse Republican gubernatorial candidate(NYP)
* Two of the most high profile players in the Moreland Commission saga–U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman–met for a very public lunch at City Hall Restaurant in lower Manhattan yesterday, State of Politics reports: * The Moreland Commission scandal has upended Cuomo’s long-held strategy of avoiding the national media. * Post-Star editor Ken Tingley: “It is obvious that Gov. Cuomo doesn’t work for the people, he is working only to benefit his own ambitions.”* Wu Also Thinks Cuomo’s Office Broke the Law on Moreland, Compares It to Bridgegate(NYO)



Astorino May Be Investigated
The Westchester County DA’s office is reviewing a request for an investigation of Rob Astorino in connection with the Independence Party endorsement in his 2013 re-election campaign.
…The headline of this POLITICO story initially referred to the Westchester county executive and GOP gubernatorial hopeful as ”Ray Astorino.”
More on the Moreland Commission and Shutdown Scandal 
Campaign for Governor 2014 Timeline 
Revenge of Cuomo's Moreland Nerds Part II

Members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's now defunct Moreland Commission are fuming at the governor for blaming his administration's interference with their work on infighting and the panel's lack of knowledge about state government, the Daily News’ Ken Lovett writes: * Jon Stewart's mocking of Gov. Cuomo over Moreland Commission brings controversy into the mainstream(NYDN)* Cuomo’s manipulation of the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption did serious harm to the cause of good government that he himself championed, the Times Union writes:  * Devastating Cuomo on Morning Joe this a.m.: Why did Cuomo disband corruption commission?  via @morning_joe* immy Vielkind @JimmyVielkind
Fitzpatrick, page 1: "The governor in forming the Commission announced it would be an independent body. It was."Fitzpatrick says the commission was independent in its investigations, but obviously not completely independent.* Onondaga County DA Bill Fitzpatrick insists Moreland was independent, acknowledges Schwartz sought input on panel(YNN)



Cuomo's Big Mistake
Skelos: Moreland a witch hunt. Cuomo: It's independent. Times: Gov meddled. Gov: It was never independent 

This time he made a big mistake. While he thought the public would buy the “mission accomplished’’ narrative, Cuomo failed to consider that the handful of law-enforcement professionals employed by Moreland had reputations they’d seek to protect. They started talking — to the media and to investigators for the Southern District US Attorney’s Office headed by Preet Bharara — about being muscled, about promises of independent investigations being violated, about being told to steer clear of investigating Cuomo’s friends and contributors, the Democratic Party and the law practices of state lawmakers.* Moreland Commission as deputies could bite back at Cuomo(NYDN)* Cuomo’s manipulation of the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption did serious harm to the cause of good government that he himself championed, the Times Union writes: * Moreland Commission co-chairman defends panel's independence; praises Gov. (NYDN) * Andrew Cuomo’s Do-Gooders Done Wrong (Daily Beast)* Astorino Spot: New Yorkers ‘Burned Again’ By Cuomo(YNN) * Fitzpatrick Acknowledges Schwartz’s Role In Moreland, Insists Panel Was Independent(YNN) *  Commission members are scoffing at the idea of internal dysfunction and blame it on Cuomo, while the scandal has been a boon for Astorino’s fundraising. * Even before the Moreland Commission report popped in the Times, Cuomo’s support among voters was softening.*Astorino Ad Slams ‘Phony’ Cuomo in Wake of Moreland Controversy(NYO)*  . tells me she supports giving AG more power to investigate corruption--something Cuomo’s office says leg must do.* Moreland Commission member: I never threatened to resign  * Comptroller Candidate: Why Is Moreland Director Still On Payroll?(YNN) * Hochul: Moreland Concerns ‘Hard To Fathom’(YNN) * Cuomo: Moreland Was Never Interfered With(YNN) * Astorino Spot: New Yorkers ‘Burned Again’ By Cuomo(YNN) * Fitzpatrick Acknowledges Schwartz’s Role In Moreland, Insists Panel Was Independent(YNN) Despite demise of Moreland Commission, Cahill says Cuomo's order still gives Schneiderman the authority to root out corruption * GOP challenger John Cahill says @AGSchneiderman owes the public answers about his role in the Moreland scandal  Democrats Knock Astorino’s ‘Mafia Boss’ Comparison(YNN) * Teachout Wants AG To Investigate Cuomo’s Moreland Involvement(YNN) * Cuomo is ‘proud’ of corruption panel investigated by feds(NYP)* Last week, members of the Stonewall Democratic Club—New York City’s first and largest LGBT Democratic organization—delivered two clear messages: Cuomo has their support for re-election and members of the Independent Democratic Conference do not, Gotham Gazette reports:


Cuomo Responds
 sez there wa no interference with , only communication. Cuomo taking questions in Buffalo. He says his office only gave advice to the Moreland Commission.
Can't believe NY Dems still running "can't trust Rob Astorino" ad. Reminding NYers of corruption doesn't exactly help Cuomo's cause.*  Cuomo: "The Moreland Commission was a phenomenal success" and says it spurred ethics reform.* Cuomo: "No one ever said they shouldn't be talking to people or get advice and consultation from people."   Cuomo distinguishing between interference = action by Moreland Commission versus "suggestion" from 2nd floor being rejected by commission . Cuomo: "It was an overwhelming success and the commissions have not gotten the credit they deserve."  
Wow. Cuomo doubles down on his disbanded anticorruption panel ": Cuomo on Moreland Comm :...calls it "a phenomenal success."
Andrew Cuomo's goal is to survive this scandal by keeping it separate from politics. Elections are the best protection against corruption.
Cuomo, shorter: Moreland Commission didn't take up Larry Schwartz's effort to claw back subpoena, which means there was no interference.
 Cuomo, shorter: If my efforts to interfere were not successful, they were not violations of my public obligations to the state.
Cuomo pitches Moreland as a go-between in negotiation of ethics package. If so, this was a part of its mandate that was never announced.*  Cuomo on why he ended Moreland Commission if it was succeeding: "I don't believe this state needs another expensive prosecutor's office."
. defended his handling of the  today at an event in Buffalo
Gov. Cuomo: Moreland independence not impeded by his staff's 'advice.'  (NYDN)
Cahill: "Where was the attorney general during the ongoings of the Moreland Commission?"
Despite demise of Moreland Commission, Cahill says Cuomo's order still gives Schneiderman the authority to root out corruption
Zephyr Teachout calls on AG Schneiderman to carry on with Moreland probe  (NYDN)
 Calls Moreland a 'Phenomenal Success' Despite Scathing Report   
In editorials, Cuomo ripped for Moreland Commission | Politics on the HudsonPolitics on the Hudson...
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe and Broome County District Attorney Gerald Mollen disputed reports that they ever discussed resigning from the Moreland Commission in frustration, Gannett Albany writes: * GOP attorney general candidate John Cahill and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout attacked Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for his silence about the commission, which he helped create, Gannett Albany reports
Dem primary candidate  says Cuomo role with Moreland 'would make Boss Tweed blush'  * Cuomo’s hand-picked LG running mate, former Rep. Kathy Hochul, doesn’t think the Moreland mess will impact the fall elections.




































It Does Not Take Sherlock Homes to Figure Out Why Moreland Was Murdered 
Getting to the bottom of how Silver and other legislators earn outside income had been Job One for Gov. Cuomo’s anticorruption commission.But Silver joined Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos and Senate Independent Democratic chief Jeff Klein in stonewalling the panel. The  three had common cause in battling for secrecy. Skelos reported making from $150,000 to $250,000 while serving of  counsel to the politically connected Long Island law firm Ruskin, Moscou and Faltischek. Like Silver, he gives every appearance of working full-time on Albany duties. Klein reported income of $75,000 to $100,000 as a partner in the Bronx law firm Klein Calderoni and Santucci. In the middle of resisting the commission’s subpoenas in court, Silver, Skelos, Klein and other lawmakers prevailed on Cuomo to halt the probe nine months early as part of a half-a-loaf deal on ethics reform. The shutdown drew justified criticism by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who took control of commission files.The Democrat and Chronicle praises US Attorney Preet Bharara for cracking down on Albany corruption while Cuomo’s JCOPE “essentially twiddled its thumbs.”
More About Killing Moreland


True News Yesterday Wags Today's Daily News Editorial About Silver and Killing Moreland

No Wonder Why They Closed Down the Moreland Commission Which Was Just About to Investigate Legislators Outside Income  

 Outside Legal Work Proves Fruitful for New York’s Top Legislators(NYT) Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker, and Senators Dean G. Skelos and Jeffrey D. Klein earned as much as $1.1 million combined practicing law last year, according to disclosure statements.* Speaker Silver earned up to $750K for legal work outside legislative duties — more than prior year(NYDN)* Astorino Ties Cuomo To Legislature’s Scandals(YNN)

Moreland Outside Income Flashback
With Panel Gone, a Move to Monitor New York Lawmakers’ Income Is Thwarted(NYDN)
More About Killing Moreland and What the Commission Tried to Investigate

Before There Was the NYT City and State Cracked the Moreland Staff in April
* Exclusive from April 15: Moreland Commission sources say an assistant counsel to the governor, who  professed himself to be the author of the SAFE Act, was selected as the lead writer of the panel’s December 2013 report after several independent candidates for the position were nixed:
* Exclusive from May 11: Internal Moreland Commission documents obtained by City & State reveal the Commission investigated the questionable campaign spending of around two dozen state lawmakers, including state Sens. George Maziarz, John Bonacic, Patrick Gallivan and Greg Ball:

NYP Cuomo's Betrayal to Clean Up Culture of Corruption
Scandal exposes Cuomo as liar and phony(NYP)The devastating New York Times story on Gov. Cuomo’s political interference with his Moreland Commission panel’s investigation of public corruption pulled the veil from one of the biggest open secrets at the state Capitol: The governor is a liar and almost anything he promises will turn out to be false.  Cuomo’s betrayal of major pledges is well known: the promise to cut taxes in a meaningful way, encourage job creation without government handouts, reduce local mandates, conduct public work transparently and have science — not politics — determine if fracking can be done safely. “Cuomo did this with Moreland as he’s done it with so many things: He creates a narrative, ‘crack down on corruption, we’ll get to the bottom of this,’ but it’s totally cynical, manufactured and never real or sincere from the start,’’ said a former public official who has counted the governor as a friend.* ‘MAJOR ISSUE’ -- Following the New York Times’ publication of that 6,400-word piece laying out a damning timeline detailing the Cuomo administration’s interference with the Moreland Commission, Buffalo News veteran Bob McCarthy writes: Alleged political interference by Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration into the Moreland Commission … is now emerging as a major issue in a suddenly intensified statewide campaign.

A governor's "aversion to have his conduct examined will prompt people to think his conduct guilty."--New York Weekly Journal, 1733 John Peter Zenger




… The governor’s press office, meanwhile, followed a business-as-usual routine – issuing no fewer than seven releases throughout the day, hailing everything from state influence in retaining Stephen Colbert’s television show for New York City to announcing an effort to strengthen data collection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender New Yorkers. http://bit.ly/1nim3i8  --“Andrew Cuomo has a reform to sell you,” by Capital’s Josh Benson: “[W]hat the Times has done, in a potentially governorship-defining piece of work, … is lay out in highly entertaining detail how the administration's cynical manipulation of this hand-picked group of untouchables actually worked. Investigative red lines, explicitly political reprimands, an administration mole—it's memorable stuff. … And there may be another shoe: The investigation by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara into the Moreland wreckage, which as my colleague Blake Zeff pointed out on this site, could cause the governor far more serious trouble than anything to date.” http://bit.ly/1z6GYbS --Times’ lead editorial is “Gov. Cuomo’s Broken Promises”: “Cuomo ran for office four years ago promising first and foremost to clean up Albany. Not only has he not done that, but now he is looking as bad as the forces he likes to attack. Last year, Mr. Cuomo created an independent commission that he promised could go anywhere — even his own office — to root out corruption. But a report in The Times on Wednesday showed that he never intended to keep that promise. The commission was not independent.” http://nyti.ms/1kWYWW3   Cuomo takes heat from challengers on Moreland Commission subpoenas(NYDN)* Cuomo Opponents Pounce On Moreland(YNN) * Good government activists called on Cuomo to address the NYT bombshell on his administration’s interference with his now-defunct corruption-busting Moreland Commission, but he declined to say anything beyond the 13-page response he provided to the paper.* The story threatens to turn what was a “sleepy” re-election campaign for Cuomo into an effort dominated by the touchy subject of corruption – which Cuomo himself said he was targeting by creating the commission in the first place. * “While the governor has the legal right to involve himself in the workings of a Moreland panel, do he or his staffers face steeper legal peril because this panel was also empowered as deputy attorneys general?”* The governor made no public appearances yesterday and released no statements in response to the Moreland Commission story, but he did sign a bill into law that cracks down on pet theft and mistreatment.  * Phil Reisman, in a “Spaceballs” reference: “The Schwartz is definitely with Cuomo.”










Jon Steward Slams Cuomo on Moreland 

JON STEWART SLAMS THE GOV: “Basically, Cuomo formed a commission promising, ‘You can even look at me.’ And then when they looked at him, he basically said: ‘You looking at me? You looking at me? I don't see any other governors here. You looking at me?' … Turns out, Governor Cuomo may be like the boss who says, ‘Yeah we'll play hoops at lunch. You can go hard.” And then when Jimmy from accounting blocks his shot while he drives the lane, he goes: ‘Hey, the other team isn't allowed to touch the ball because I started the game.’” Video  Jon Stewart skewers Cuomo on ethics scandal(NYP)

NYT Cuomo Moreland Fix 

Friday
Bharara takes apparent shot at Cuomo over Moreland scandal (NYP)

Gov. Cuomo’s Broken Promises(NYT Ed) The governor of New York created an independent commission to root out corruption in Albany, but he blocked investigations of his own office behind the scenes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo ran for office four years ago promising first and foremost to clean up Albany. Not only has he not done that, but now he is looking as bad as the forces he likes to attack.  Last year, Mr. Cuomo created an independent commission that he promised could go anywhere — even his own office — to root out corruption. But a report in The Times on Wednesday showed that he never intended to keep that promise. The commission was not independent, and Mr. Cuomo’s aides blocked it whenever it tried to investigate the governor’s office or his biggest supporters.   Mr. Cuomo now says the commission, which he abruptly disbanded to make a deal with the Legislature on an inadequate set of partial reforms, was never supposed to look at his office and that because he created it, he got to call the shots. That is hardly what Mr. Cuomo led New Yorkers to believe when he formed the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption and said it would be “totally independent.” “Anything they want to look at, they can look at — me, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the comptroller, any senator, any assemblyman,” he said.

But The Times report showed that, behind the scenes, Mr. Cuomo’s office quickly began working to stop the commission from digging into any operations that might affect the governor or taint his image. In one case, commissioners issued a subpoena to a media-buying firm called Buying Time. The commission was investigating whether unlimited donations to political parties for “housekeeping” were really a backdoor way to support candidates. Commissioners were not aware, apparently, that Mr. Cuomo was a longtime client of Buying Time. When the governor’s office found out, Mr. Cuomo’s closest aide, Lawrence Schwartz, called a commission co-chairman and demanded that he “pull it back.” Unfortunately, the commission rescinded the subpoena and only reissued it weeks later.

It is up to the voters to decide whether to go on endorsing business as usual and as the indictments and embarrassments continue, New Yorkers will have to decide if their representatives are politicians they can trust—including Cuomo
Then, despite Mr. Cuomo’s earlier promises, Mr. Schwartz argued that the commission could investigate only legislators, not the governor. And he shut down a subpoena to the powerful Real Estate Board of New York, which includes many of the governor’s biggest supporters. The commissioners wanted to investigate whether donations from wealthy developers affected tax breaks or other legislation. The real estate board eventually complied voluntarily with the commission’s request. When the commission managed to hammer out recommendations for slowing or ending the Albany scandals, the governor’s office tried to skew the final report with deletions and other changes that suited Mr. Cuomo’s political interests. For example, one mention of the Committee to Save New York, which was organized to support Mr. Cuomo’s agenda and spent more than $16 million from undisclosed donors, was missing from the final report. The group was the biggest lobbying spender in 2011 and 2012 before disbanding when a new state law required disclosure of donations.* Rockland DA, a Moreland member, said panel got subpoenas fordocuments, but he hasn't received one to appear(LoHud)* Mahoney: There Were ‘Personality’ Clashes On Moreland(YNN) * Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Zephyr Teachout said Cuomo’s meddling in the Moreland Commission is a bigger violation of voter trust than ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s solicitation of prostitutes, Gannett Albamy reports:  * Astorino called on state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to appoint a special prosecutor to work in parallel with U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara to investigate Cuomo’s involvement with the Moreland Commission, State of Politics reports: * Republican attorney general candidate John Cahill criticized Schneiderman for his role in the Moreland Commission “fiasco,” saying Schneiderman—who personally deputized the commissioners, giving them broad power to investigate corruption—has done little to clean up Albany, Gannett Albany reports:* Despite the Moreland Commission’s disbandment in April, five staffers remain on the state payroll, including its former executive director, at a salary of $175,000 a year, according to records from the comptroller’s office, Gannett Albany reports: * Gannett Albany has compiled a timeline detailing the life and death of the Moreland Commission, from the first public mentions by Cuomo in the spring of 2013 to the governor’s response to the recent Times report detailing his interference with the commission:* Legal experts are split over whether any laws were broken by Cuomo’s office.Republicans, meanwhile, prodded Cuomo to come out and explain his actions.* Is Astorino’s campaign becoming a proxy war for 2016?* Zephyr Teachout: Gov. Cuomo Should Resign If He Was Aware Of Moreland Commission Meddling(WCBS) * Cuomo Held the Strings in Graft Hunt (NYT)* Teachout calls on Cuomo to answer Moreland questions(Capital)* Candidates for Governor React to NY Times Report on Moreland Commission(NY1) Friday PMNY Mag’s Chris Smith notes Gov. Cuomo could have saved himself a big headache if he’d just admitted all along the Moreland Commission was about leverage.* Astorino Campaign Prods Cuomo Into Commenting On Moreland * State of Politics looks at three reasons why the recent revelations about Cuomo’s interference with the Moreland Commission might not be the “game changer” Astorino hopes it will be, and three reasons why it might:  Christie, Cuomo, and the Attempted Astorino takedown(YNN)

More on the Moreland Commission and Shutdown 


With the Help of A Moreland Story In One Week Campaign 2014 Has Gone From Where is Astorino to Where is Cuomo?








































At Least in the Media
Where’s Andrew?(NYP Ed)
Anyone seen Gov. Cuomo lately? On Wednesday, he canceled a scheduled drop-in at the Bronx County Democratic dinner. On Thursday and Friday, he listed zero public appearances on his schedule....   * Cuomo's 'gone missing,' foes charge, in wake of critical report on ... SILive.com * Cuomo answers criticisms with silence 13WHAM-TV* Governor Cuomo responds to Moreland Commission questions with silence CNYcentral.com* Cuomo silent on corruption probe criticism Troy Record * Gov. Cuomo's Numbers Aren't So Favorable (WSJ)* Cuomo Remains Silent in Wake of NY Times Report, Opponents on Offensive(NY1) *In TV Ad, Cuomo Vows to Clean Up Corruption - NYTimes ...(2013) * Bill Samuels, a Democratic fundraiser and frequent critic of Cuomo, is backing the governor for reelection, Capital New York reports:  * The Journal profiles Tim Wu, the Columbia Law School professor who is seeking to challenge Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s running mate, for the lieutenant governor position: * -- The Albany Times-Union’s Sunday editorial: “How much political damage Gov. Andrew Cuomo has done to himself with his unseemly interference with the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption will be up to voters to decide. How much legal damage he did, we trust a hard-charging U.S. Attorney to get to the bottom of. What's quite clear already, however, is the damage Mr. Cuomo has done to the cause of good government he once championed. And the damage is considerable.” -- In the Post, Bob McManus compared Cuomo to Eliot Spitzer. 


Poll: Astorino who?
A Siena Research Institute poll shows Gov. Andrew Cuomo leads Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino by 37 points, and 59 percent say Cuomo has made the state better: Push Polls Charge * Cuomo’s campaign operatives are being accused of dirty tricks for allegedly sponsoring a biased “push poll’’ to convince voters that Astorino holds politically unacceptable views, the New York Post’s Fred Dicker reports:  Liz Benjamin, host of Capital Tonight, writing in Capital New York, explores Cuomo’s plan to create a new party to focus solely on women’s issues and critics’ argument that it is just a political maneuver * With state Senate Democrats and the Independent Democratic Conference set to reunite as a new coalition, it is still unclear if they will share their campaign fundraising efforts, the Times Union reports:  



Last Month Before Cuomo Closed Moreland True News: In NY We Kill the Investigation prosecutor 

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi tears into 'sanctimonious' Moreland Commission co-chairman (NYDN)Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi has no love for William Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney who was a co-chairman of Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission.
Hevesi went on the record to blast Fitzpatrick as a hypocrite for criticizing how lawmakers spend their campaign money while at the same time having spent $67,500 on meals, $57,000 on golf, and $53,000 in  donations to other political campaigns or parties since 2005.

Investigating the investigators(NYP) GOP Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin said it best: Only in New York, he tweeted, could the governor appoint an anti-corruption commission and wind up with a federal prosecutor investigating whether the governor corrupted it.  Before the panel was closed down, there were repeated and disturbing reports that its executive director, a long-time Cuomo aide, blocked subpoenas and diverted investigations of the governor’s political allies and donors.This, despite Cuomo’s repeated insistence that the commission was “independent” and had the right to investigate whatever it wanted. Cuomo now suggests he always intended the Moreland Commission to be little more than a political lever to prod Albany into passing an ethics package.


Has Bharara Investigation of Moreland Empowed the WFP in State Government?  . . .   A Criminal Investigation of Moreland?
Now Cuomo's Pushing for Full public campaign finance

Team Cuomo's Secret emails
Good government group calls for investigation of Cuomo administration's emails(NYDN)A Washington, D.C-based good government group is calling for an investigation of the Cuomo administration’s use of private emails and BlackBerry PIN messages to conduct official business.In a letter to state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Executive Director Melanie Sloan said the administration’s use of private emails and untraceable text messages appears shields the contents from public disclosure and may violate state law.* CREW called on AG Eric Schneiderman to investigate Cuomo and his aides for using private email accounts to conduct government business.* After Pledge Of Sunlight, Gov. Cuomo Officials Keep Their Email In The Shadows


Thursday Even if Southern District U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara were to find Cuomo’s administration interfered with the recently disbanded Moreland Commission, some legal experts doubt a federal prosecution would be possible.
Wednesday Cuomo Update


Cuomo's Two Front War
Federal prosecutors issued a grand jury subpoena for emails, text messages and other records from all members of the Moreland Commission, seeking information about the panel’s formation, how it was run, overseen and closed
U.S. Said to Seek Records From Anticorruption Panel’s Members(NYT) Prosecutors have issued a grand jury subpoena related to the so-called Moreland Commission that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo abruptly shut down in March, people briefed on the matter said. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have issued a grand jury subpoena seeking emails, text messages and other records from all the members of the anticorruption commission that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo abruptly shut down in March, three people briefed on the matter said on Monday.* NYT: Preet Bharara is just starting with Moreland Commission (LoHud)

More on the Moreland Investigation 



WSJ: Criminal defense lawyer is hired for ethics panel disbanded by New York's governor(WSJ)

* Michael Koenig, a former federal prosecutor, is expected to represent the Moreland Commission in its dealings with Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s office and would function primarily as a replacement to the panel’s inside counsel, The Wall Street Journal reports: http://goo.gl/k9jiZK

Last Month Before Cuomo Closed Moreland True News: In NY We Kill the Investigation prosecutor

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi tears into 'sanctimonious' Moreland Commission co-chairman (NYDN)Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi has no love for William Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney who was a co-chairman of Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission.
Hevesi went on the record to blast Fitzpatrick as a hypocrite for criticizing how lawmakers spend their campaign money while at the same time having spent $67,500 on meals, $57,000 on golf, and $53,000 in donations to other political campaigns or parties since 2005.

Investigating the investigators(NYP) GOP Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin said it best: Only in New York, he tweeted, could the governor appoint an anti-corruption commission and wind up with a federal prosecutor investigating whether the governor corrupted it.  Before the panel was closed down, there were repeated and disturbing reports that its executive director, a long-time Cuomo aide, blocked subpoenas and diverted investigations of the governor’s political allies and donors.This, despite Cuomo’s repeated insistence that the commission was “independent” and had the right to investigate whatever it wanted. Cuomo now suggests he always intended the Moreland Commission to be little more than a political lever to prod Albany into passing an ethics package.




Shut Down Moreland Commision Still Paying Its Executive Director   

Three months after Gov. Cuomo said he was pulling the plug on his anti-corruption commission, the panel’s lightening rod executive director is still drawing a hefty paycheck. State payroll records show Moreland Commission Executive Director Regina Calcaterra, who at $175,000 a year makes just $4,000 less than Cuomo, is still receiving about $6,700 every two weeks -- despite the commission's work having ended.


NYP Rips Off City and State's Investigation On the Moreland Commission


 Corruption panel records show improperly reported campaign expenses(NYP)* Sen. John DeFrancisco and Onondaga DA Bill Fitzpatrick traded barbs over the senator’s proposed Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct, which he insists has nothing to do with the Moreland Commission, an investigatory panel co-chaired by Fitzpatrick that subpoenaed legislators as it looked into public corruption and campaign finance laws.* Citing City & State’s reporting on the Moreland commission, the Democrat and Chronicle’s Kevin Frisch writes that the people would love to change the system that allows state lawmakers to spend campaign cash on virtually anything, but lawmakers not so much* Cuomo said the findings of the Moreland Commission he scuttled should be “pursued vigorously” by federal prosecutors.

Monday Moreland Cover Up Of Lawmakers questionable campaign spending

Inside Moreland: Documents Reveal Details of Lawmakers' Campaign Spending (City and State)
Internal documents reveal the Moreland Commission targeted questionable campaign spending by state lawmakers. State Sen. George Maziarz shelled out more than $140,000 in campaign funds over a six-year period without identifying what exactly he purchased, according to an investigation by the now defunct Moreland Commission on Public Corruption—by far the most of any state lawmaker. State Sen. Patrick Gallivan was found to have about $80,000 in unreported campaign credit card expenses, including hundreds of dollars spent on cigars, tanning, and at salons and casinos. State Sen. Greg Ball laid out around $23,000 at retail stores, including Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic and Amore Clothing. The Commission also flagged purchases ranging from car repairs and auto insurance to children’s items—even a payment to Do-do, the self-proclaimed “Clown of Clowns”—as well as tens of thousands of dollars charged to state lawmakers’ credit cards with little to no explanation of what they bought. These revelations were uncovered by the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption as part of a broad investigation into the spending of campaign funds by state lawmakers that was shut down when Gov. Andrew Cuomo abruptly disbanded the Commission last month. State Sen. John Sampson, who is currently under indictment for a host of corruption charges and others allegations, got the Commission’s attention for $38,000 in “unitemized credit card expenditures without any memo detailing the expenses.” Sampson also had over $50,000 in expenditures related to the New York Yankees described as fundraising costs. The Commission documents also note that another Democrat, state Sen. Rubén Díaz, Sr., who had over $18,000 of unexplained charges and expenditures to American Express from mid-2007 through mid-2013, at one point “held five cars under his campaign account,” although by 2010 he had “surrendered the plates” of four of them. State Sen. Diane Savino, a member of the Independent Democratic Conference, had $40,000 in self-reimbursements without any memo detailing the reason or source of original payment. Bronx Democratic Party Chairman Carl Heastie, one of the few members of the Assembly who turn up in the Commission documents, attracted attention for the approximately $25,000 in unitemized credit card expenditures his campaign made over the years the investigators analyzed, most of which without any explanation of their purpose. Heastie, reached by phone, said, “I’ve heard nothing from them. I’m not concerned whatsoever. You’re not required to itemize expenses under 50 bucks.” spent $125K at retailers such as BJ's and Target; spent $23K on new threads at Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers*  Update Moreland referrals spur call for itemized expenses(Capital) * Citizen Action is calling on state lawmakers to itemize campaign expenditures after a report that the Moreland Commission referred two dozen cases to Albany DA David Soares.* * Former Moreland Commission Co-Chairman Bill Fitzpatrick claimed that a proposed oversight commission for prosecutors was retaliation to Moreland investigations, The Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
Since when are tanning salon appointments and Dodo the Clown of Clowns not legitimate campaign expenses?
More on US Attorney Preet Bharara
More on the Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up

Moreland Chairman 2 Dozen Case Handed Ouver to the U.S. Attorney  . . . 

Was the Moreland Commission independent? Before Cuomo said he controlled it, the panel argued the opposite.
Former anti-corruption co-chairman: Two dozen potential investigations handed over to US attorney(NYDN) Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, a co-chairman of Gov. Cuomo's now defunct anti-corruption commission, said Thursday that the panel handed over "about two dozen" potential investigations to US Attorney Preet Bharara after the plug was pulled on its work. Asked during an online chat held by Syracuse Newspapers if any of the files would lead the feds to investigate Cuomo or Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Fitzpatrick indicated it's unlikely."We turned over about two dozen potential investigations to the U.S. Attorney," he wrote. "None of them involved the speaker directly, and none of them involved the governor."He added that "I'd still like to know what the speaker does for his $400,000 retainer." Silver has reported making as much as $450,000 at Weitz & Luxenberg, where he serve as "of counsel." Fitzpatrick said he's been in contact with Bharara as recently as Thursday morning."Their plan is to...subpoena various documents" involving phone records and emails of commission members," he said. "I will turn over all my records, regardless of whether or not I receive a subpoena."Fitzpatrick said Bharara is not only looking at potential criminal charges against lawmakers, but also whether political pressure was exerted on the commission and its staff. The Daily News reported last fall that top Cuomo aides ordered that certain subpoenas that were to be issued by the commission to parties tied to the governor be held back. * In January, when some legislators were trying to fight Moreland Commission subpoenas, the panel argued in court that while Cuomo created it, it was an independent body Cuomo and Panel He Shut Differ on Its Independence(NYT) * At W.F.P. gala, little talk of the Cuomo issue(Capital) * Keith Wright pitches Cuomo to Manhattan progressives(Capital) * Cuomo’s Public Financing Puzzle(YNN) * Senate Dems, Public Finance Advocates Won’t Support Watered-Down Agreement(YNN) * WFP Campaign Finance Gov. Andrew Cuomo met with good-government advocates and a top Working Families Party official to gauge support for a possible compromise on public campaign financing, Capital New York reports: * Members of the Democratic Senate conference and advocates who have pushed for public campaign financing over the years say they won’t support any agreement they deem watered-down, State of Politics reports: Quinn Recycled * Former Council Speaker Christine Quinn is back and will campaign for Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose challenger, John Cahill, she has already criticized, Capital New York reports: * Sources: Negotiations Underway for State Campaign Finance Reform Agreement(NY1) * US Attorney Bharara Serves Subpoena To NYS Ethics Committee for Corruption Claims(Jewish Noice)
More on US Attorney Preet Bharara
More on the Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up
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Closing Moreland Updates   . . .     

Defunct Anti-Corruption Commission Member says There is Plenty of Criminal Dirt to Dig Up
Ex-ethics commission member says there are cases of potential government corruption that need review(NYDN) Makau Mutua, a former member of Gov. Cuomo's defunct anti-corruption commission, said the commission found potential criminality on the part of 10 to 12 lawmakers. This comes as a federal probe into state government corruption heats up. There’s more than a few cases that required further scrutiny,” said Mutua, the law school dean at SUNY Buffalo. He didn’t offer specifics, but said “they’re the kind of things for which folks have been indicted or convicted before.” He cited “ethical lapses” involving the outside income of lawmakers and the possible misuse of campaign money.* "Why does this act of trivilization by Cuomo so engage me? Because Sherman Moreland is my grandfather .." * Read The Cuomo Administration’s Contract With Cyber Search(YNN)The Cuomo administration last year entered into a contract with a New York City-based company tasked with helping the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption organize and process the reams of data being collected by the panel. The contract between the Cuomo administration and Cyber Search Corp. was obtained by Capital Tonight from the state comptroller’s office through a Freedom of Information Law request. Last week, we reported on the K2 Intelligence contract with the Cuomo administration that showed the company was hired in part to help the Moreland Commission put together “dossiers on persons of interest” as well as organizations.
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What Happen to Moreland  “Dossiers On Persons of Interest"?
Read The Cuomo Administration’s Contract With K2 Intelligence(YNN) Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office last year entered into a contract with K2 Intelligence in order to provide detailed data analytic services for the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption which includes a requirement for the creation of “dossiers on persons of interest.” The $175,000 contract, which ran through December, lays out the requirements for the company to help the anti-corruption panel find “pertinent links and patterns” in a huge swath of data.
The contract shows K2 was charged with helping to “develop and execute a strategy for acquiring data” from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics including financial disclosure and lobbying records, Senate and Assembly legislation, campaign finance records and data made available on the Project Sunlight website.
The company’s contract stipulates the information would be used to help “create dossiers on persons of interest” along with organizations and companies as well. K2 was also required to create visual data maps and help analyze events over time. The agreement was obtained by Capital Tonight from the state comptroller’s office through a Freedom of Information Law request.



Dead Moreland Still Bags A Senator 

That moaning and whimpering you hear tonight is the sound of Dean Skelos as he realizes what his chances of winning anything close to a majority are
* Sen. George Maziarz’s announcement that he will not seek re-election could not come at a worse time for the Senate GOP, which now must win battles for four open seats currently or previously held by Republicans, defeat two of three Democratic marginals and defend two of their own marginals who are targets of the Democrats, if they are to retake the majority, State of Politics reports:
* FLASHBACK: In May City & State revealed that internal documents from the Moreland Commission targeted questionable campaign spending by Maziarz, State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, State Sen. Greg Ball, and a number of other members of the Legislature from both parties:
More About Killing the Moreland Commission


Charges of Voter Fraud in the Espaillat Case 

Letter From to the U.S. Attorney to Investigate Espaillat Petition Fraud
Anti-Espaillat candidate alleges ‘warehousing’ of voters(Capital) The mysterious and unconventional campaign of Yolanda Garcia—a 13th Congressional District candidate who seems intent on undermining State Senator Adriano Espaillat’s campaign, rather than winning any votes for herself—has filed a complaint with the city’s Board of Elections accusing Espaillat supporters of “warehousing voters” at their home addresses. A copy of the June 19 letter Garcia’s campaign manager, Richard Soto, sent to the B.O.E. was forwarded to Capital by another lawyer. In the letter, Soto says he wants “an investigation into the bizarre submission of Adriano Espaillat’s designating petitions,” which he says have “an astonishingly abundant [number] of registered voters in the same address.” Soto’s letter was forwarded to the offices of the Manhattan district attorney, the state attorney general and the city Department of Investigation, which is standard practice for allegations like this, said Michael Ryan, the executive director of the city Board of Elections.



Bharara: Media Need to Investigate Corruption

"Rather than just covering the cases that my office and other offices are already bringing, figure out ways to break new ground and to cover new stories" Bharara


When it comes to investigative journalism reporters and newspapers become "Vinny the Chin" ignoring the issues while pretending not to know what is going on. Today's reporters operating in very weak media economy and with lack of experience or historical understand think good journalism is reporting first what the mayor or any pol said, now what is really going on. * U.S. Lost 30% of its Paid Journalists in 6 Years
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Closing Moreland:Political Games or A Crime?
The action by prosecutors from the office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, comes just weeks after he took the unusual step of publicly criticizing the governor’s shutdown of the panel and took possession of its investigative files. It also sought documents about how the panel was run, overseen and closed, according to the people briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly. The issuance of the subpoena, and new details about recent meetings of several Moreland Commission employees and prosecutors in Mr. Bharara’s office, provided the strongest suggestion to date that the criminal investigation may be examining allegations of interference with the commission. * --CHRIS SMITH of New York mag, “Andrew Cuomo’s Political Games Apparently Don’t Sit Well With the U.S. Attorney”: “Cuomo is a lawyer, a proud 1982 graduate of Albany Law School [and was] state attorney general from 2006 through 2010. But Cuomo is at heart, and has always been, a politician. That’s why, two weeks ago, when questions were raised about the governor ‘interfering’ in the work of the Moreland Commission’s investigations of legislators, Cuomo responded with a blunt verbal shrug: ‘It’s my commission,’ he told the Crain’s editorial board. ‘I can’t “interfere” with it, because it is mine. It is controlled by me.’ It was never a secret that the governor viewed Moreland’s existence as a necessary realpolitik tool to pressure the legislature. …Unfortunately for the governor, Preet Bharara apparently has a different interpretation of where the legal and political lines should be drawn.” * Moreland Commission’s Lawsuit Is No More: On the same day the subpoenas were being absorbed by the Moreland Co...(YNN) *Cuomo’s curious reform logic(NYDN) Tying himself in logical knots to insist what he did was exactly right Bill Hammond: “Cuomo’s powers of persuasion are failing him when it comes to justifying a low point of his tenure thus far: His decision to shut down his own investigation of Albany corruption when it was only half-finished. The more he talks about the whys and wherefores, in fact, the deeper he digs his hole.” * Andrew Cuomo’s Political Games Apparently Don’t Sit Well With the U.S. Attorney (NY Mag) * AG Eric Schneiderman declined to comment on a subpoena reportedly sent by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in reference to the work of the recently disbanded Moreland Commission.*  Legislative leaders shrugged off the report that the commission is in Bharara’s crosshairs.


Bharara Who Already Has the Closed Moreland Files, Just Subpoenaed JCOPE
 Preet Bharara asks for all complaints filed with NYS ethics commission (NYDN)  Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara has served a subpoena on the state ethics commission seeking information on all complaints the body has received since its creation in 2011, sources say. The grand jury subpoena is part of an investigation into state government corruption Bharara has been undertaking, a source familiar with the subpoena said. The “witness subpoena" delivered two weeks ago does not request email or communications, as reported by one news outlet. .A second source said while Bharara is interesting in seeing the complaints against specific officials, he also is looking into whether JCOPE was directed to sit on any of the probes. Created in 2011, JCOPE handles ethics complaints against the executive branch and lawmakers. By law, much of what it does is in secret. The panel cannot confirm investigations or even if they closed one without bringing charges.It’s biggest case was a finding that now former Assemblyman Vito Lopez routinely sexually harassed aides. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was criticized for approving a secret $103,000 taxpayer-funded settlement with two victims.* U.S. Attorney Subpoenas Records of Ethics Panel(NYT)

 Report: Bharara Subpoena Seeks Ethics Complaints(YNN) JCOPE, unlike the Moreland Commission, has members represented by the governor’s office as well as the different legislative conferences in the Senate and Assembly. * Feds widen crackdown on New York political corruption(NYP) * Bharara’s broadening probe of pay-to-play Albany corruption is sure to send shockwaves through the state capital in an election year. Bharara blasted Cuomo for scuttling the commission before its investigations were completed. Cuomo told Crain’s New York he was not interfering with Moreland investigations because it was “my commission…I can’t interfere with it”.JCOPE came under fire in 2013 when they released their report on Vito Lopez, the Brooklyn Assemblyman accused of sexually harassing several female staffers. The report showed Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver tried to cover up a $103,000 settlement payment. However, Silver himself was never the subject of an investigation.



Cuomo's Trust is Everything to Me Ad
<![endif]-->Trust is everything to me. That why for all we accomplish to fix state government. Our job is not done until we clean up the legislator’s corruption in Albany. So I am appointing a new independent commission lead by top law enforcement officials all across this great state government to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing.  The politician will not like it. But I work for the people and will not stop fighting until we can have a government we all can trust * In TV Ad, Cuomo Vows to Clean Up Corruption - NYTimes

City and State Exposes A Stacked Deck At the Moreland Commission

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, rejecting allegations that he inappropriately meddled in the now-defunct Moreland Commission: “It’s my commission. My subpoena power, my Moreland Commission. I can appoint it, I can disband it. I appoint you, I can un-appoint you tomorrow.”
The commission has officially withdrawn its subpoenas seeking more information on lawmakers’ outside income and business interests.
AG Eric Schneiderman said he was “a little surprised” Cuomo shut Moreland down so quickly. Gov. Cuomo stands by anti-corruption commission shutdown(NYDN)

EXCLUSIVE: INSIDE MORELAND: Moreland Commission sources say an assistant counsel to the governor, who professed himself to be the author of the SAFE Act, was selected as the lead writer of the panel’s December 2013 report after several independent candidates for the position were nixed.  An assistant counsel to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who professed himself to be the author of the NY SAFE Act, was ultimately selected as the lead writer of the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption’s December 2013 report after several independent candidates for the position were nixed, according to multiple sources within the Moreland Commission.Alex Crohn, the self-proclaimed author of the SAFE Act, had not been the Moreland Commission co-chairs’ first choice to write the much-anticipated report the Commission released on Dec. 2. . .

City & State - Co-Chairs' Picks To Write Moreland Report Were Nixed For Second Floor Insider
City & State brings the latest round of intrigue regarding Gov.  Cuomo and the Moreland Commission. Mr. Cuomo’s office reportedly pushed one of its own staffers–who lacked “professional expertise in ethics reform, campaign finance, the penal code or any of the other areas principally germane to the Commission’s work”–to write the reports.

According to the dozen Commission sources interviewed for this article, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to anger the governor’s office, Calcaterra was open with the Commission’s staff and commissioners that she was closely coordinating with the governor’s office, and that in many instances her demands were extensions of orders handed down by the Second Floor, in particular from the Secretary to the Governor, Larry Schwartz. Calcaterra, who did not return calls for comment from City & State, had been appointed executive director of the Commission by Gov. Cuomo when he announced the Commission’s creation on July 2, 2013. Just days earlier Calcaterra had wrapped up her work as the governor’s appointee as executive director of the previous Moreland Commission he had called, which focused on the Long Island Power Authority and released its final report on June 22. Sources say that after Calcaterra threatened to resign over Camarda’s hiring, the governor’s office made it clear to the co-chairs that Calcaterra would be staying on, and that the executive chamber would not agree to the hiring of an independent, good government report writer.

Moreland Dirty Tricks?
Commission sources say that by Crohn’s own admission, he was an unusual fit for the job, lacking, as he was, in professional expertise in ethics reform, campaign finance, the penal code or any of the other areas principally germane to the Commission’s work. Despite this dearth of qualifications on-paper, Crohn would not only serve as the lead writer of the Commission’s preliminary report—which, with the shutdown of the Commission, now appears will be its only report—and sources say he also wrote the much talked about dissent to the section of that report which recommended the introduction of publicly financed elections in New York State. “It’s crazy,” said the source. “It’s nothing short of crazy. It’s just completely counterintuitive.”





















































Media Blackout Keeps the Public Ill Informed On the Closing of the Moreland Commission
The Siena poll also shows that most voters know little about the Moreland Commission, but those who do overwhelmingly side with U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara over the governor that Moreland should have continued. But, "Nearly two-thirds of voters, 63 percent, said they sided with Bharara in the disagreement" 
Voters Disapprove of Cuomo’s Shutdown of Anticorruption Panel, Poll Shows(NYT)
Discontent with the move, criticized publicly by the United States attorney in Manhattan, crosses party lines in the survey by Siena College. * Cuomo, Astorino Spar Over Disbanding of Anti-Corruption Commission(NY1)
More on the Closing of the Moreland Commission 


On today's cover: Renters are forced to shell out more--whether they can afford it or not  
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Crying Wolf About Corruption BackFires for Cuomo and AG 

Deputy FitzpartickFife
How Cuomo blew it(NYDN Ed) Where Gov. Cuomo went wrong — and where many associated with his disbanded ethics commission went wrong — was in mixing law enforcement with hardball Albany gamesmanship. Running for election four years ago, he said corruption and a loose ethical culture had fed the capital’s long-time dysfunction. He promised a clean-up, but the Legislature refused more than token moves on conflicts of interest and financial disclosure.Running for election four years ago, he said corruption and a loose ethical culture had fed the capital’s long-time dysfunction.

 He promised a clean-up, but the Legislature refused more than token moves on conflicts of interest and financial disclosure. His eventual decision to trade passage of get-tough laws for shutting down the commission took on overtones of obstructing justice because the commission was stocked with designated cops. Heightening the impression, panel cochairman William Fitzpatrick, an upstate Republican DA, talked openly about “following the money” and referring criminal cases to prosecutors.* Former aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo: “His style is an asset until it’s a liability.”



The Split Over Telling the Gov Causes No Trust Among Commission Members

After Perry completed the executive summary in November, the co-chairs refused to show it to Calcaterra, convinced that Calcaterra would instantly share it with the Second Floor. In response, sources say, Larry Schwartz called the co-chairs directly and insisted that they turn over the executive summary. But, Commission sources say the co-chairs were adamant in refusing, particularly Kathleen Rice, and the ensuing dispute caused a further breakdown in the co-chairs’ already icy relationship with the Second Floor. Though the co-chairs would eventually yield and turn over the executive summary to the governor’s office, thereafter the relationship between the two sides—the co-chairs and the executive chamber—would be characterized by mutual distrust.  Sources say the simmering tension split the Commission into two distinct factions: on one side, the three co-chairs, the lion’s share of the commissioners, Perry and the investigations team, and the vast majority of the staff; on the other, a few commissioners like Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney, and staff members directly selected by the governor’s office, namely Calcaterra, Crohn, and the Commission’s press secretary, Michelle Duffy.* NY Minute: Cuomo staffer & Safe Act author wrote Moreland Commission report instead of panel's choice of outsider(syracuse.com) * Cuomo’s tarnished victory(NYDN) A deal with the devils * Fallout from Cuomo's Decision to Disband Anti-Corruption Commission Continues(NY1) * Bharara Blasts Cuomo's Ending Corruption Panel The Chief-Leader* The New York Observer says Cuomo “clearly over promised” when he created the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption. The Preet Goes On(NYO)The Daily News recently noted that the commission’s co-chair, Kathleen Rice, the Nassau County district attorney, received nearly $300,000 in campaign contributions from plaintiffs attorneys Perry Weitz and Arthur Luxenberg and their wives. Their firm, Weitz and Luxenberg, employs Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a calcified symbol of the status quo in Albany. (Messrs. Weitz and Luxenberg have also been generous with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, to the tune of at least $25,000, which has raised questions about the AG’s deafening silence regarding any involvement Mr. Silver might have had in the scam allegedly perpetrated by William Rapfogel, whose wife, Judy, is Mr. Silver’s longtime chief of staff.)* Twisting and turning over ethics (Newsday) At least fights over 'reform' this season defy cliche. Dems hate the public-finance 'pilot' more than the GOP* * The corruption is a stench that is on all of us because of a few,” says as part of critique of Moreland Commission. * Gov. Cuomo's tough talk on Albany corruption was just that -- talk (Editorial) syracuse.com * Astorino on Moreland Commission: "We need answers from the governor"* Cuomo breaks a promise by halting the Moreland corruption investigation Buffalo News * Cosentino: The demise of the Moreland Commission Auburn Citizen * Kill Fee: The Price of Silencing Moreland(Gotham Gazette
NYT: Albany Will Never Clean Itself Up
Mr. Cuomo’s Gift to the Cynics(NYT Ed) So much for the governor’s promise to fight corruption in Albany. He shut down the independent ethics commission before it had a chance to do its job. Nine months ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo looked New Yorkers in the eye and said, “Trust is everything to me.” Don’t believe it. Mr. Cuomo uttered those words in a campaign-style TV ad announcing that he was creating an independent Moreland commission of “top law enforcement officials” to “investigate and prosecute wrongdoing” in New York State politics. “The politicians in Albany won’t like it,” Mr. Cuomo said, “but I work for the people, and I won’t stop fighting until we all have a government that we can trust.”

JJOKE insecurity and incompetance, it makes you think Regina Calcaterra is the new executive director

NY Government Officials Fear Emails, Misread Bharara Warning . . . Albany Ignored Bharara Warning
 
Sunday Update
Members of Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission detail frustrating environment curbed by administration (NYDN) The Daily News spoke with close to 10 sources tied to the soon-to-be-defunct panel, and a number of them denounced what they said was interference from Cuomo's office. One commission member was so angry that he wouldn't take a call from The News, signaling through a secretary that he was afraid of what he might say.Another source called it the worst time in her professional career."It was an exercise in frustration," said a third source.
The commission formed to root out corruption in state government was often divided, with the investigators on one side and Cuomo's $175,000-a-year executive director Regina Calcaterra on the other. "There was no trust there," said the first commission source. "It was pretty widely understood that anything Regina Calcaterra knew, it would immediately be on the desks of" top Cuomo aides Larry Schwartz and Mylan Denerstein. Denerstein was described as "measured" but Schwartz as aggressive. "I heard the word 'bully' mentioned more than once," said the source. The panel's zeal to investigate was repeatedly curbed by the governor's office, the source said. The commission wanted to subpoena prior ethics complaints from its ineffectual predecessor, the Legislative Ethics Commission, but was ordered not to, sources said. The frustration mounted when subpoenas were held back from entities with ties to Cuomo, including the powerful Real Estate Board of New York.Another subpoena earmarked for the state Democratic Party was initially killed. And one that had actually been served on the ad firm the party used to promote Cuomo's agenda was rescinded after Cuomo aides erupted in fury, the sources said. After the Daily News detailed the problems in a series of stories in September, the commissioners met behind closed doors, with some threatening to resign and others vowing to go public if the pressure from Cuomo's office didn't stop, sources said.The commission co-chairs, Kathleen Rice, William Fitzpatrick and Milton Williams, relayed the panel's frustration to the governor. The interference eased.Fitzpatrick acknowledged "input" on some decisions from Team Cuomo, but denied the commission was ordered to withhold subpoenas.At least two other commission members back him up. "I think a lot of times (Cuomo aides) were trying to be helpful," said one.


NY state government officials shunning e-mail: sources(NYP) Government officials are so worried about leaving an electronic trail as investigations swirl around the capital that some are now shunning e-mail, sources said Friday. “I sent an e-mail to someone and they called me back, ‘Are you out of your mind? Never e-mail me again,’ ” said one lobbyist, recalling a recent conversation with a high-ranking official. He and others are going back to old-fashioned forms of communication: Cellphones are out and land lines are back in, the lobbyist said. “They’re more secure,” he explained. The fear instilled into Albany’s political world comes from US Attorney Preet Bharara, who has taken possession of the records compiled by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission panel.

More on Moreland 
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The U.S. Attorney Takes Control of the Moreland Files
Well, Mr. Cuomo stopped fighting. He has pulled the plug on the commission. Its website still promises the delivery of a report or reports by next January, but that’s not going to happen. Whatever records, files and leads it has accumulated over nine months have been taken away in trucks sent by the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara. Well, Mr. Cuomo stopped fighting. He has pulled the plug on the commission. Its website still promises the delivery of a report or reports by next January, but that’s not going to happen. Whatever records, files and leads it has accumulated over nine months have been taken away in trucks sent by the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara.

The Governor Used Moreland As A  bargaining Chip To Pass His Budget
Mr. Bharara said on Thursday that he was taking over the commission’s work, with a sharp rebuke to Mr. Cuomo for dismantling it so early. In a letter to the commission this month, Mr. Bharara said it was hard to understand why Mr. Cuomo would shut down its “aggressive, active and ongoing” work before it was finished. He voiced concern at the appearance that the investigations “have been bargained away as part of the negotiated arrangement between legislative and executive leaders.” Commission members had already complained that the group was subjected to meddling and micromanaging by Mr. Cuomo’s office. One member told The Times that top Cuomo aides — his secretary, Lawrence Schwartz, and counsel, Mylan Denerstein — “would routinely call and say, ‘How can you issue a subpoena like this?’ or ‘These people shouldn’t be on it.’ ”

Mr. Cuomo’s aides dismissed reports of interference in the Moreland Commission by the governor as “fiction.”
The Daily News reported last fall that Mr. Cuomo’s office had reined in the commission when it was trying to investigate tax breaks for the powerful real estate industry, persuading it not to subpoena the Real Estate Board of New York, whose leaders gave generously to the governor’s campaigns and supported the Committee to Save New York, a business coalition that spent millions on ads supporting the Cuomo agenda. Mr. Cuomo’s aides dismissed reports of interference as “fiction.” Mr. Cuomo insists that the commission was no longer needed because — believe it or not — Albany’s ethics problems have been solved, by a package of reforms that was part of the negotiated budget deal.

Last Week True News Said Albany Kills the Investigator, Friday the NYT, NYP, DN Agrees
 
But the changes — like tougher penalties for bribery — don’t come close to the large-scale reforms Albany needs. They don’t fix New York’s notoriously weak campaign-finance laws, reduce contribution limits or close loopholes that leave the capital awash in money, the fuel for its corrupt pay-to-play culture. Instead of enacting statewide public campaign financing, the package created a pilot program that provides public funds for one office, state comptroller, just for this year. Mr. Cuomo calls this a victory, but it only proves cynics right: Albany will never clean itself up. The commission should have been given the time it needed to complete its daunting task, wherever it led. It should have been allowed to put cases before prosecutors and a spotlight on the many rotten and entirely legal practices used by Albany politicians and lobbyists for their own gain.  That job was abandoned. We’re still waiting for a government we can trust, but Mr. Cuomo has moved on.

NYP  and Daily News
Also Cheers the Federal Investigation of the Albany Men's Club
Sitting Preet-y(NYP) A funny thing happened on the way to disbanding the Moreland Commission Gov. Cuomo set up to investigate the state Legislature: It may end up as a federal investigation of the governor. Now someone outside the Albany men’s club will be taking a closer look at what Moreland unearthed. While it is true that the Moreland Commission was supposed to be temporary as Cuomo said, New Yorkers expected it to finish its work and not have the rug pulled out from underneath it * U.S. Attorney Takes Over State Probe(WSJ)

As the U.S. Attorney Investigates Moreland Sabotage Local TV Give Us Happy News Laughing All the Way to the Bank

Friday Update
* Some legal experts say the fact that Gov. Andrew Cuomo had state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman deputize the panel’s members could call into question the governor’s argument that he was free to do with the panel as he saw fit, the Daily News writes:

Cuomo critics charge illegality after Times' Moreland expose (Capital)

The Cuomo administration last year ordered the Moreland Commission to withdraw a subpoena to a media-buying firm that had placed millions of dollars’ worth of advertisements for the state Democratic Party and for Gov. Andrew Cuomo when he ran for governor in 2010, The New York Times writes: 
 When Cuomo and lawmakers passed the law creating the Joint Commission on Public Ethics the legislation also called for the creation of an eight-member review panel to study the activities and performance of the commission, but the review panel has still not been created, the Times Union reports: 6,500-WORD HIT -- Times 2-col. lead (New York Edition; moves to second story in National Edition): “Governor’s Office Hobbled Corruption Investigations Promised Free Rein, Panel Found Panel Found Groups Linked to Cuomo Were Off Limits,” by Susanne Craig, William K. Rashbaum and Thomas Kaplan, with research by Jack Begg:

“The commission developed a list of promising targets, including a lawmaker suspected of using campaign funds to support a girlfriend in another state and pay tanning-salon bills. The panel also highlighted activities that it saw as politically odious but perfectly legal, like exploiting a loophole to bundle enormous campaign contributions. But a three-month examination by The New York Times found that the governor’s office deeply compromised the panel’s work, objecting whenever the commission focused on groups with ties to Mr. Cuomo or on issues that might reflect poorly on him. … “[F]ederal prosecutors are investigating the roles of Mr. Cuomo and his aides in the panel’s shutdown and are pursuing its unfinished business. … Things got so bad that investigators believed a Cuomo appointee was monitoring their communications without their knowledge. … In a 13-page statement responding to The Times’s questions, Mr. Cuomo’s office defended its handling of the commission. It said the commission was created by and reported to the governor, and therefore he could not be accused of interfering with it…. Yet, The Times found that the governor’s office interfered with the commission when it was looking into groups that were politically close to him. In fact, the commission never tried to investigate his administration. “Beyond that, Mr. Cuomo’s office said, the commission needed the governor’s guiding hand because it was, simply, a mess: Its staff was plagued by ‘relationship issues’ and was ‘mired in discord.’ The commissioners, whom he earlier called some of New York’s sharpest governmental and legal minds, ‘did not understand the budget or legislative process or how state government worked,’ the statement said. Their subpoenas often had ‘no logic or basis,’ and those that touched on the governor’s supporters were more for show than for legitimate investigative purposes, the statement said.” h ttp://nyti.ms/1nADaNo * Zephyr Teachout: If Gov. Cuomo knew about Moreland Commission meddling, he should resign(NYDN)* Bill Hammond ‏@NYDNHammond  "One state senator appeared to be supporting a girlfriend in Connecticut and paying tanning-salon bills." Hmm.* The odd couple and the defunct commission: A NY moment(Newsday)* 2,200-word response to NYT inquiries about Committee to SaveNY  *  NYT: Cuomo's officescuttled investigations into his political allies(TPM) * Stewart-Cousins Defends Cuomo Interference in the Moreland Commission(NYO)* While today’s New York Times story on the Cuomo administration’s extensive meddling in the now-defunct Moreland Commission is exhaustive, it does not address what laws may have been broken or by whom, State of Politics reports: http://goo.gl/DwkAmG
INSIDE MORELAND: CITY & STATE COVERAGE FLASHBACK:
* Exclusive from April 15: Moreland Commission sources say an assistant counsel to the governor, who professed himself to be the author of the SAFE Act, was selected as the lead writer of the panel’s December 2013 report after several independent candidates for the position were nixed:
* Exclusive from May 11: Internal Moreland Commission documents obtained by City & State reveal the Commission investigated the questionable campaign spending of around two dozen state lawmakers, including state Sens. George Maziarz, John Bonacic, Patrick Gallivan and Greg Ball:
* Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Zephyr Teachout, responding to The New York Times report on the Cuomo administration’s extensive meddling in the now-defunct Moreland Commission, said that if the governor knew of efforts by top aide Larry Schwartz to obstruct the commission’s work, then he should “immediately resign,” State of Politics reports: * State of Politics adds that good government groups also called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to explain himself * Westchester state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins—the Democratic minority leader in the state Legislature—defended Cuomo’s interference in the Moreland Commission on the Capitol Pressroom radio show, echoing the governor’s arguments that because he staffed the pane and was free to intervene, the Observer reports * #Cuomo Silent After NY Times Report Details Restraining ofAnti-Corruption Commission *More Moreland meddling, a Cuomo insider ultimately pegged towrite commission's interim report.(City and State)
WINNERS AND LOSERS: Questions about interference into the Moreland Commission once again swirled around the governor and his administration this week, upending a sleepy election season, but, don’t worry, the winners and losers voting process is completely transparent and independent, so you can feel at ease casting your ballot here:
Cuomo Moreland Ad
Tom Robbins ‏@tommy_robb 
Moreland Comm. exec. director Regina Calcate
rraknew a little something about lobbyingRetweeted Tom Robbins (@tommy_robb):  Too clever by far more than half: How Cuomo's bid to 'Restore Public Trust' turned into its opposite,stunningly told

Good Government Groups Are So Full of Shit

Cuomo’s interference in an ethics panel was "terrible" and "shocking," good-gov't groups say regarding recent report







Local TV News For $ale: How Special Interests Control News Content and Public Opinion

If you were watching WCBSTV local news this weekend you would have seen a commercials paid for by The Committee to Save New York (business interests supporting Cuomo) called "Turn the Tide" which told the views that Governor Cuomo did a wonderful job at fixing pensions and the states economy.  Spending on advertising has fueled the increase in lobbying costs. Well-funded special interests funnel millions to lobbyists for public campaigns to sway lawmakers on hot-button issues (TU)  Local News which is mainly weather, traffic, cooking and dog segments is making millions in lobbyists spending.  * CBS donated $45,000 to @nygovcuomo
Cuomo and his supporters spent over $10 million last year to gain public support to push through his agenda. Union and business interest like the pro fracking interest are also spending millions on ads to local stations.  All this money is coming in as local news dumbs down.  It is not a secret that TV and radio stations rely on the local newspaper for most of their hard news. So those "rip and read" broadcasters have offered their views much less hard news as newspaper staffs shrivel amid the draconian layoffs caused by the internet and the recession? Local TV stations stand to profit from boom in super-PAC spending (The Hill)*CSNY’s budget blitz: $3.9 million (updated)(TU) *Save NY airing tax cap ad(TU) *Budget opponents up their ads and mailers(TU) *Bloomberg Blames Negative Ads For Poor Showing In Education ...(Politico) *Save NY now airs on school money(TU) *NYC's Bloomberg Pays for TV Ads Backing Cuomo's Pension *  Bloomberg Defends His Administration With TV Ad - NY1.com * Local TV News For $ale: How Special Interests Control News Content and Public Opinion

Dumb Down Local News Makes Millions on PAC and Other Special Interests Spending

Keeping the Public Uninformed While Racking In the Millions

Local News which is mainly weather, traffic, cooking and dog segments is  making millions in lobbyists spending.  Cuomo and his supporters spent over $10 million last year to gain public support to push through his agenda. Union and business interest like the pro fracking interest are also spending millions on ads to local stations.  All this money is coming in as local news dumbs down.  It is not a secret that TV and radio stations rely on the local newspaper for most of their hard news. So those "rip and read" broadcasters have offered their views much less hard news as newspaper staffs shrivel amid the draconian layoffs caused by the internet and the recession? Local TV stations stand to profit from boom in super-PAC spending (The Hill) * Local News  Dumb Down Journalism (True News)


Local TV News Makes Millions Keeping the Public Dumb Against the Teachings of Our Founding Fathers  
"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they  misconceive.If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." 


Local TV News Has Become Wires and Lights in A Box and Tits and Distraction 

This instrument (television) can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference.”Edward RMurrow 1958 speech * Good Night, and Good Luck: Edward Murrow Speech




DN: Bharara Goes After Albany's Culture of Corruption

DN: Go, Preet, go
Happy hunting” writes the Daily News Editorial Board, saying Bharara must do his darndest to salvage the Moreland Commission’s work and follow the evidence wherever it leads, no matter to which branch of government. Happy hunting to Bharara, who must now do his darndest to salvage a sweeping Capitol fumigation that never should have been abandoned. Few people put elected thieves behind bars with the prowess of Bharara. It was, in fact, a flurry of indictments from his office early last year that helped prompt Cuomo to demand reform from the Legislature in the first place. Give Bharara loads of credit for frontally challenging the deal in a letter to the commission.

“If you begin investigations and you begin them with great fanfare, you don’t unceremoniously take them off the table without causing questions to be asked,” Bharara told WNYC’s Brian Lehrer. The commission — knowing better than to pick a fight — responded by agreeing to turn over all of its case files, giving Bharara free rein to comb through, top to bottom. Bharara should go further and spotlight standards and practices that may not qualify as bribery or fraud but are nonetheless creating a climate rife with double-dealing, conflicts of interest and influence-peddling. An especially egregious example: the sweetheart tax breaks awarded to the One57 luxury condos in Manhattan — after its developers and others pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into various Albany campaign accounts. The commission had also subpoenaed records of lawmakers’ murky outside income, including upwards of $500,000 that Assembly boss Sheldon Silver collects from a personal injury firm, and at least $250,000 that Senate chief Dean Skelos is paid by a Long Island firm that also happens to lobby the Legislature. The Albany housecleaning is dead. Long live the Albany housecleaning. * 'WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT THE FACTS ARE:' U.S. Attorney won't rule out ethics probe into whether Gov. Cuomo interfered in anti-corruption commission(NydN) * ‘Not my choice’(Capital) Moreland chair on Cuomo, Silver and the load of Albany dirt headed to the U.S. attorney* Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino is trying to raise money off of editorials slamming Cuomo for shuttering the commission.

Moreland Commission Officially Withdraws Its Subpoenas(YNN)
 Via : AG Schneiderman was "surprised" Cuomo shuttered Moreland Commission, unaware of 2nd floor involvement (NYDN)
Astorino: Cuomo Ended Moreland For ‘Political Purposes’(YNN)
 
The abandonment of an inquiry into legislators’ outside income through the disbanding of the Moreland Commission shows how great a price Gov. Andrew Cuomo paid for the little that he got With Panel Gone, a Move to Monitor New York Lawmakers’ Income Is Thwarted(NYT) Cuomo’s much-questioned decision last month to disband the Moreland Commission has scuttled an inquiry into the money earned by legislators from other jobs. Legislative leaders were so furious that they went to court to try to stop the panel’s inquiry, quoting from the Federalist Papers and arguing that the governor had embarked upon a witch hunt that trampled upon a separate branch of government. The governor won new bribery and corruption laws as part of his deal with lawmakers to shut down the panel, known as the Moreland Commission. But the abandonment of the inquiry into legislators’ outside income — a subject that reformers had long been agitating about — shows how great a price Mr. Cuomo paid for the little that he got. Outside jobs held by New York legislators have been the source of several scandals, and government watchdog groups worry that the jobs can present a means for lawmakers to profit improperly from their public offices. Often, the positions are at influential law firms, and the job responsibilities are not particularly clear.


Delay Delay Delay Win
After Mr. Cuomo formed the Moreland Commission in July, it moved quickly to scrutinize the earnings of lawmakers, asking them to turn over information about their employment. The Legislature objected, and the commission responded by issuing subpoenas to legislators’ employers. The Legislature and a group of employers then challenged those subpoenas in court. 

All three of the legislative leaders who negotiated the latest ethics deal with Mr. Cuomo are lawyers who have earned substantial money outside the Legislature.
The Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, works for a personal injury law firm, Weitz & Luxenberg, and reported earning $350,000 to $450,000 in 2012. Senator Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican, works for Ruskin Moscou Faltischek and earned $150,000 to $250,000. The other Senate leader, Jeffrey D. Klein, a Bronx Democrat who is a partner at the law firm Klein Calderoni & Santucci, reported income of $57,000 to $106,000 associated with his legal work and a teaching job. The commission cited an article by The New York Times in 2011 in which clients of law firms that employ legislators were identified as having been awarded billions of dollars in state contracts. In a report released in December, the commission warned that “corruption and the appearance of corruption thrive when actual and potential conflicts of interest are shrouded in darkness.” It recommended expanding disclosure about the clients of firms that employ legislators, which is now quite limited. In a column published by The Huffington Post on Monday, one of the co-chairmen of the Moreland Commission, William J. Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney, singled out the issue of outside income as one that he found particularly troubling.“I myself am still distressed,” he wrote, “that we as a commission were unable to force legislators to disclose exactly what it is they do to earn lucrative outside income.”

The U.S. Attorney Who Has Put Corrupt Pols in Jail Does Not Understand Why the Moreland Commission Was Ended

Albany Games Corruption
U.S. Attorney Criticizes Cuomo’s Closing of Panel(NYT) A commission on public corruption, whose credibility had been questioned by watchdog groups, was disbanded by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as part of budget negotiations. Mr. Bharara sent the commission’s chairmen and top officials a letter saying he was “disappointed to learn” of the commission’s “premature end,” acknowledging that its work was “aggressive, active and ongoing,” but incomplete, and calling its shutdown “difficult to understand.” In the letter sent April 3, Mr. Bharara asked the chairmen and the commission’s staff — all of whom were appointed by the governor — whether Mr. Cuomo had abandoned his commitment to fight corruption for a short-term political gain. Bharara will take possession of all of the panel’s case files. *Bharara: "I don't have any interest in politics" Bharara won't rule out ethics investigation into Cuomo's involvement in Moreland Commission * U.S. Attny Bharara Doesn't Rule Out Probe into Cuomo-Moreland (Audio, WNYC) * Bharara on the premature end of Cuomo’s ethics commission(Capital) * ‘Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day:’ Preet Bharara Continues Cuomo Criticism on Anti-Corr...(NYO)


Daily News Hinting Bharara Vs. Cuomo, Ben Smith Bharara and Shumer Vs Cuomo
Preet Bharara won't rule out ethics probe into Gov. Cuomo(NYDN) US Attorney Preet Bharara of the southern district Thursday did not rule out investigating whether Gov. Cuomo and his aides improperly intervened with the investigations undertaken by the governor's anti-corruption commission. "We're going to look at the documents, we're going to see what the facts are, and if there are questions that are appropriate to ask, as I think the public knows by now, there are strong-willed and aggressive--but fair--people in my office who will ask those questions," Bharara said during an appearance Thursday morning on WNYC public radio's "The Brian Lehrer Show."The News also detailed last fall involvement by Cuomo and his aides in the operation of the Moreland Commission. Cuomo aides, the News reported, ordered the panel to withhold certain subpoenas that were set to go to interests with ties to the governor, including the Real Estate Board of New York and the state Democratic Party. The News also reported last fall that Cuomo and his staff met directly with the commission's co-chairs last September. Bharara called such revelations troubling, if true.* Who gets possession of the NSA analytics software? Cuomo, Schneideman, Bharara? What's nexus btwn bills, donations, etc.?
So Schumer & Cuomo worlds have some overlap... but are they about to go to war? Any chance Preet wrote that letter without consulting Chuck?*
Schumer spox : "There is no way Preet would consult Chuck on something like this..." 1/2


Hidden Party Housekeeping Accounts Continue

Ending Moreland Fiction?
“Gives the appearance, although I am sure this is not the intent, that investigations potentially significant to the public interest have been bargained away as part of the negotiated arrangement between legislative and executive leaders.” Bharara

“The sequence of these events gives the appearance, although I am sure this is not the intent, that investigations potentially significant to the public interest have been bargained away as part of the negotiated arrangement between legislative and executive leaders,” he wrote.Mr. Bharara requested that commissioners and staff members preserve the panel’s investigative files.On Wednesday, in a letter addressed to the 24 members of the commission, Mr. Bharara reported that the panel’s chairmen — William J. Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney, and Milton L. Williams Jr., a former state and federal prosecutor in Manhattan — had agreed to turn over the files. The sudden turn of events raised the possibility that Mr. Cuomo’s dealings with the commission, which once seemed likely to burnish his reputation as a reformer, could now become an embarrassment for the governor. A spokeswoman for the governor, Melissa DeRosa, said: “The Moreland Commission was designed and formed to be a short-term, temporary commission to recommend and spur legislative action, which it did successfully. The order establishing the temporary commission directed referrals upon its conclusion to the attorney general, district attorneys and U.S. attorneys and that’s what it is doing.” The move by the United States attorney, Preet Bharara, amounted to an unusual rebuke of Mr. Cuomo, a former prosecutor himself, who swept into office four years ago promising to clean up what many have called a culture of corruption in Albany. Asked to comment, Matt Wing, another spokesman for Mr. Cuomo, said, “The Times’s dependence on anonymous sources is once again turning their stories into fiction.”* * The Moreland Commission spent more than $1 million since its creation last July, but, with its disbanding through the state budget, it’s unclear what return on investment New York taxpayers will receive, the Gotham Gazette writes. And, in other news, Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s administration does not appear to be a fan of the Times, lashing out against today’s report, on criticism against his anti-corruption efforts, by declaring, “The Times’s dependence on anonymous sources is once again turning their stories into fiction.”
Why did Giuliani keep the taping of Sharpton quiet all these years?
Giuliani implies he was involved in helping wire Al Sharpton in the 80s * Rudy Giuiani Implies He Was Involved in Wiring Al Sharpton(NYO)


"Preet Bharara stands tall vs. Cuomo's Moreland Commission shutdown"

In NY Pols Kill the Corruption Investigators
Is Liu Leading the Fight To Block A CFB Investigation of the Role Citizens United PACs, Lobbyiss Played in the 2013 Campaign?

NY is so corrupt the DAs look the other way and investigations of political corruption are stopped in the political system with the media looking the other way


 Wednesday
The Moreland Commission is quietly shutting down.

 Monday Corruption Update
A PAC formed by Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans running for Congress raised nearly $1.8 million, though just $91,500 was used for candidates, the New York Post writes: 

Sunday Update
Gov. Cuomo calls in his probers, and Albany keeps dancing. Secrets and money go together in Albany — and the parties that have traded in both can rest easier with the demise of Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission. "Despite the CFB’s accolades, [former city Controller John] Liu’s lawsuit brings to the fore a larger question that has been quietly debated by campaign finance experts and candidates for some time now: whether the weight of carrying the campaign finance reform banner has become too heavy a burden for the agency," C&S reports 

William Fitzpatrick, a co-chair of the Moreland Commission, said the panel would refer criminal findings to other agencies and eventually make them public if the Legislature shuts it down, the Syracuse Post-Standard reports: *DA Bill Fiztpatrick called Speaker Sheldon Silver’s condemnation of the Moreland Commission as a fishing expedition “the dumbest thing I’ve heard in four decades of public service.”* New NYPIRG analysis shows hedge fund founder James Simons legally gave $1 million to State Dem Housekeeping account in 2013.*NYPIRG: Cuomo Biggest Beneficiary of NY’s Mega Donors(YNN) * Document Drop: NY's Biggest Donors Of 2013 | New York Daily News More on Simons' Cuomo connection here:* A big part of the Cuomo legacy is tied to the fate of the Moreland Commission, will he agree to kill it?(NYDN)*Cuomo says he wants campaign reform, but then lets BIG money win yet again! (TU) * Casey Seiler explains how the 2nd Law of Cuomo came into play during the public campaign finance debate.More on the CFB PAC Investigation of the 2013 Election  *Campaign Reform and Media Cover Up of Citizens United On Local 2013 Election * Lobbyists the New Permanent Government  * US Attorney Preet Bharara * Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up * Astorino: Investigate Silver(YNN)

Cuomo Moreland Will End If Albany Approves His Ethics Plan
Cuomo: Moreland panel will shut down(TU)  In a 45-minute conference call with reporters, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his Moreland Commission panel on public corruption will be mothballed if the state Legislature approves the ethics reform components including in the just-struck $138 billion budget deal. Cuomo said the panel had helped bring legislative leaders to the point where they’d agree to the package of reforms, which creates an independent enforcement unit within the state Board of Elections, new public corruption felonies and tougher bribery laws, and steps up lobbying disclosure.* Gov. Cuomo is set to pull the plug on anti-government corruption commission with ethics reform package(NYDN) * Cuomo bails out on fighting corruption — Adirondack Daily Enterprise * A group is spending $300K on an ad in Syracuse & Buffalo knocking Cuomo's treatment of ethics (CS) * US Attorneys Seize Documents from Moreland Commission(City and State) * "Half a decade ago, Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo were a pair of untouchable lawmen who could do no wrong." (Politico)
Monday NYT Budget Stops the Corruption Clean-Up Tuesday AlbanyAnswers FU
Wednesday Moreland Leader Spins The budget deal contains a set of ethics laws that give real teeth to New York’s district attorneys trying to fight government corruption, former Moreland Commission Co-chairmen William Fitzpatrick and Milton Williams write in the Daily News: 
The band plays on (NYDN Ed)


Secrets and money go together in Albany — and the parties that have traded in both can rest easier with the demise of Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission.
The governor disbanded the panel to win from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos bills that move New York toward greater transparency and tougher ethics enforcement.
While Cuomo’s advances are significant, Silver and Skelos exacted a shamefully high price that buries a multitude of sins and protects their own incomes from proper scrutiny.

The Jewish Voice on the death of the Moreland Commission: “Shame on Governor Cuomo for sending his own pet project to the gallows in exchange for yet even more political patronage.”

Budget will disband the Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, known as the Moreland commission before the very corruption issues brought up by the commission have been solved

Tuesday Update
Capitol Corruption Panel’s Demise Angers Watchdogs(NYT) Cuomo said the reforms he wanted would be accomplished by new laws that he had persuaded legislative leaders to support as part of the budget accord, including tougher laws on bribery and corruption, and improved enforcement of election law. That, he said, would eliminate the need for the panel, known as the Moreland Commission. Lawrence Norden, the deputy director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, said the commission’s most insightful observation — that many seemingly unethical acts in Albany, involving money and policy making, were technically legal — had been largely ignored by lawmakers. “What the Legislature and governor came up with did not address that at all,” he said. Advocates’ hopes for the commission had been lifted last fall, after supportive remarks by the federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Brooklyn, among others. But there was resistance from the Legislature, which refused requests for information about lawmakers’ outside income, leading to a legal battle. And there were accusations of interference by the governor’s office, which asked the panel to limit the scope of some of its investigations. Public financing advocates razz comptroller-only plan(TU0

Weak NY's Good Government Groups Enable  Albany Mob Corruption, Inc

Goo Goos are Great About Getting in the Media But  Have Not Forced Any Strong Reform for or Stopped Corruption in Decades.  Does Anyone Believe the Senate and Assembly Will Agree to A State BOE Watchdog?  That Office Will Remain Vacant an So Will the Promise Reform to the State Board of Elections. Most of the Goo Goos are nice people who are just ineffective and clueless others are shills for the corrupt pols.  How could any anyone call themselves a good government leader and listen to these ass holes in Albany promise campaign reform by 2020.  And redistricting reform by 2022 an not be shamed?*Soros Son Taking Credit for What? Soros’ son pushed Cuomo, legislature into campaign funding(NYP)

Goo Goos: Reforms Have Their Press Conferences . . . And Nothing Happens

 
Did the Gov Create Moreland to Keep Albany in Line to Pass His Budget and Help His Re-Election Campaign?
Goo Goos Hide
A conspicuous failure in this budget package is its minimal concern about arrests, investigations, convictions and other political scandals in Albany. After months of promises from Mr. Cuomo and legislative leaders that they were truly going to clean up the statehouse, the deal announced on Saturday doesn’t do the job.The most fundamental reform — public matching funds for small donations in all state races — is missing. In its place is a very limited pilot program that provides public financing for candidates running for one office, state comptroller, and for this year only.
More On US Attorney Preet Bharara Corruption Fight
Albany Corruption 
Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up
Dark Pools Lobbyists Campaign Consultants and Money

Moreland Ends and the Progressives Say Nothing, Busy Fighting Traffic Accidents
"Keep the pressure on us, on the mayor, on the transportation commissioner." -
Speed camera talks coming soon(NYDN)

Are we beating Illinois yet? RT : 35 NYS state-level pols have now been caught up in a scandal in the past 8 years
What Happen to the Moreland Commission Investigation of Housekeeping Accounts?
Another Investigation into Campaign Funding Abuse
Donors funnel $28M to state politicians and parties(NYP) Fat-cat contributors exploited New York’s porous election law to shovel $28 million in campaign contributions to statewide candidates and to political parties last year, according to a report released Tuesday. The top 170 contributors gave more to statewide election accounts — 51.4 percent of the total — than the rest of New York’s 19.7 million residents combined, an analysis by the New York Public Interest Research Group found. The biggest beneficiaries were Gov. Cuomo’s re-election campaign and the state Democratic Party.The donors showered Cuomo with $5.2 million and the state Democratic Campaign Committee with $6.1 million. Hedge-fund king James Simon and his wife, Marilyn, led the list with donations of nearly $1.2 million — with $1 million going to the Democratic Party’s “housekeeping account.”* Real-estate tycoon Leonard Litwin was the second-biggest donor. Exploiting loopholes to get around spending limitations, he used an assortment of corporate subsidiaries to donate $1 million — including $375,000 to Cuomo’s re-election campaign. Billionaire George Soros grabbed the No. 3 spot on the top donor list by giving $750,000 to the Democratic Party. That doesn’t count his contributions to so-called “super PACs.”

Flashback Moreland Looking At Housekeepting Accounts

Party housekeeping accounts have come under major scrutiny because of a loophole in state campaign finance law that allows companies to funnel unlimited amounts through them. The cash is only supposed to be used for party-related issues but groups have managed to find ways to provide the cash to candidates to boost their campaigns. In February, Cuomo began raising funds through the Democratic committee to finance ads to back his budget proposal and other policies. Bill Samuels of The New Roosevelt Institute said that looking into housekeeping accounts was vitally important to the Moreland Commission. Earlier this summer,the Moreland Commission issued subpoenas to five real estate firms — including Extell Development, a group that donated $100,000 to Cuomo’s campaign days before he signed a bill that included tax breaks for their properties. The other firms that were subpoenaed are Thor Equity, Silverstein Properties, Fischer Brothers and Ann/Nassau Realty.  Common Cause recently issued a report on real estate lobbying in New York and found that since 2005 REBNY and its affiliates have given $43.9 million to local and statewide candidates. Cuomo has benefited to the tune of $1.99 million in donations from REBNY.* More Moreland: Anti-corruption panel says it’s targeting ALL housekeeping accounts(LoHud) * "MorelandMonday" analysis of soft money housekeeping accounts is ripe for review byCommission(Common Cause Aug 16, 2013)
"Moreland Monday" analysis of soft money housekeeping accounts is ripe for review by Commission - See more at: http://www.commoncause.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=5287775&ct=13246141#sthash.qeW3LMqP.dpuf
Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up


You Asked for It Confessore(NYT) and Hammond (NYDN)

Cuomo on Moreland tampering: It's my commission(CrainsNY) Cuomo told Crain’s that because he formed the Moreland Commission himself, his administration would have the legal leeway to be involved in its affairs. “It’s not a legal question. The Moreland Commission was my commission,” Mr. Cuomo explained. “It’s my commission. My subpoena power, my Moreland Commission. I can appoint it, I can disband it. I appoint you, I can un-appoint you tomorrow.* Gov. Andrew Cuomo said any interference by his administration into the operations of the disbanded commission would not be subject to investigation because he formed it and therefore had legal leeway to be involved in its affairs* Gov. Cuomo: I didn't interfere with anti-corruption panel... but if I did, it's my prerogative (NYDN) * The Moreland Commission has officially withdrawn its subpoenas seeking more information on Albany lawmakers’ outside income and business interests, as the panel’s work winds down, State of Politics reports  * State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he was “surprised” at how quickly the Moreland Commission was shut down, the Daily News reports: 

This gets you halfway there.
Moreland Investigation Updates or Media Cover-Up

Silver, Skelso and Klein Close Down the Investigation

Cut Moreland's Funds
And what are Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate co-leaders Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein doing? The Daily News reports that they’re demanding Gov. Cuomo shut down his investigative commission as their condition for passing even watered-down ethics reforms.




Weak Ethic Panel
New York Bar Association Urges Steps to Improve Ethics Panel(NYT)
A report criticizes the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics as lacking independence from the politicians it is supposed to oversee.* The New York City Bar Association and Common Cause are expected to release a report that criticizes JCOPE and calls on the panel to adopt a series of measures that the two organizations feel will help restore public confidence in the commission* "JCOPE needs gumption." -- Evan Davis, former counsel to Governor M. Cuomo & member of the NYC Bar on Joint Commission on Public Ethics.
It's past time to revisit deeply flawed ethics watchdogs, not just JCOPE, but Legislative Ethics Csmn and SBOE too
More on the Moreland Commission and JCOPE



The demise of the Moreland Commission has angered and disappointed some government watchdogs, because while the state budget does include new ethics laws, it left intact a loophole allowing unlimited donations to housekeeping accounts

NYT's Fake Tears . . .  If the NYT Just Went After Albany Corrupt Like They Gone After Christie, Spitzer, Liu or Grimm
New York’s Unfinished Budget(NYT) There are enough flaws in the deal that was just announced that state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo should take the time to get this right  The budget agreement announced Saturday also threatens to chip away at the mayor’s ability to control city schools. Having the mayor fully in charge of public education in the city has mostly worked over the last dozen years. This is no time to start diluting that authority and responsibility over the largest system in the country. * The New York Times writes that the state won’t suffer from a budget that is a little late, so lawmakers should take the time to address flaws in the spending plan

Corrupt Albany Cuts Moreland's Budget
Some of the district attorneys serving on Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission are not happy their work may be cut short if any ethics reform package is included in the upcoming state budget.






 His proposals would appear to toughen some state anti-bribery laws and enforce the state’s notoriously weak campaign finance laws, but they really don’t come close to attacking the root of the corruption problem. In its first report, commissioners detailed the toxic influence of big money in Albany and pointed out that “New York’s campaign finance laws and practices enable special interests and wealthy individuals to flood the political process with enormous amounts of money.” Those issues have not been solved. * Reformers rip state's new public campaign finance program for 'significant flaws'(NYDN)More About the Moreland Commission  * Moreland co-chair DA Fitzpatrick: Both Asmbly & Senate "stood firm" against reform of "soft" $ housekeeping accounts.(Capital) * A budget that does what Cuomo needs(Capital)Governor pads left flank, undermines Republican challenger* Moreland Commission to go down in a blaze of referrals(Capital)

Cuomo’s ethics carve-out(Capital) Moreland Commission co-chair Bill Fitzpatrick promises its evidence will go to other, active, prosecutors.* The New York Times looked back on Mayor Bill de Blasio‘s and Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s budget battle, which resulted in a mixed bag for Mr. de Blasio–including new limitations on his ability to restrict charter schools. “It was a potent lesson for the mayor that Mr. Cuomo can prove a constant menace, able to meddle with the city’s agenda in future budget cycles,” writes the Times.* * Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick, the co-chair of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, said the public erroneously thought the commission was super cops, the Post Standard reports: * Cuomo’s ethics carve-out(Capital) How the governor gets ‘reform’ without any of the inconvenience* Moreland Commission co-chair/Onondaga County DA Bill Fitzpatrick says people “erroneously thought we were super cops,” urges anyone with tips to contact local prosecutors.



Moreland Reporting Missing for Months
The chief investigator for Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission is set to become the panel’s second high-profile departure in recent weeks
Chief Prober For Gov. Cuomo's Anti-Corruption Commission Stepping Down(NYDN) Danya Perry, a former assistant US attorney who was hired by the commission last summer to root out legislative corruption, is ready to resign from the panel on Friday. Sources familiar with her thinking said she only planned to stay in the job through the end of 2013, but added  that her time at the commission left her “frustrated"over interference from the governor's office and commission infighting. After initially refusing to comment when asked about frustrations dealing with Team Cuomo, Perry emailed a statement later Thursday saying that “my departure is unrelated to the governor's office or the operation of the commission, and I was not frustrated with the governor's office during my time at the commission.” She will be replaced by Robert Addolorato, a retired NYPD detective who has been part of the commission staff since its inception.*The new chief of investigations for Cuomo’s Moreland Commission, Robert Addolorato, has spent the last seven years working for entities controlled by the governor.



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Moreland, JCOPE Updates

Moreland Commission Lawsuit Pushed Back To April(YNN) A lawsuit filed by state lawmakers seeking to quash subpoenas from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Moreland Commission on Public Corruption has been pushed into April, according to court documents filed this week.

* In praising the state Board of Elections investigation of political operative Steven Pigeon’s WNY Progressive Caucus, state Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox criticized the Moreland Commission for ignoring complaints about the fundraising committee, the Buffalo News reports: 
Feds and AG Go After Moreland Target None Profit
The Moreland Commission has referred its findings about a Brooklyn charity with ties to New York politicians to U.S. Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution
Lawyers For Moreland And Legislature Debate Over Briefs(YNN)
2 probes against ‘charity’(NYP) Cuomo’s commission to combat public corruption referred its investigative findings about Relief Resources Inc. — a Borough Park-based storefront charity that took in nearly $3 million in legislative grants but did not seem to provide many services — to US Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution, sources close to the commission said. The group has received legislative grants from two heads of the state Senate — $250,000 from ex-GOP Majority Leader Joe Bruno and $300,000 from former Democratic leader Malcolm Smith, as well as backing from Brooklyn lawmakers Martin Golden and Simcha Felder.  Bruno was convicted of fraud in 2009, but the case was overturned on appeal. Smith was indicted earlier this year for allegedly trying to bribe his way onto the Republican line for mayor.* One of the TU’s top stories of 2013: Public corruption scandals.*Albany Pro: Another JCOPE resignation(Capital) * Assemblyman Tony Jordan has dropped a challenge against a Moreland Commission subpoena requesting documents related to his law firm, making the firm the first to drop its subpoena challenge, Capital New York reports: * A move for transparency before JCOPE shuts its doors (Capital) * The state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics, long criticized by good-government groups for its closed-door sessions, is agreeing to open up a little bit.* Former A.I.G. executive Maurice “Hank” Greenberg has filed another ethics complaint with JCOPE against Schneiderman, this time accusing the AG’s top spokesmen of prejudicial public statements.* 8m Lovett announces appointment to JCOPE He is married to an Assembly staffer and is from New Jersey Discord within JCOPE spilled into a public session in which some commissioners complained about recent secret meetings they felt violated state law and the board’s pledge for transparency.* A JCOPE commissioner called the body’s handling of exemptions to rules that require donor disclosures by nonprofit groups that engage in lobbying “an embarrassment.”
 

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Moreland, JCOPE Updates
Feds and AG Go After Moreland Target None Profit
The Moreland Commission has referred its findings about a Brooklyn charity with ties to New York politicians to U.S. Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution
2 probes against ‘charity’(NYP)Under-fire charity refuses to make required IRS disclosure(NYP) The honchos behind a Brooklyn nonprofit that purports to help fund Jewish weddings refused to make public a copy of the group’s IRS application for tax-exempt status even though such disclosure is required by law.* * The Moreland Commission on Public Corruption defended its investigations by arguing that lawmakers having jobs without disclosing full details presents a "risk of criminal behavior," Capital New York reports: * Moreland: Legislative side jobs raise ‘risk of criminal behavior’(Capital) * Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice Will Lobby Lawmakers Even While Investigating Them(NYDN)

More on the Moreland Commission


JCOPE: if lawyers want to hide their secret payments and clients, then don't run for public office. Simple.
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Moreland, JCOPE Updates
Feds and AG Go After Moreland Target None Profit
The Moreland Commission has referred its findings about a Brooklyn charity with ties to New York politicians to U.S. Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution
2 probes against ‘charity’(NYP) Cuomo’s commission to combat public corruption referred its investigative findings about Relief Resources Inc. — a Borough Park-based storefront charity that took in nearly $3 million in legislative grants but did not seem to provide many services — to US Eastern District Attorney Loretta Lynch and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for potential prosecution, sources close to the commission said. The group has received legislative grants from two heads of the state Senate — $250,000 from ex-GOP Majority Leader Joe Bruno and $300,000 from former Democratic leader Malcolm Smith, as well as backing from Brooklyn lawmakers Martin Golden and Simcha Felder.  Bruno was convicted of fraud in 2009, but the case was overturned on appeal. Smith was indicted earlier this year for allegedly trying to bribe his way onto the Republican line for mayor.* One of the TU’s top stories of 2013: Public corruption scandals.*Albany Pro: Another JCOPE resignation(Capital) * Assemblyman Tony Jordan has dropped a challenge against a Moreland Commission subpoena requesting documents related to his law firm, making the firm the first to drop its subpoena challenge, Capital New York reports: * A move for transparency before JCOPE shuts its doors (Capital) * The state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics, long criticized by good-government groups for its closed-door sessions, is agreeing to open up a little bit.* Former A.I.G. executive Maurice “Hank” Greenberg has filed another ethics complaint with JCOPE against Schneiderman, this time accusing the AG’s top spokesmen of prejudicial public statements.* 8m Lovett announces appointment to JCOPE He is married to an Assembly staffer and is from New Jersey
More on the Moreland Commission


Moreland Mystery None Profit Possibility II


Brooklyn agency fits description of mystery nonprofit in Moreland probe(NYP) The state’s Moreland Commission, in a report issued last week, described its surveillance of a questionable storefront in New York City that received almost $3 million in pork-barrel funds to provide various medical services “with little scrutiny and no medical oversight.” The money came from a “geographically and politically diverse group of some of the state’s most powerful lawmakers.”  Relief Resources Inc. occupies a storefront at 5904 13th Ave. in Borough Park, a location it shares with the group Refuah Resources. There is a telephone pole directly outside that would provide an ideal location for a camera. A Post investigation based on public records suggests Relief Resources might be the unnamed nonprofit described in the Moreland Commission report, but officials have not confirmed this. Relief Resources, according to its Web site, provides referral services aimed at helping those in the Jewish community cope with mental-health issues. It has offices in two other countries — Canada and Israel — as well as in New Jersey and upstate Monroe. The agency has used the services of the Albany lobbying firm Malkin & Ross to seek state funding, state records show. The Moreland Commission’s unnamed nonprofit uses “a top-shelf outside lobbying firm.” Relief Resources has taken in $2,901,000 in state funding since 2005, state records show. Lawmakers have sponsored seven member-item grants totaling $1,275,000 since 2006, according to the state attorney general’s Open Government Web site. Shiya Ostreicher, a board member of Relief Resources, is a lobbyist for Agudath Israel of America, a powerful Orthodox Jewish organization.

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 Moreland Mystery None Profit
MORE FROM MORELAND A MUST: The Moreland Commission on Public Ethics’ report was intended to be preliminary, and there is still a lot to be done, writes City & State’s Morgan Pehme * Fellow Dems question how , cochair of Cuomo's anti-corruption commission, handled a Nassau Cty scandal(NYDN)* New papers filed in case challenging Moreland's authority lay out some key dates  * Court Papers Give Timeline For Moreland Filings(YNN) * Court filings show that at least 16 law firms are involved in the fight to quash subpoenas issued by the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption, including firms that employee several state senators, Gannett Albany writes:

Moreland Has Put A Series of Interconnecting Jewish Social Service None Profits Under the Spot Light
Rabbi’s web of charities under investigation(NYP)  Rabbi, lobbyist and charity chieftain Shiya Ostreicher is one of New York’s most powerful political players — and now, thanks to state investigators, one of the most scrutinized. He has a hand in five Brooklyn nonprofits that pull down millions of dollars in taxpayer cash and private donations. One is under state probe. Another’s murky paperwork has raised questions about its legitimacy. The president of that group says he didn’t know that he was on the board — let alone that he was its president.
Jewish ‘wedding’ group shares space with probed nonprofit(NYP) The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty has agreed to reform its internal controls in the wake of a bribery scheme involving its former executive director, state officials announced.

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Another Gov Cuomo Moreland Report

Pricking Mario
From the Democrat and Chronicle:
In a long-awaited report, Governor Cuomo’s anti-corruption panel made a series of sweeping recommendations to stem the tide of misconduct in Albany, including an overhaul of the state’s lax election laws and who enforces them. The year was 1990. The governor was Mario Cuomo. And not much has changed. The state Board of Elections, the report concluded at the time, was no longer fit for the job of enforcement, lacking the “wherewithal to enforce existing limits on campaign contributions.”  * William Fitzpatrick, co-chairman of the Moreland Commission, said if the state Legislature does not agree to the suggested campaign fiance reforms, he could become a champion for term limits for state lawmakers, the Syracuse Post-Standard reports:






Moreland: BOE Only Opened 1 Investigation In 5 Years of Voter Irregularities
Elections officials grilled by anti-corruption panel(NYP) The Daily News’ Bill Hammond writes that the Board of Elections’ claims that they cannot do their job properly because of a lack of resources does not hold up to scrutiny, as the board makes questionable use of the money it does have.The word that came up most yesterday at the Moreland Commission hearing focusing on the New York State Board of Elections was “resources.” Testifying before the commission at the Javits Center in Manhattan, Todd Valentine and Robert Brehm, the Board’s two executive directors, and William McCann, its deputy enforcement counsel, argued repeatedly that problems with the agency were fundamentally the result of a lack of available manpower and money. @ChrisBragg1 Moreland subpoenas going 2 the wrong people. But they know that. Follow the $->candidate->legislation->lobby>$* Cuomo: BOE Doesn’t ‘Do Enforcement’: Gov. Andrew Cuomo indicated today he liked the thread the Moreland Commis... * Cuomo: Elections Board Gridlock By 'Design'|Capital NY 
* Cuomo: BOE Doesn’t ‘Do Enforcement’(YNN)

Dark Pool Campaign $$$

Dark Poll Consultants Moves to Kill Moreland Subpoena

Strategic Advantage International President Daniel Odescalchi, a consultant tied to a sketchy nonprofit that targeted Senate Democrats with attack mailings, is fighting a subpoena from the Moreland Commission.  Consultant Tied To 'Ghost Company' Files Challenge To Anti-Corruption Panel Subpoena(NYDN) A consultant tied to a sketchy non-profit organization that targeted state Senate Democrats with attack mailings is fighting a subpoena from Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission. Strategic Advantage International President Daniel Odescalchi filed the legal challenge to quash the subpoena in Manhattan state Supreme Court on Tuesday. The group worked with Virginia-based non-profit Common Sense Principles in targeted various state Senate Democrats in the 2010 and 2012 elections. Kevin Wright and Chris LaCivita, who is a GOP strategist tied to Swift Boat Vets. Democrats have raised the possibility that Common Sense Principles was working in cahoots with the Senate GOP, something the Republicans deny. The commission in its recent preliminary report highlighted the Virginia-based Common Sense Principles and its attack ads against Senate Democrats in 2012 as part of the problem with “independent expenditure” groups that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money as long as their efforts are not coordinated with a specific campaign. “This daisy chain of out-of-state corporations and ‘ghost companies’ appears to exist for one reason: to hide the source of money used to fund negative advertising and influence our local elections,” the commission report said. “Even this commission, armed with subpoena power, still has been unable to track down the sources of the torrent of money flowing into and within our state.”* Judge Signs Off On March 17 Adjournment For Moreland Case(YNN)



A nonprofit that says its mission is to “help defray the cost of weddings” for poor Jewish couples paid $400,000 in rent last year, even though it shares space with another government-funded group that is under investigation. Records show Students Link reported the enormous rent bill while in the same humble Brooklyn building at 5904 13th Ave. in Borough Park with Relief Resources, a health-referral service being probed by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission panel appointed by Gov. Cuomo. The tax return for Students Link says it helps disadvantaged children. But its main program over the past three years was intended “to help defray high costs of weddings in the Jewish community.” Brooklyn state Sen. Simcha Felder, who steered funding to the group when he served on the City Council, defended the work of Relief Resources and Ostreicher.  They have an exemplary record in helping thousands of people with mental-health issues,” he said
Brooklyn agency fits description of mystery nonprofit in Moreland probe(NYP) The state’s Moreland Commission, in a report issued last week, described its surveillance of a questionable storefront in New York City that received almost $3 million in pork-barrel funds to provide various medical services “with little scrutiny and no medical oversight.” The money came from a “geographically and politically diverse group of some of the state’s most powerful lawmakers.”  Relief Resources Inc. occupies a storefront at 5904 13th Ave. in Borough Park, a location it shares with the group Refuah Resources. There is a telephone pole directly outside that would provide an ideal location for a camera. A Post investigation based on public records suggests Relief Resources might be the unnamed nonprofit described in the Moreland Commission report, but officials have not confirmed this. Relief Resources, according to its Web site, provides referral services aimed at helping those in the Jewish community cope with mental-health issues. It has offices in two other countries — Canada and Israel — as well as in New Jersey and upstate Monroe. The agency has used the services of the Albany lobbying firm Malkin & Ross to seek state funding, state records show. The Moreland Commission’s unnamed nonprofit uses “a top-shelf outside lobbying firm.” Relief Resources has taken in $2,901,000 in state funding since 2005, state records show. Lawmakers have sponsored seven member-item grants totaling $1,275,000 since 2006, according to the state attorney general’s Open Government Web site. Shiya Ostreicher, a board member of Relief Resources, is a lobbyist for Agudath Israel of America, a powerful Orthodox Jewish organization.


Malkin & Ross Connected to Catskills Gambling Interests
The lobbying push has continued as the Nov. 5 casino referendum nears.
Foxwoods,
which is hoping to build a casino adjacent to the former Grossinger’s resort in the Catskills, hired the lobbying firm Malkin & Ross on Sept. 16, agreeing to pay it $50,000 to represent it for the seven weeks leading up to Election Day.          
Did Albany Corruption Fund a City Nonprofit? (WNYC) In the Senate Bruno, Smith and Golden gave money to Relief Resouces

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Moreland Fakeout

Moreland Goes Nowhere At the Same Time Bharara Arrests the NY's Political Infrastructure
Moreland de-escalates, extends deadline on subpoenas(Capital)

The Chairman of Moreland Said If We Find Any Corruption
MAPPING OUT MORELAND — Subpoena deadline passes, angling begins on anti-corruption panel's coming report — Capital's Jimmy Vielkind: “It's a tricky game,” Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat and former state senator, said on the radio. “You want to investigate everything that relates to reforms, but you have to do it with the understanding that the reforms are going to have to be passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor.” http://goo.gl/5jvy2H One Brooklyn Democrat got a poll call about where Moreland should go, the Daily News' Ken Lovett reports: “One question was what recommendations she thought the Moreland Commission should make. It gave her five or six choices, including whether public financing of campaigns should make the list. Others were whether donation limits should be lowered and whether there should be a separate independent enforcement unit within the Board of Elections.” http://goo.gl/taWDdq*
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I want ethics reform … that's what the Moreland Commission is all about.” – Gov. Andrew Cuomo, via Capital New York.
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More Moreland Crap

Is Transparency of Corruption Enough to Reform the BOE?

Board of Dereliction (NYDN Ed)
The state's elections panel desperately needs a thorough fumigation. Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission has finally done real good — by exposing the state Board of Elections as the do-nothing patronage dump that it is. Under three hours of sharp questioning at a public hearing, three sad-sack board officials admitted that they have opened just six investigations since 2008, and only one since 2009. That their sole staff investigator — who has since quit — resorted to playing solitaire at his desk after begging for work and being given none. That the board waited two years to probe a serious allegation of voting fraud— then dropped the case after losing a boxful of records. That the board’s former chief enforcement counsel ducked a subpoena to testify by retiring and moving out of state.* Corrupting Influence of Money and Lobbyists in NY(Video)*
AND A WARNING SHOT — Legislators threaten probe of Cuomo lieutenant — Post's Fred Dicker: Members of Klein's Independent Democratic Conference, as well as Democrats who dominate the Assembly, may ask the state's ethics watchdog JCOPE to probe Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy's dealings with the Rochester Business Alliance, and seemingly contradictory statements by him and others. http://goo.gl/fRdCB) * Assembly’s Moreland Law Firm’s Role Defined(YNN) * * The law firm representing the Assembly in its dealings with the Moreland Commission on Public Ethics has broad parameters, including assisting in writing potential legislation, State of Politics reports: 



Albany Bad Boys of the Executive Branch 
Moreland Exempted
Wrongdoing Not Just In the NYS Legislature; Executive Branch Employees Also Get In Trouble(NYDN) Records show that the executive branch of state government has hardly been scandal-free. Nearly 300 state executive agency employees were arrested, hit with ethics charges or investigated by the state inspector general’s office since 2005 — including 123 since Cuomo took office. The most familiar names linked to wrongdoing are ex-Govs. Eliot Spitzer, who became the first governor to resign in scandal since 1913 after getting caught up in a hooker scandal,  and David Paterson, who at the time was hit with the largest state ethics fine in history for improperly accepting free World Series tickets, as well ex-Controller Alan Hevesi, who pleaded to two separate felonies and spent time in prison.

From on 9/30/2013: "Cuomo grabs greater control of anti-corruption commission"
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Albany Fish Stinks At the Head

Albany's 3 Leaders Uses Separation of Powers to Protect Their Criminal Behavior.  Half + of Their Members Disagree
 
 They’re hiding something (NYDN)As they stonewall what could be the last, best chance to clean up state government for this generation, the top bosses of the Assembly and Senate claim that they are sticking up for the interests of the entire Legislature. It’s a matter of principle, they declared as they went to court to battle Gov. Cuomo’s Commission to Investigate Public Corruption. We’re standing for the constitutional balance between the executive and legislative branches, they said in trying to quash subpoenas for details of the outside income they collect for doing who-knows-what for who-knows-whom. Hogwash. Albany's legislative bosses cover their backsides in subpoena fight* Only ten of the 25 members of the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption have filed financial disclosure forms with the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics, and the panel’s three chairpersons are among those who have not, the Times Union’s James Odato writes:  * Silver, Skelos and Klein join law firms' legal fight against Moreland

Silver, Skelos and Klein Uses Nixon's Watergate Separation of Powers Argument to Kill Subpoenas
 More than half of the 32 chose to cooperate by turning over such basic information as the nature of their work and the names of their nonconfidential clients. That leaves no more than 15 holdouts — at most, a mere 7% of the Legislature. But that small group happens to include all three of the Legislature’s leaders — the only ones who matter in the boss-dominated Capitol. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver collects as much as $450,000 a year — more than triple his state salary — from the trail lawyer firm Weitz & Luxenberg. Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos receives as much as $250,000 a year from the Long Island firm of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek. And Senate Independent Democratic Conference chief Jeff Klein, who shares power with Skelos, garners as much as $85,000 from his own firm in the Bronx.

The ethics laws they wrote require them to disclose only the rough amount of their outside income and the name of their official employer. But what, if anything, do they do for the money is a blank. Do they represent clients with business before the state? Are they rainmakers cashing in on their government titles? In fact, the commission asked nothing from the Legislature as a body — only from a relative handful of its members, who are independently elected and independently accountable. Most appear to have done what’s right for the state and its citizens. Silver, Skelos and Klein are doing what’s right for them. On Wednesday, the Senate GOP’s fund-raising arm backed down from its part of the subpoena fight, wisely choosing to compromise and cooperate rather than stand in the way of openness and reform. The Legislature’s leadership must do no less.* In the days before the election, 's law firm gave $50K to the PAC backing judicial retirement increase (Capital) * Klein, law partner tag-team to score big on appointments(Riverdale Press)

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CityTime Trial

Gonzalez: Alleged CityTime crooks demanded fast payment for fake invoices of more than $5M per month, witness says(NYDN)
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BOE Moreland Fall Out

The BOE lone investigator sat at his computer playing Solitaire, asking for work until 2012
While the commissioners acknowledged the deficiency, they clearly did not buy it wholly as an excuse, pointing out through questioning the failure of the Board to fill numerous job vacancies in a timely manner—if at all—and pointing to the deposition of an investigator who worked for the agency that he had repeatedly requested cases to pursue, and yet was given nothing to do. Despite bemoaning a large backlog of complaints the Board’s officials admitted that from 2008 through 2013 the agency has voted to open just 5 investigations—including only 1 since 2009. 
As for why the Board didn’t use the extensive free resources available to it in order to lighten its load, such as deploying state troopers to help with investigations, the officials explained that the Board did not have the resources to employ all the resources available to it. In withering questioning, Moreland Commissioner Kathleen Hogan, the Warren County district attorney, tore into the Board’s tortured logic, asking with evident exasperation, “You can talk resources all you want, but isn’t it true that you didn’t want to look at these cases with a critical eye?” The other commissioners were no more tolerant of the Board’s stock explanation. After bringing to light that the Board does not prioritize the complaints it receives, Commissioner Daniel J. Castleman, a former chief assistant district attorney in Manhattan, said, “It’s just common sense… How can you not say this [complaint] goes to the front of the pile, and this one goes to the back?”(City and State)* Moreland Commission Grills State Board Of Elections Over Investigations -- Or Lack Thereof(NYDN) * Cuomo anti-corruption panel targets elections board(NYDN)

AMENDING A PRESS RELEASE — JCOPE's Marvin Jacob writes letter after contentious vote Times Union's Jim Odato: “In the past we have precleared press releases when dealing with high profile announcements. This one should have been as well. It inaccurately leaves the impression that the ED vote was unanimous and as we all know it wasn’t. This needs to be corrected. You should describe the Commission vote as 9-5 or, at least, as a majority, but let’s try to be accurate about what happened yesterday. It’s quite enough that that we have again done in executive session what clearly could and should have been done in public (had Ellen’s motion not been mischaraterized as a personnel matter compounded by the inaccurate assertion that all personnel matters must be conducted in executive session). John, you can do this or I will. Please let me know.”


JCOPE Cavity Search for A New Leader
After a nationwide recruitment effort, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics announced the hiring of Letizia Tagliafierro, a protégé of Cuomo’s from his tenure as governor and attorney general, as its new executive director, the Times Union writes: 
Wow JJOKE is exciting I love watching lawyers discuss definitions in regulations that no one cares about. Jcope says after a Nationwide search and 70 resumes, it picked former Cuomo aide Letizia Tagliafierro as its ex dir * Alb ethics commish suggests hiring a search firm for new exec director, shot down by chair. Ex-Cuomo aide gets job: * JCOPE member to resign after executive director fracas(lohudblogs) JCOPE, yikes MT A Shelly Silver appointee says she is resigning* Moreland Madness(YNN) * JCOPE Names Ex-Cuomo Aide New Executive Director(YNN) * Cuomo said not all lawmakers are corrupt but the state needs a system people trust in defending the Moreland Commission’s efforts to seek details about lawmakers’ outside income, Gannett Albany writes: 
* JCOPE, again, confronts a leadership issue  * JCOPE CAN'T MEET WITHOUT A CLOUD: The state's ethics watchdog group convened on Tuesday for a regularly scheduled meeting, but punted on most of its serious business and, after a secret vote, approved an administration-connected leader. The appointment of Letizia Tagliafierro as executive director was opposed by some legislative commissioners because of her ties to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.  

And before Casey gets his Proust in an uproar it a line from Talladega Nights in other words its a joke JJOKE MOREJOKE and now MYJOKE* Moreland hearing update: Current campaign finance enforcement structures are failing. * Three organizations that lobby on abortion issues have requested an exemption from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to keep their major donors private, Gannett Albany writes: 
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Moreland Uncovers Criminal Activity

Moreland Co-Chair: We’ve Uncovered Criminal Activity(YNN)
In a public radio interview that will air in full this weekend, one of the three Moreland Commission co-chairs, Onondaga County DA William Fitzpatrick, says the anti-corruption commission has uncovered criminal activity during its investigation of New York’s Byzantine campaign finance system and will be referring its findings for prosecution.* Moreland Commission Leader Says They Have Found Criminal Behavior(NYDN)


More ________________________________
Moreland
The Moreland report reveals new details of a financial relationship involving an unnamed state legislator and his for-profit company that mirror reports about Assemblyman Dov Hikind’s ad business and a hospital in his district.
Moreland Commission's work casts shadow on lawmakers' return
Anti-Corruption Commission Co-Chair: I Can Live Without Public Financing (BTDN)
Newsday’s Dan Janison writes that the report issued by the Moreland commission on corruption could have also delved into how stockpiling cash allows legislators to pre-empt serious challenges to their incumbent
Did Moreland Report Help or Hurt Supporters of Public Financing?
Corruption probe appears to target Hikind, Maimonides (Crains NY)
More on the Moreland Commission
Moreland Mystery None Profit Possibility II
Jewish ‘wedding’ group shares space with probed nonprofit(NYP)
A nonprofit that says its mission is to “help defray the cost of weddings” for poor Jewish couples paid $400,000 in rent last year, even though it shares space with another government-funded group that is under investigation. Records show Students Link reported the enormous rent bill while in the same humble Brooklyn building at 5904 13th Ave. in Borough Park with Relief Resources, a health-referral service being probed by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission panel appointed by Gov. Cuomo. The tax return for Students Link says it helps disadvantaged children. But its main program over the past three years was intended “to help defray high costs of weddings in the Jewish community.” Brooklyn state Sen. Simcha Felder, who steered funding to the group when he served on the City Council, defended the work of Relief Resources and Ostreicher.  They have an exemplary record in helping thousands of people with mental-health issues,” he said.
Brooklyn agency fits description of mystery nonprofit in Moreland probe(NYP) The state’s Moreland Commission, in a report issued last week, described its surveillance of a questionable storefront in New York City that received almost $3 million in pork-barrel funds to provide various medical services “with little scrutiny and no medical oversight.” The money came from a “geographically and politically diverse group of some of the state’s most powerful lawmakers.”  Relief Resources Inc. occupies a storefront at 5904 13th Ave. in Borough Park, a location it shares with the group Refuah Resources. There is a telephone pole directly outside that would provide an ideal location for a camera. A Post investigation based on public records suggests Relief Resources might be the unnamed nonprofit described in the Moreland Commission report, but officials have not confirmed this. Relief Resources, according to its Web site, provides referral services aimed at helping those in the Jewish community cope with mental-health issues. It has offices in two other countries — Canada and Israel — as well as in New Jersey and upstate Monroe. The agency has used the services of the Albany lobbying firm Malkin & Ross to seek state funding, state records show. The Moreland Commission’s unnamed nonprofit uses “a top-shelf outside lobbying firm.” Relief Resources has taken in $2,901,000 in state funding since 2005, state records show. Lawmakers have sponsored seven member-item grants totaling $1,275,000 since 2006, according to the state attorney general’s Open Government Web site. Shiya Ostreicher, a board member of Relief Resources, is a lobbyist for Agudath Israel of America, a powerful Orthodox Jewish organization.


Malkin & Ross Connected to Catskills Gambling Interests
The lobbying push has continued as the Nov. 5 casino referendum nears.
Foxwoods,
which is hoping to build a casino adjacent to the former Grossinger’s resort in the Catskills, hired the lobbying firm Malkin & Ross on Sept. 16, agreeing to pay it $50,000 to represent it for the seven weeks leading up to Election Day.         
Did Albany Corruption Fund a City Nonprofit? (WNYC) In the Senate Bruno, Smith and Golden gave money to Relief Resouces  

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Ethic Reform



Cuomo Wants An Ethics Deal From Silver 
wants ethics deal. "I don't really need another commission...Idon't need a lot of additional prosecutors. * Andrew Cuomo has reason to smile this morning: a new poll by the Siena Research Institute shows his job approval rating has moved back into positive territory, 52-47, after a one-month slip to 49-50.* Cuomo Endorses Democratic Candidates ‘Across The Board’


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Moreland Legal Pushback Expected

A Lawyer's Retainer is A Legal Bribe
Moreland To Focus On Campaign Finance Reform Next Week(YNN) Fitzpatrick says Moreland Commission wants to know about the retainers lawmakers receive. Fitzpatrick: Moreland wants info on "six-figure retainers" paid to legislators by clients who seemingly never go to court. Fitzpatrick: “We simply want to know, what do you do for these retainers? … from people who, far as we know, never go to court."* A bill with bipartisan support would require businesses seeking state agency contracts to make public a list of all contributions made to Cuomo and others in the executive branch.

 JCOPE Disclosure Exemptions
NYFC Hopes 2nd Time’s A Charm On Donor Disclosure Exemption(YNN)JCOPE has proposed changes to its donor disclosure rules, and is requiring all those organizations seeking exemptions – including New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms – to refile their requests.

Moreland co-chair: Legislative surrender 'did not pan out'(Capital) The co-chair of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption said today that legislative negotiations over a new ethics law have sputtered, and reports of gubernatorial interference are greatly exaggerated.
Moreland Leakers Attacked
Fitzpatrick Bemoans Moreland Leaks(YNN) n an interview on WCNY’s Capitol Pressroom, Fitzpatrick called the leaks of subpoenas and rescinding of subpoenas “unfortunate.”
Moreland Commission co-chairman William Fitzpatrick strongly denied interference from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office and said that no one has ordered subpoenas to be killed, The Daily News reports:

Cuomo Expects Lawyers to Challenge Subpoenas
Gov. Cuomo Expects Challenges To Anti-Corruption Commission Subpoenas  * Moreland may prove to have long-term gain for Cuomo at the expense of short-term paain

Law Firms Subpoenaed Contributed 2 MorelandMembers
The Moreland Commission will subpoena several law firms across New York, though some of the firms have been on good terms with the co-chairs of the commission, Kathleen Rice and William Fitzpatrick, the Times Union writes: Law firms that will be receiving subpoenas from the Moreland Commission in search of lawmakers’ client lists have ties to commission members, having contributed thousands worth of political cash to their respective campaigns. 


The latest Siena College poll finds that nearly three-quarters of voters have no opinion about the Moreland Commission to investigate public corruption, but 72 percent of voters think the commission should continue:


Daily News Takes Well Deserved Create For Making Moreland More Real But Forget About Bloggers and Other Papers Who Also Pushed
Off the leash (NYDN)
Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission shows some teeth The Daily News connects the dots on the sudden decision by Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission to barrage the state’s political parties with subpoenas, and says Cuomo should continue to stay out of the commission’s way. It was not until the NYT editorial push on by the DN, NYP and Bloggers did Cuomo free the commission.*  New York City building owners are crying foul over new investigative tactics – including broad subpoenas seeking landlord records and emails – by an office set up last year by Cuomo to protect tenant rights.

Silver Still Controls JCOPE Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver wasted no time in replacing JCOPE member Pat Bulgaro, naming former Surrogate Court Judge Renee Roth to the state ethics commission, the Times Union writes: 


Moreland Commission warned that the panel would make “appropriate referrals” to the criminal justice system
Anti-corruption panel uses surveillance to investigate lawmakers(NYP) A political bombshell was dropped Monday night with the revelation that multiple probes of the notoriously corrupt state Legislature have included secret video surveillance of a shadowy medical storefront that took in millions from elected officials but had few actual patients. The most startling example of the corrosive culture was a small storefront in the city that apparently housed several interconnected nonprofits that receive state funds to provide medical services. One group involved in the operation received $3 million from “some of the state’s most powerful lawmakers,” the commission said. The Moreland Commission’s probes of the Legislature included video surveillance of a medical storefront in New York City that took $3 million from elected officials but had few actual patients, with one single on-site employee

Why is the media not connecting the dots to expose the corrupt pols and lobbyists not name in the report?
 Cuomo's anti-corruption commission releases report on 'deplorable conduct' in Albany (NYDN) New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's anti-corruption commission, which was formed in July, put out a report detailing the need for immediate action against the 'deplorable conduct' in Albany. The 98-page report focuses extensively on the Legislature, ignoring the offices of governor, controller and attorney general despite scandals in recent years involving the first two. It also comes a day before Cuomo is set to host a fundraiser with a maximum price of $50,000 and featuring entertainment by Billy Joel.* The Daily News’ Bill Hammond writes that the Moreland Commission’s failure to name names in its report to the governor and its lack of new revelations will make it difficult to spark action in the Legislature:*Where corruption cops fell short  The Daily News’ Bill Hammond writes that the Moreland Commission’s failure to name names in its report to the governor and its lack of new revelations will make it difficult to spark action in the Legislature:

Why is the media ignoring what the elected lawmakers in Albany think of the Moreland Report?Here's why one Albany pol doesn't want state anti-corruption panel poking into his law practice, via : *Moreland’s Mahoney: Would Be ‘A Mockery’ To Investigate Gov(YNN) * The report focused entirely on the Legislature, ignoring the offices of governor, comptroller and attorney general despite scandals in recent years involving the first two. It also comes a day before Cuomo is set to host a fundraiser with a maximum ticket price of $50,000.* The commission proposed using public funds to pay for political campaigns, but the 25 commissioners were not unanimous on that issue – seven filed a dissenting opinion included in the final report.* IDC Leader Jeff Klein: “Now, six months after the Moreland Commission first convened, we find ourselves back at square one – negotiating a comprehensive ethics reform bill with the governor and members of the Legislature.”* NYS Senate GOP Open To Talking Ethics Reforms--Just Not Public Financing Of Campaigns(NYDN) * Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he and state lawmakers should move forward on points of consensus in the Moreland Commission’s report and not focus on divisions over public financing of campaigns, the Times Union writes * The Moreland Commission quietly altered its report hours after it was released because changes agreed upon in an earlier meeting about public financing were not included, the Daily News writes:* Even with subpoena power, the Moreland Commission couldn’t figure out who funded shady political mailers attacking Democratic state Senate candidates in the 2012 election, Gannett Albany writes:  * Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he “strongly disagrees” with Onondaga County Executive and commissioner Joanie Mahoney’s comment that the Commission should not investigate the executive branch, the Daily News writes: * Even subpoena power can't crack Albany's secrecy (ithacajournal.com) * Source Says Gov. Cuomo Still Intent On Getting Public Financing Of Campaigns (UPDATED)

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Moreland War, JCOPE Civil War

Cuomo Reform or Pay the Price in 2014
The board of elections is considering some changes after receiving its public flogging from the Moreland Commission earlier this week.

 Cuomo called on state lawmakers to take up ethics reform legislation and warned that they will be held accountable in 2014, when he will make the case to voters about the need to clean up Albany from public corruption, the New York Post reports:

CUOMO GOES TO WAR — Capital's Jimmy Vielkind: Tension between an anti-corruption commission and legislators has resulted in a public war between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the G.O.P.-led coalition that runs the State Senate, culminating in an exchange of personal attacks yesterday between a Senate official and a Cuomo-allied party aide. The most recent escalation began last week, as the governor recast his relationship to the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, which was was proving to be a political headache: legislators somehow captured the moral high ground as Cuomo caught flack for interfering in its workings. The governor is turning the page by positioning himself and the commission against the leadership in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, in an alliance with the four-member Independent Democratic Conference that Cuomo had tacitly blessed even as other Democrats cried foul. * Tom Precious in the Buffalo News: “While Cuomo as recently as last week at a public event talked of how well his administration has worked with lawmakers, the nice talk from surrogates is clearly over.” What had been a bilateral hymn of bipartisan cooperation has descended into open war.* Cuomo: Ethics Will Be An Election Year Issue(YNN)

Lawyers for Lawmakers Sue Moreland Over Separation of Powers to Hide the Corruption


ANONYMITY REVEALED: Exhibit A in the Moreland Commission’s criticism of the State Board of Elections' policy of refusing to accept complaints submitted anonymously, was a case that sounded particularly well substantiated. In the hearing, the Commission kept the names involved confidential; City & State reveals them(City and State) * Who were the subjects of the anonymous complaint focused on by the Moreland Commission? reveals all: * Senate GOP seeks to quash Moreland Commission subpoena for records (YNN) * Moreland Commission: "We had hoped the Senate Republicans would willingly cooperate and they did not. We will prevail in court" * Moreland Commission Asserts Its Subpoena Power(YNN) * Michael Chertoff, the former homeland security secretary, is representing the Senate GOP's campaign arm in its legal fight against Moreland.* QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The sweepingly broad subpoena would compel disclosure of the committee’s most sensitive internal political communications, in violation of its right to free speech and political association.” – The State Senate Republicans’ attorney Michael Chertoff, in court filings asking for a subpoena from the Moreland Commission to be blocked, via Bloomberg.* The state Senate Republican Campaign Committee asked a state judge to block a subpoena from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Commission, alleging “partisan bias,” Bloomberg writes: * GOPers in court vs. Cuomo panel’s probe(NYP) * A majority of the commissioners on the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics approved of Letizia Tagliafierro for the top post at JCOPE by a vote of 9-5, with the opposition wanting to continue the search for a more independent leader, the Times Union writes * GOP Committee Fights Moreland Subpoena(WSJ) * JCOPE SPLITS — Vote for executive director was 9-5 — Times Union's Jim Odato: The majority of the commissioners approved of Letizia Tagliafierro for the top job at JCOPE, and the five who opposed her selection included members who wanted to continue searching for a clearly independent leader of the integrity agency, these people said. http://goo.gl/62pHgm



Albany Leaders Arrogance of Power(NYDN Ed)
What the Albany LawBreakers Are Fighting For

To protect two semi-official rackets that are as much a part of the Albany's culture as the Pledge of Allegiance: outside compensation from firms who profit up their government stature, and the ability to accept unlimited campaign money and spend it however they please.


Lawsuit to Block Release of Personal Income
Republican Dean Skelos and Independent Democrat Jeff Klein — joined Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in fighting to quash subpoenas from Gov. Cuomo’s Commission to Investigate Public Corruption. The commission, true to its charge, was trying extract facts about the hefty incomes that Skelos, Klein, Silver and other lawmakers pocket from outside sources.Law Firms File To Quash Moreland Subpoenas Aimed At Lawmakers (Updated)(YNN)Lawsuit over anti-corruption ‘witch hunt’(NYP)Document Drop: NY Pols V. Moreland Subpoenas(NYDN) * Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver called the executive branch’s investigation of state lawmakers an inappropriate attempt to pass legislation in an email informing members of efforts to quash subpoenas, The Daily News writes: * Skelos, Klein, Silver file their own motion to quash subpoenas(TU) Despite seeing many of its members hauled away in handcuffs, the state Legislature acts as if it should be immune from outside investigation. The arrogance is astounding. On display Friday was stonewalling of a bipartisan nature rarely seen on policy matters: The co-leaders of the Senate* Silver at center as Albany scandals swell on his watch(NYDN)




Albany Crooks Drop Stories In the Press to Embarrass More Commissioners




Journalists Copy Boys for Corrupt Albany Moreland Attacks

Press Corruption Patsy
The anti-corruption Moreland Commission is negotiating with legislators to settle legal challenges to the commission’s subpoenas, according to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Did William Fitzpatrick – Onondaga County district attorney and co-chair of Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Commission – get a free pass from the same state Board of Elections he’s now criticizing for being inefficient? Commission Gets Support From NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman | New York Daily News Back when he was state attorney general, Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed on a probe into a complaint against Ondondaga County DA William Fitzpatrick – the man who now co-chairs Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission.* * Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, a co-chair of Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland commission, has criticized the state Board of Elections in the past, but the Board closed a 2009 complaint against him due to a lack of resources, the Daily News writes
 _____________________________________
Moreland Attacks
The anti-corruption Moreland Commission is negotiating with legislators to settle legal challenges to the commission’s subpoenas, according to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Did William Fitzpatrick – Onondaga County district attorney and co-chair of Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Commission – get a free pass from the same state Board of Elections he’s now criticizing for being inefficient?
Commission Gets Support From NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman | New York Daily News
Back when he was state attorney general, Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed on a probe into a complaint against Ondondaga County DA William Fitzpatrick – the man who now co-chairs Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission.* * Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, a co-chair of Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland commission, has criticized the state Board of Elections in the past, but the Board closed a 2009 complaint against him due to a lack of 
 resources, the Daily News writes: 

Assembly: DACC Separate From Government(YNN)  *Skelos: Separation Of Powers Argument Not Baloney(YNN)QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I think it's a terrible mistake for the Legislature to be fighting with the Moreland Commission in complying with the subpoena. People believe that if you refuse to comply with a subpoena, you have something to hide.” – Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the Senate Republican Campaign Committee’s decision to release documents to the Moreland Commission, via Capital New York. * Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos said that the Legislature’s legal challenge to the Moreland Commission’s subpoena power will still go forward because it violates the separation of powers, State of Politics writes:
* The state Senate Republican Campaign Committee will release a limited set of documents after reaching an agreement with the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption, Capital New York writes:
Update on Subpoenas Moreland Commish spox Michelle Duffy "pleased" SRCC has withdrawn imotion to quash subpoenas. "Cooperation and reason prevailed."* State legislators will still fight the Moreland Commission, regardless of deal w/ the GOP's political arm
Source: Majority Of NYS Lawmakers Complying With Anti-Corruption Panel's Requests For Info    32 subpoenaed lawmakers have complied or are in the process of doing so. 
* NYPIRG: Overhaul JCOPE, Limit Transfers Of Cash To Federal Level(YNN) * Cuomo said that the Legislature’s legal attempts to quash subpoenas seeking information on outside income is not about separation of powers because half of the Legislature willingly complied, State of Politics writes: 
Cuomo turns up the heat on opponents of his anti-corruption commission(NYDN) Cuomo said a Daily News report that a majority of lawmakers are complying with the panel’s requests for information “made a mockery” of legislative leaders’ contention that the fight is a matter of principle.* SRCC Will Release ‘Limited Set Of Documents’ In Moreland Probe(YNN)

    1. Poll Asked Voters What They Think Gov. Cuomo's Moreland Commission Should Recommend
      An unknown pollster has been asking New York voters what recommendations the Moreland Commission on Public Ethics should make, including public financing of campaigns or contribution limits
    2. Legislature will only pass what voters embrace; no prize for goo-goo edit bd ideas that don't pass bc no public backing/interest


 
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United Term Limits Quinn Show Us the Money

3 Papers That United to Offer Us Quinn Unite Again to Demand Albany Show Us the Money
Silver, Skelos should show us the money(NYP)

And Albany Times Union Also Blasts the Lawmakers
The Editorial Board blasted legislators for refusing the commission's request for information
Cuomo offered words of support to his Moreland Commission after the Legislature refused its request for disclosure of lawmakers’ sources of outside income, and also predicted the casino gaming referendum would pass, the Times Union writes:

Albany Member Items By Another Name
A study by Citizens Union suggests that up to $3 billion of New York’s budget is set aside, some of which goes to the “Community Projects” fund, only to be doled out in a process that’s done out of the public view, the Times Union reports:





Moreland Report Out
Moreland Report Link
Gov. Cuomo's Anti-Corruption Commission Blasts Albany's 'Pay-To-Play' Culture (NYDN)
Moreland report blasts Albany ethics
Panel Appointed by Cuomo Calls Corruption Commonplace in Albany (NYT)
Moreland: "Albany’s pay-to-play political culture is greased by a campaign finance system in which large donors set the legislative agenda"*  The Moreland report appears to contain no recommendations to fix JCOPE's broken voting structure * Moreland report cites "attractive and relatively similar" public campaign finance bills from Speaker Silver, * "Both the general state of our political system, and the way business is transacted within it, cry out urgently for reform"  The Moreland panel says it has found "deplorable conduct, some of it perfectly legal yet profoundly wrong; some of it potentially illegal"* Moreland report makes zero reference I can find of any conflicts of interest in the executive branch. Lauds for reform efforts.* On p54 of Moreland report, ineffective and repetitive idea from Cuomo to limit party transfers is included * Moreland dissent references Malcolm Smith's arrest in opposing public financing  * Illegal? pg. 37 of Moreland on GOP/Indy party: "Emails further reveal extensive coordination between the two parties’ housekeeping accounts"* Moreland investigating pay-to-play including "a tax abatement program benefiting certain real estate interests" * Interesting...
"The Commission with its partners, has conducted undercover operations, including surveillance, recorded calls, and meets." * Maybe they took some lessons from DA Bharara? Who's wearing a wire for Moreland? * seven moreland commissioners appointed by offer dissenting opinion on recommendation to create a public campaign finance system * The Moreland Commission put a surveillance camera outside a storefront medical clinic that's gotten $3M in member items. Found v few clients * Commission recommends to fix 's corrupt campaign finance system, p. 41: * Moreland "Despite issuing a number of subpoenas and conducting several interviews" still has no idea who funded Common Sense Principles.* Common Sense, according to the direct mail company, is a “ghost company.” Service of the Commission’s subpoenas cannot be perfected. * . issues statement on Moreland:  * "This Commission has discovered much in just aFew short months.Our ongoing investigations have revealed phantom healthClinics" * Pols "appear to lease or purchase expensive vehicles w/campaign funds while personally claiming .. travel reimbursements from the state"* M Smith bribed the GOP to have access to public $. * Moreland: Emails document coordination between Senate GOP and Independent Party on attack ads targeting Dem candidates.* De Blasio Clan Still Mulling Move To Gracie Mansion(NYDN) * The Fate Of Public Financing In The Senate(YNN) * Common Cause: Moreland Dissenters Misinterpreting IE Findings(YNN)
 
Moreland and the Media Must Take Into Account How Consultant Lobbyist Have Gamed NYC CFB System
Breaking The Moreland Commission has "uncovered clear relationships between cash and legislative actions," according to one of its co-chairs
 
A Bandage Fix Without Uncovering Corruption
The Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption's commissioners will vote this morning whether to approve the final draft of its preliminary report before releasing its recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but sources with inside knowledge of the report have disclosed to City & State that it will call for New York State to adopt a system of publicly financed elections modeled after the New York City Campaign Finance Board. Cuomo was rebuffed by the state Legislature when he pushed for a public campaign finance system in the final days of the last legislative session. The Assembly has already passed a bill that would put in place such a system, but the bill’s prospects for passage in the state Senate died with steadfast opposition from Republicans. A spokesperson for the Moreland Commission did not immediately respond for comment.(City and State) * Dissenting Opinion On Public Financing Expected In Anti-Corruption Panel Report(NYDN) * The not-so open Moreland Commission (TU) * Just 10 of the 25 Moreland Commission members have filed financial disclosure forms with JCOPE. They aren’t required to do so, and those who did it acted out of an “abundance of caution.”  * Moreland Madness(YNN)

Charges fly over Moreland Commission(NYP) Cuomo pooh-poohs this excuse, and he’s right to do so. He notes that numerous lawmakers are cooperating with the panel. That, he says, makes a mockery of the idea that ­opposition here is based on principle. The governor implies that those legislators who aren’t cooperating with the panel are just trying to keep hidden embarrassing — perhaps even incriminating — information.
But the lawmakers are just as correct in their criticism of Cuomo. They claim, for example, that the Cuomo administration convened the Moreland Commission less out of any desire to clean up corruption in New York than to pressure members into passing some of the governor’s legislation they have opposed (e.g., public financing of political campaigns). They further accuse the Democratic governor of trying to push the Moreland Commission to target selected pols, especially Republicans.

Lawmakers Attempt to Quash Subpoenas
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It is an improper and illegal use of Executive authority for appointees of that branch of government to ‘investigate the Legislature’ merely because the Commissioners would like to compel passage of proposed legislation.”  – Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in an email discussing legal efforts to quash subpoenas issued by the Moreland Commission, via The Daily News  

The state Senate and Assembly plan to jointly file papers in Manhattan Supreme Court to quash subpoenas from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission seeking information on lawmakers’ outside income and clients, the Daily News reports:  IDC Pulls Sponsorship Of Moreland Bill, Pay-To-Play Reform(YNN)
One bill, initially co-sponsored by Savino of Staten Island, would have made future commissions impaneled under the Moreland Act to be independent of the governor’s office.
A second measure would require firms seeking state agency contracts to provide a list of political contributions made in the past 18 months to the governor and and the executive branch.* * A pair of law firms that employ state lawmakers filed court papers on Friday to quash subpoenas from Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission, with attorneys from the state Legislature expected to file objections as well, Gannett Albany writes * It's clear what the Moreland Commission is looking for: We found Hiscock & Barclay/Harris Beach clients who lobby NYS  * The Moreland Commission is poised to report recommendations this week, setting the stage for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to try to use the findings to push lawmakers to agree to change campaign-finance and other laws.* The Auburn Citizen would like the Moreland Commission to take a “hard look” at executive agencies, especially (in light of recent headlines) DOCCS.* The TU says Cuomo “needs to fight for campaign reform at least as hard as he campaigned on it.”


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Silver Moreland Threat

Silver Sends A Message to the Gov, Then Says Nevermind
NY Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Hails Robert Duffy; Doesn't Dispute He'll Seek Probe Of Him(NYDN) Critics say there could be some ethical violations. A news report today said Silver and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein are considering filing a formal complaint with Cuomo's Moreland anti-corruption commission or the state ethics commission. But Silver spokesman Michael Whyland, responding to an email noting that the speaker wasn't exactly denying the report, did that just now.
"We have not contemplated nor are we considering calling for any action regarding the Lieutenant Governor," Whyland said.
 


keeping Secrets About Where Lawmakers Make Their Money

Transparency
Albany Style
State Legislators Refuse to Disclose Income Information to Corruption Panel(WSJ) The New York state Legislature has refused a request by a state investigative commission to disclose detailed information about the sources and amount of outside income earned by lawmakers, according to a letter sent jointly on Friday by attorneys for the Senate and Assembly. * Scurrying for cover (NYDN Ed) Albany lawmakers refuse to come fully clean about their outside income* NY corruption panel not transparent on spending (TU * JCOPE is debating whether to change the disclosure exemption threshold from a "reasonable probability of harm" to a "substantial likelihood"
Moreland Meets, Albany Edition(YNN)

Negative Research Done By Those in Albany Trying to Stop Moreland
Nassau DA Kathleen Rice accepted $1M in contributions through a loophole that anti-corruption panel SHE RUNS is probing(NYDN) Kathleen Rice co-chairs Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission but still accepted more than $1 million from LLCs, which are not held to $5,000 annual corporate contribution limit. The loophole allows corporations to give unlimited amounts to candidates by creating subsidiaries known as LLCs, whose donation limits are 30 times higher than those imposed on regular corporations.

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Moreland Issues New Subpoenas


Separation of Powers looming Lawmakers Vs Moreland Commission

Breaking ThurPM
Moreland Commission now serving subpoenas on NYS legislators. Huge important legal battle re: separation of powers looming.
The founder of the firm hired by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission to use counter-terrorism software to probe state lawmakers finances donated $10,000 to one of the commission’s co-chairs, Capital New York writes
The founder of the intelligence firm that is finalizing a contract with the Moreland Commission has given $20,000 in campaign contributions to one of its co-chairs, Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice.
Anti-Corruption Commission Co-Chair Received Donations From Firm Set To Be Hired By Panel (NYDN) *   Cuomo's anti-corruption commission turns sights on itself and its allies(NYDN)
EXCLUSIVE: Anti-Corruption Commission Sending Subpoenas To Gov. Cuomo-Tied Entities(NYDN)
Commission probes NY lawmakers’ outside income(NYP)
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The Moreland Commission should make clear how they chose this particular company. Government contracts are big business and making huge campaign contributions is a time-tested marketing strategy.” – NYPIRG’s Bill Mahoney on reports that the founder of a firm hired by the Moreland Commission gave campaign donations to one of the co-chairs, via Capital New York.  * The founder of the firm hired by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission to use counter-terrorism software to probe state lawmakers finances donated $10,000 to one of the commission’s co-chairs, Capital New York writes: http://bit.ly/GSGQqd
Governor Andrew Cuomo's anti-corruption commission decided to reverse its stance and subpoena the state Democratic Party among other entities tied to the Governor. * Make them come clean (NYDN Ed) Subpoena-slapping is about to befall the top bosses and moneymakers of the state Legislature. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch. Cuomo, under pressure on casino money and Moreland, meets the 'Times'  * Moreland Commission targets NY's limitless campaign accounts

Albany Rats Shaking in Their Boots
Some lawmakers are shaking in their boots over Tuesday's abrupt announcements by the Moreland Commission suggesting it will subpoena legislators, as well as examine all soft money “housekeeping” accounts, including one linked to Gov. Andrew Cuomo that the commission had reportedly balked at subpoenaing. Those actions followed a meeting yesterday that one source described as a “fresh start.” The commission's new boldness was announced just before Cuomo sat down with the Times' and Daily News' editorial boards.
 Commission Says It Will Compel Legislature To Turn Over Records(YNN)
Lovett: Cuomo doing damage-control over anti-corruption commission that held back subpoenas to Cuomo friendlie(NYDN) * Schneiderman: Moreland Must Be Independent (Updated)(YNN) * Inbox: After legis leaders "refused to cooperate," Moreland Commission votes to "aggressively move forward in compelling production" of info * Moreland Commission To Issue Subpoenas To NYS Lawmakers For Info On Outside Income(NYDN)  QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Our investigation includes examining New York State legislators and their connections to outside business practices. On August 27, we requested information to be submitted by certain legislators. Leaders of the legislature for both the Assembly and Senate refused to cooperate. The Commission voted today to aggressively move forward in compelling production of information into specific matters that the Commission is investigating.” – The Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, via the Daily News.* JCOPE Mid-Year lobbying data is out * Sources: the Moreland Commission voted today to subpoena the State Democratic Party, among other political committees.* . on : Lhota didn't attack for lack of experience.


Bharara: New Media End NYC's Journalism of Sheep
Quotes Murrow Preet Bharara: “fresh news outlets like BuzzFeed … bent on doubling down on political investigations will provide grist” 4 corruption probe Bharara, SDNY US Atty, bullish on , /, & new , in testimony tonight to Moreland Commission *  In testimony, Bharara laments loss of investigative journalists, and puts high hope in new outlets and revived old * U.S. Attorney To Commission: Political Corruption Is Out Of Hand In N.Y. State(WCBS)* Top Lobbyist Patricia Lynch Sees Income Loss Since 2011(NYDN)

Judge Sullivan Does Not Like Bharara Press Operation
Federal Judge Chides Bharara for ‘Tabloid’ Press Operation(Law Blog) At a recent panel discussion in Manhattan, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan said the U.S. attorney’s office press releases had assumed a “tabloid” tone. The judge questioned whether Mr. Bharara was casting too much judgment on public officials who stand accused of corruption, but have not been convicted.

Lawmakers High Costs of Living
State power players draw the most cash(TU)
Legislature spends $102M in latest report, lawmakers with influence receive the most
The truism that money follows power remains at work in the state Senate, where IDC leader Jeff Klein has reported office expenditures of $5.7 million over the past six years.

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A Moreland WFP 1600 Re-election

Will the Working Family Party Go After Cuomo's Governing IDC GOP Senate Coalition?

The Winds of War
Gov. Andrew Cuomo should have let the Working Families Party die in 2010 by rejecting their ballot line, but he didn’t, and now the party is as powerful as ever and could haunt Cuomo especially if he runs for President, Bill O’Reilly writes for Newsday: * CUOMO HIT FROM THE LEFTTimes Union's Rick Karlin: Writer and longtime activist Jonathan Kozol said he considers Gov. Andrew Cuomo a friend, but he was “utterly shocked” by the governor’s comments back in August that schools which are exhibiting poor academic performance should face a “death penalty.” … “Governor Andrew Cuomo has been kind and friendly to me for many many years as was his father,” Kozol told a rapt audience which had gathered for an anti-poverty conference sponsored by the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, a prominent Albany organization. But he added, “I was utterly shocked,” by the death penalty comments.
Poll Asked Voters What They Think Gov. Cuomo's Moreland Commission Should Recommend
NEW WATCHDOG? —Moreland Commission co-chair previews recommendations in interview —Capital’s Jessica Alaimo: In an interview with WRVO Syracuse, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick hinted the special panel to investigate public corruption might recommend a new entity to investigate election law complaints. http://goo.gl/TdXduT
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Moreland Uncovers Criminal Activity

Moreland Co-Chair: We’ve Uncovered Criminal Activity(YNN)
In a public radio interview that will air in full this weekend, one of the three Moreland Commission co-chairs, Onondaga County DA William Fitzpatrick, says the anti-corruption commission has uncovered criminal activity during its investigation of New York’s Byzantine campaign finance system and will be referring its findings for prosecution.* Moreland Commission Leader Says They Have Found Criminal Behavior(NYDN)

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Moreland Fakeout

Moreland Goes Nowhere At the Same Time Bharara Arrests the NY's Political Infrastructure
Moreland de-escalates, extends deadline on subpoenas(Capital)

The Chairman of Moreland Said If We Find Any Corruption
MAPPING OUT MORELAND — Subpoena deadline passes, angling begins on anti-corruption panel's coming report — Capital's Jimmy Vielkind: “It's a tricky game,” Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat and former state senator, said on the radio. “You want to investigate everything that relates to reforms, but you have to do it with the understanding that the reforms are going to have to be passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor.” http://goo.gl/5jvy2H One Brooklyn Democrat got a poll call about where Moreland should go, the Daily News' Ken Lovett reports: “One question was what recommendations she thought the Moreland Commission should make. It gave her five or six choices, including whether public financing of campaigns should make the list. Others were whether donation limits should be lowered and whether there should be a separate independent enforcement unit within the Board of Elections.” http://goo.gl/taWDdq*
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I want ethics reform … that's what the Moreland Commission is all about.” – Gov. Andrew Cuomo, via Capital New York.

Silver Moreland Threat

Silver Sends A Message to the Gov, Then Says Nevermind
NY Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Hails Robert Duffy; Doesn't Dispute He'll Seek Probe Of Him(NYDN) Critics say there could be some ethical violations. A news report today said Silver and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein are considering filing a formal complaint with Cuomo's Moreland anti-corruption commission or the state ethics commission. But Silver spokesman Michael Whyland, responding to an email noting that the speaker wasn't exactly denying the report, did that just now.
"We have not contemplated nor are we considering calling for any action regarding the Lieutenant Governor," Whyland said.


The Moreland Act Has Become A Campaign Tool
Andrew’s ads(NYP Ed)

If Andrew Cuomo means to undermine the credibility of his new corruption-fighting Moreland Commission, he couldn’t be doing a better job. Cuomo’s campaign committee took to the airwaves this week — 16 months before the next election for governor — with commercials touting the new commission. “The politicians,” says the ad, “won’t like it.” Neither will the voters, at least if they suspect that the commission is little more than a re-election gimmick. At the least, the governor’s campaign ad is a trifle premature. The commission is just getting started and has held one (closed-door) meeting. If the governor is going to trumpet his corruption-fighting, wouldn’t it be better to wait until he has something to show for it? * The NY Post slams Cuomo for using campaign funds to pay for TV ads touting his Moreland Commission created to investigate public corruption and the state’s notoriously lax campaign finance system.* A history lesson on the Moreland Commission(NY Now)

Moreland Commission Update
  • A corruption commission has issued subpoenas to three real-estate developers, seeking information related to tax breaks they received in legislation, according to people informed of the subpoenas. Sources say the state Moreland commission investigating corruption issued subpoenas to three major New York City real estate developers over tax breaks granted via legislation.
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  • Moreland Update
    The TU says Cuomo “should be prepared to own a failure as embarrassing as the system he vowed to fix” if the Moreland Commission gives up its work after proposing a constitutional amendment on campaign finance reform. 
     
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  • Looks Like the Moreland Commission About to Get Fucked
    Members of a state panel investigating New York political corruption are involved in talks between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders to craft a new package of ethics laws, said people familiar with the discussions.
  • Moreland Commission Goes After the Board of Elections
    Moreland Commission Grills State Board Of Elections Over Investigations -- Or Lack Thereof(NYDN)

    In Pay-to-Play Albany, Contributors Win Favors(NYT) State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, leader of the breakaway faction of Democrats that has aligned with the Republicans, and Senator Martin Golden, a Brooklyn Republican. Together, they crafted a lovely little strudel of a bill last summer.


    Moreland Update: Lawmakers Say Abuse of Power
    NYS Legislature to Argue Gov. Cuomo's Moreland Commission Is Abuse of Power: Sources(NYDN)
    The state Legislature plans to argue in court that Gov. Andrew Cuomo abused his power by using the anti-corruption Moreland Commission to force a deal on ethics reform, with some sources likening his tactics to “McCarthyism”* MORELAND MEETS TONIGHT — Public hearing in Manhattan will focus on elections officials — Capital's Jessica Alaimo: Good-government groups who had been on the speakers list were disinvited to keep the program shorter, Moreland Commission officials said. The hearing will be held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, a venue choice that drew concern from an upstate lawmaker. http://goo.gl/Ca55jN * The State Legislature seems to be acting like they have something to hide from Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s anti-corruption commission: “A second source with knowledge of the developing legal strategy likened the tactics to ‘McCarthyism’ while a third plugged-in source questioned ‘how do you legislate under threats?’”



     

Is The Moreland Commission For Real?
Team Cuomo Calling Moreland Commission Runaway, Is That A  Good Sign
Bracing for a potential bruising battle with Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Commission, the Assembly has hired a prominent outside law firm to push back. Cuomo aides fret that bigwigs on Moreland anti-corruption panel are publicity hounds

Fredric U. Dicker Cuomo duo runs amok(NYP)
Senior aides to Gov. Cuomo are increasingly worried that the Moreland Act Commission named by the governor two months ago to investigate corruption in state government is getting out of control. Sources describe commission co-chair Kathleen Rice, the Nassau County district attorney and failed candidate for state attorney general in 2010, and executive director Regina Calcaterra as “loose cannons” directing the operations of what one called a “runaway commission.’’ Some aides to Cuomo were described as “furious’’ that a series of subpoenas were recently issued by the commission for campaign-finance records without any advance notice to the governor’s office. ast week, despite the behind-the-scenes tensions, Cuomo publicly declared that the commission could investigate him or anyone else in his administration if it decided it had reason to do so.* Ex-senator, AG Commish Aubertine reportedly set to resign, tired of being told what to do by . The beginning of a look inside the term limits decision that is as damning of Michael Bloomberg as it is of Christine Quinn. BTW, Quinn promised a lot more than committee chairs -- for example, she got Darlene Mealy reelected by supplying Mealy with top staffers and holding fundraisers.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo made assurances that the special anti-corruption investigative panel that he convened has the power to investigate anybody they want, including him, in order to restore the public’s faith in government, the Daily News writes: Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption panel can even investigate him(NYDN) 

Government By Fool, Crooks and Unintelligent People

A Very Foolish Situation Developing in New York’s Anti-Corruption Investigations(foolocracy)

Corruption is rife in Albany. New York state lawmakers have been carted off in handcuffs on bribery and corruption charges. In response, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the forming of a 25-member anti-corruption commission. The commission is headed by Kathleen Rice, Nassau County District Attorney, who lost to Schneiderman in the Democratic primary in the attorney general race and is a close ally of Cuomo.   

At this point, it is increasingly difficult to believe that a thorough investigation is going to be conducted on Silver or any of the other suspects in the multitude of questionable dealings going on in Albany. All this points to the real problem of politicians investigating politicians. They have a vested interest to sweep things under the rug unless the media keeps the spotlight of public attention on it. While we can’t target a fool at this point, although Silver is a likely candidate, this is a setting with multiple actors auditioning. All the pieces are together for a whitewash before this is over.


Moreland Update

The Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption is in the process of hiring consulting firms to help crunch loads of financial and other data, and is negotiating contracts through the state Division of the Budget, the Times Union writes:  * NY Assembly, Senate: "Separation Of Powers" Prevents Moreland From Demanding Info(NYDN)


Albany's Acting Like They Have Something to Hide

Asssembly Lawyering Up Against Moreland Commission 
GOP Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin is upset with Speaker Sheldon Silver’s pick of a law firm with close ties to Democrats to represent the Assembly before the new Moreland Commission and suggested the GOP should have its own lawyer, the Times Union writes * The state Board of Elections is moving to freeze bank accounts of campaign committees that have broken election law until they have settled their debts or a judge orders otherwise, the Times Union writes:  * Prosecutors tell Gov's anti-corruption panel how to stop scourge: shine light on politicians' nonprofit business(NY World)

MORELAND + JJOKE  + CUOMO  = Failure
    1. Cuomo's Moreland Commission hearings reminds me of a Fran Lebowitz quip
      I think it was 2006 when Fran Lebowitz said that President Bush appointing an Iraq study group was like studying for a 3rd grade math test 3 years after it was given.  And then followed up by wondering where that study group would meet . . . at Windows on the World?
      lets just keep on making believe that if we do enough study groups on corruption in Albany somehow magically we will discover a magic bullet piece of legislation to cure the problem.
The Press must stop hiding with pols and ask them why they hired a lawyer to fight Moreland Commission Request  for financial Iinformation

The NYS BOE gets Serious After Moreland Commission said they did not go after committees that did not file committee report for the board
Board of Elections gets serious about scofflaw committees 




Moreland Commission Politics

Cuomo's Moreland Creation Could Hurt Him
Cuomo's anti-corruption panel stops at investigating his own Democratic party (NYDN) A subpoena that sought to seek information on the New York Democratic party’s spending from its ‘housekeeping’ account was never sent, sources tell the Daily News. Cuomo killed a subpoena to the state Democratic Party, which he controls, that sought information on the party’s spending from its housekeeping account, which raised millions to fund ads promoting his agenda.   William Fitzpatrick, the commission’s co-chairman, informed panel members at a private meeting last week that the subpoena was never sent. Instead, one went to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, Fitzpatrick said, according to insiders. Fitzpatrick told his colleagues that the commission sent subpoenas to the state Senate Republicans and the state Independence Party asking for information on spending from their “housekeeping” campaign accounts, the insiders said.

In March, the Daily News reported that the Senate Republicans — looking to cling to their majority during last year's campaigns — transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Independence Party, which turned around and bought ads in hotly contested districts. The News reported Monday that Cuomo and his aides have exerted heavy influence on the panel and killed other subpoenas, including one to the Real Estate Board of New York, a close Cuomo ally.* APNewsBreak: NY Republicans receive subpoenas(WSJ) * No one really wants to comment to the Associated Press when it comes to receiving subpoenas from the Moreland Commission.


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Can't Anyone Investigate Corruption Anymore?

Daily News Says Moreland's Commissioners Should Stop Making  Noise and Build A Case Like the Senator Sam Ervin Hearing Did. Forcing Nixon to Resign After They Exposed the Watergate Scandal
Reform the reformers(NYDN Ed)
Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission has so far delivered a head-spinning exercise in government by subpoena. Can’t anyone there play this game? Fitzpatrick — the Syracuse district attorney — charged that the Legislature is plagued by “systemic corruption” and spoofed its ways: “Go to a yacht and have champagne and hors d’oeuvres being served, and people smoking cigars. . . and bags of cash being left around, and not-for-profits that actually don’t exist or health clinics that haven’t served a dog, never mind a human being, in their entire existence.” In its first big move, the panel asked lawmakers to voluntarily turn over details of their outside incomes — and got skunked. Next, the commission set out to subpoena a real estate industry lobbying group and party fund-raising operations — but pulled back under pressure from Cuomo’s office.  Hours after the governor’s caution, the panel voted to reissue cancelled subpoenas and to serve formal demands on legislators’ outside employers, including their law firms. Fitzpatrick then confirmed that he had discussed a package of possible reform legislation with the Legislature.  Watergate Hearings

Moreland must shut the door to negotiating potential reform laws with the Legislature. The panel’s primary mission is to present specific case histories and information that can inform a debate among elected officials about legislative fixes.  Touting public campaign financing is way above Fitzpatrick’s pay grade — especially before the panel has presented persuasive evidence that such a system would be a good idea. With the Legislature resisting even common-sense steps, like tightening New York’s anti-bribery statute, the commission must speak with powerful, authoritative facts.


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Lawmakers Moreland Push Back

Moreland Commission and Cuomo's Reelection - Cuomo seeks, legislators hide
Albany Lawmakers FU/NY
Legislative insiders warn that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission could threaten his 2014 election year agenda because of anger among lawmakers about the demands of the commission, the Daily News’ Ken Lovett reports
Sources say that Michael Garcia, a Republican former U.S. attorney, has decided not to run for state attorney general next year against incumbent Eric Schneiderman, but has not ruled out a run for a different statewide office, the Daily News writes: 



Cuomo’s controlling instincts(NYDN) In probing corruption and pushing gambling, Cumo imposes his will. The Daily News’ Bill Hammond explores how Cuomo has “imposed his will” by interfering with the supposedly independent anti-corruption Moreland Commission and the ballot referendum on casino gambling:  One case in point: the revelation that the governor has been interfering in the operations of his supposedly independent Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption. Multiple sources tell the Daily News’ Kenneth Lovett that Cuomo and his staff have quietly pressured his own anti-corruption panel into dropping certain lines of inquiry — including canceling a planned subpoena of the Real Estate Board of New York. The REBNY query was expected to shed light on an infamous backroom deal that awarded massive tax breaks to five luxury highrises in Manhattan. The board and its members had lobbied hard for the breaks for billionaires while doling out million in contributions to various lawmakers — making it just the sort of situation a serious probe of Albany sleaze should examine. 

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Moreland Update


 Moreland Lawmakers Corrupt; Lawmakers Not Just Us

Cuomo said he does not know if his anti-corruption Moreland Commission has uncovered any possible illegal activities by state lawmakers, but feels legislators are making a mistake if they challenge the commission’s decision to subpoena information about outside income.
The co-chair of the Moreland Commission escalated tensions at the Capitol when he said yesterday there is “systematic corruption” in the Legislature. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick justified his plan to subpoena legislators by citing the 30 lawmakers who “walked out in handcuffs in the last five years."  Legislators shot back that it wasn't just them. “It would be fair to point out that the last two governors have been swept up in scandal, with Spitzer being forced to resign, and that Hevesi left office facing criminal charges,” a legislative source said. “This is NOT just the Legislature.” Cuomo on Moreland Update Cuomo backed up the harsh criticism of legislators offered by the co-chair of his anti-corruption panel earlier this week, and said they should comply with the commission's requests for records. ”I think they're compounding the public sense that they have something to hide,” Cuomo said after a storm recovery event in Albany. “Perception can become reality. If I feel like I can't trust you, I can't trust you.” The governor said a constitutional amendment to establish a system of public financing for campaigns was “an option,” but doubted that even that could pass the Legislature.

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Moreland War, JCOPE Civil War

Cuomo Reform or Pay the Price in 2014
The board of elections is considering some changes after receiving its public flogging from the Moreland Commission earlier this week.

 Cuomo called on state lawmakers to take up ethics reform legislation and warned that they will be held accountable in 2014, when he will make the case to voters about the need to clean up Albany from public corruption, the New York Post reports: 


CUOMO GOES TO WAR — Capital's Jimmy Vielkind: Tension between an anti-corruption commission and legislators has resulted in a public war between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the G.O.P.-led coalition that runs the State Senate, culminating in an exchange of personal attacks yesterday between a Senate official and a Cuomo-allied party aide. The most recent escalation began last week, as the governor recast his relationship to the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, which was was proving to be a political headache: legislators somehow captured the moral high ground as Cuomo caught flack for interfering in its workings. The governor is turning the page by positioning himself and the commission against the leadership in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, in an alliance with the four-member Independent Democratic Conference that Cuomo had tacitly blessed even as other Democrats cried foul. * Tom Precious in the Buffalo News: “While Cuomo as recently as last week at a public event talked of how well his administration has worked with lawmakers, the nice talk from surrogates is clearly over.” What had been a bilateral hymn of bipartisan cooperation has descended into open war.* Cuomo: Ethics Will Be An Election Year Issue(YNN)

Lawyers for Lawmakers Sue Moreland Over Separation of Powers to Hide the Corruption


ANONYMITY REVEALED: Exhibit A in the Moreland Commission’s criticism of the State Board of Elections' policy of refusing to accept complaints submitted anonymously, was a case that sounded particularly well substantiated. In the hearing, the Commission kept the names involved confidential; City & State reveals them(City and State) * Who were the subjects of the anonymous complaint focused on by the Moreland Commission? reveals all: * Senate GOP seeks to quash Moreland Commission subpoena for records (YNN) * Moreland Commission: "We had hoped the Senate Republicans would willingly cooperate and they did not. We will prevail in court" * Moreland Commission Asserts Its Subpoena Power(YNN) * Michael Chertoff, the former homeland security secretary, is representing the Senate GOP's campaign arm in its legal fight against Moreland.* QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The sweepingly broad subpoena would compel disclosure of the committee’s most sensitive internal political communications, in violation of its right to free speech and political association.” – The State Senate Republicans’ attorney Michael Chertoff, in court filings asking for a subpoena from the Moreland Commission to be blocked, via Bloomberg.* The state Senate Republican Campaign Committee asked a state judge to block a subpoena from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Commission, alleging “partisan bias,” Bloomberg writes: * GOPers in court vs. Cuomo panel’s probe(NYP) * A majority of the commissioners on the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics approved of Letizia Tagliafierro for the top post at JCOPE by a vote of 9-5, with the opposition wanting to continue the search for a more independent leader, the Times Union writes * GOP Committee Fights Moreland Subpoena(WSJ) * JCOPE SPLITS — Vote for executive director was 9-5 — Times Union's Jim Odato: The majority of the commissioners approved of Letizia Tagliafierro for the top job at JCOPE, and the five who opposed her selection included members who wanted to continue searching for a clearly independent leader of the integrity agency, these people said. http://goo.gl/62pHgm


Leaders of the Legislature are acting as if they and their colleagues have something to hide
Attorneys for the state Legislature want more time to gather info for the Moreland Commission (by ) (TU) * A source tells the DN that former US Attorney Michael Garcia, who took down Eliot Spitzer and was recently hired by the Senate GOP to defend it against the Moreland Commission, has decided not to run against AG Eric Schneiderman next year.* State GOP Chairman Ed Cox insists multiple candidates are interested in challenging Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014, but he can’t name names yet.* Lovett: Governor Cuomo's investigation of Albany politics a threat to his agenda(NYDN) * The Daily News’ Bill Hammond questions whether Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and state Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos will cooperate with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission: * Michael Garcia — a possible candidate for NYS office — could end up playing offense instead of defense in Albany. * Bill Samuels Says Anti-Corruption Commission Should Look Into Gov. Cuomo's Corporate Donors


 In Moreland testimony, U.S. Atty Loretta Lynch points out that many convicted NY pols represent "historically underrepresented districts."* The # of committees like that is massive. Looking at just NYC political clubs, found 224 not registered.* What can state do to help feds fight corruption? "Certain things we think should be public information are not" -U.S. Atty Lynch.Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has deputized the prosecutor members of the commission, which could allow them to investigate lawmakers. But the commission’s primary role seems aimed at developing new laws to address official misconduct, which has dogged New York politics for decades.   The Assembly’s Democratic majority has hired an attorney to address requests for information and other action by the commission directed to the Assembly, as has the Senate majority, controlled by Republicans and the four-member Independent Democratic Conference. A spokesman for the Independent Democratic Conference confirmed the group has also hired a law firm.
  1. Absolutely! Corrupt officials should lose their pensions. NY should also pass the recall bill that and I have sponsored.



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    Moreland  Update
    Why Doesn't the Moreland Commission Call the Lawmakers to Testify? . . . Silver Should be First, Or They Can Read the Indictment Report on William Rapfogel

    Really, Moreland Commission Links Member Items to Corruption-Waste of Time

    At a hearing held by the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption, members of the panel questioned the persistence of pork-barrel “member item” grants that have played a central role in recent corruption cases against elected officials, the Times Union r*


    The Albany Empire Uses Press Puppets to Attacks Moreland
    Members of the Moreland Commission’s six-member staff are earning near or above six figures, all of which is funded with taxpayer dollars*  The Utica Observer-Dispatch calls for more transparency from Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Commission.* Cuomo's anti-corruption commission "is apparently being funded through the state budget from existing funds, about $270,000 so far, and it has a six-member staff—all making near or above six figures, state records show." [Joseph Spector]



    Good Govt Groups Get Media Attention But What Goes Is Their Testimony
    After hearing testimony from good government advocates on the vestiges of Albany’s member item system, the commission’s co-chair, Onondaga County DA William Fitzpatrick, declared: “You’ve got to be kidding me that this is legal.”


    Good ex of why NYS lawmakers want to keep sources of income secret; leak of subpoeana shows why they're angry. 
    Maimonides subpoenaed in Hikind probe(CrainsNY)  Maimonides Medical Center has been subpoenaed by JCOPE in a state probe of advertising payments made to a company owned by Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed. The anti-corruption Moreland Commission is investigating longtime Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind and the thousands of dollars Maimonides Medical Center paid to Hikind’s ad company for Hikind’s radio show, the Daily News writes * Garcia: I’m Not Running For Anything… Now(YNN)


    Albany Dem Senate Leader Stewart-Cousins Says Show Moreland Your Money
    Then there was one: Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins tells colleagues to go public with outside income(NYDN) “We believe that the request made by the Moreland Commission regarding client disclosure was a reasonable request which should be answered,” says Stewart-Cousins.



    .
    Stewart-Cousins and Moreland Request for Members Financial Info Move, It Is Now Clear Cuomo Wants Silver Out
    Moreland Commission's battle with legislators threatens Cuomo's agenda(Dem and Chronicle) The Moreland Commission of district attorneys and law-enforcement officials tapped by Cuomo to ferret out government corruption finds itself locked in a battle with the state Legislature. Lawmakers continue to balk at complying with a broad request for documents and records related to their outside income and clients. * LINDA STASI: Judy Rapfogel had to know alleged-embezzler husband was stashing cash(NYDN)



    Silver Staff Wants A JCOPE Cover Up


    No Wonder Why This Report Has Not Been Released

    NYT: Legislature demands ethics regulators edit Assembly Speaker’s staff out of Lopez sex harassment report. (NYT)
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Cuomo's No Way Out
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As Goo Goos Stand Up For Moreland Commission Independence. . . Cuomo Looks for Exit
The state Legislature and the governor’s office have interfered with the Moreland Commission’s efforts to investigate corruption in Albany, and sources say that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering an exit strategy from the commission, The New York Times reports* “(A)ccording to people familiar with the commission’s work, the effort to investigate corruption in Albany is burdened by resistance from the Legislature, which has refused requests for information about lawmakers’ outside income, and by unexpected involvement by the governor’s office, which has leaned on the commission to limit the scope of its investigations.”
*Government Reformers To Gov. Cuomo: Let Anti-Corruption Commission Work Independently(NYDN) Here is the expanded version of the second item from my "Albany Insider" column today: A leading government reform group has a strong message for Gov. Cuomo--keep your hands off the supposedly independent commission looking into government corruption. In a letter sent Friday to Cuomo and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who deputized the 25 commission members, Common Cause/New York expressed “alarm” over reported “interference and micromanagement” by the governor’s office.
Goo-Goos Write To Moreland(YNN) * Moreland Commission claims independence, but reports “on a weekly basis” to Cuomo, AG(LoHud) * A 'disheartened' advocate on Cuomo's role in steering an anti-corruption panel (Capital)* State Sen. Neil Breslin says he's willing to compromise w/ the Moreland Commission re: releasing names of his clients  * Cuomo is discussing a ballot measure on public financing, but gov't reformers, mindful of redistricting, are wary * AG Eric Schneiderman subpoenaed the apartment-share company Airbnb to force the owners to disclose who rents rooms in private homes to New York City tourists, shirking hotel taxes. * If Governor Andrew Cuomo's aides blocked the Moreland Commission from sending subpoenas, that should be investigated, said State Senator Liz Krueger. [Jesse McKinley and Thomas Kaplan] * A spokesperson for the Moreland Commission said they were reporting their activities to the Cuomo administration. [Jimmy Vielkind]* Aides to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Moreland Commission members may propose a constitutional amendment for a public financing system, although it is unclear which side brought the idea up, Capital New York writes:

Glen Falls Newspaper Demand Vs NYT Silence On Moreland Commission for details of outside work legislators do
EDITORIAL: Legislators need to hand over employment records(Post Star) Few comparisons are less apt than Assemblyman Tony Jordan’s comparison of lawyers to doctors in the context of client confidentiality. The first problem with Jordan’s comparison is its irrelevance. The commission is not asking for lists of patients from doctors. Many legislators are lawyers, however, with active practices. Last year, Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos made $250,000 in his law practice. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver made more than that, perhaps as much as $450,000, according to ethics disclosure records.“The public has an interest in knowing whether a public official is profiting from office; the public has an interest in knowing whether a public official has interests with or ties to particular special interests; and the public has an interest in knowing those financial interests that can affect a public official’s actions.”


Moreland's Geppetto
One of Gov. Cuomo's Moreland Commission probers is all-in for casinos, too (NYDN)
Patrick Barrett, while serving on anti-corruption panel, also is a member of 'NY Jobs Now,' which is pressing for a constitutional amendment to permit gambling* Patrick Barrett, a member of Cuomo’s Moreland Commission, is also pushing casino gambling legalization, a key priority of the governor’s, as a member of a coalition called NY Jobs Now.
Gov. Cuomo leans on ‘independent’ corruption panel (NYDN)
Team Cuomo now has final say over some subpoenas and other actions, according to multiple sources Cuomo has moved to grab greater control of the anti-corruption Moreland Commission, with sources saying that Cuomo and his top aides have interfered, and even overruled the co-chairmen of the commission. The changes began after the commission subpoenaed five developers who received lucrative tax breaks in a housing bill, the sources said. The News reported that two of the developers had donated heavily to Cuomo.* The anti-corruption Moreland Commission finds itself locked in a battle with the state Legislature, as lawmakers continue to balk at complying with a request for documents and records related to their outside income and clients, Gannett Albany writes: 

One subpoena seeking lobbying and campaign donation information from the Cuomo-friendly Real Estate Board of New York had been drafted by the commission and approved by its three co-chairmen. But at the insistence of Cuomo aides, it was never sent, several sources said. The commission also prepared to subpoena the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics and the Legislative Ethics Commission for information that included complaints filed against lawmakers over the years. But at the insistence of the governor’s staff, the subpoenas were never sent, the sources said. Insiders say Cuomo chief lawyer Mylan Denerstein was heavily involved in drafting a letter sent to some lawmakers seeking information on their outside income and clients.

One Firday True News Reported Moreland Subpoenas and That the Investigators Were Not Going After the Thugs Who Run Politics
That “interference,” sources said, rankled some anti-corruption commission members and was discussed at an Aug. 29 closed-door meeting. At that meeting, “the governor’s involvement became crystal-clear,” a source said.  “We work for him. This is his commission. The main reason we are here is to effect meaningful change and legislation. Secondarily, if that doesn’t work, we investigate,” Fitzpatrick said, according to sources. Cuomo and his staff are now said to be working more through Fitzpatrick, the respected Syracuse district attorney, than commission Executive Director Regina Calcaterra. Fitzpatrick on Sunday night called it “categorically false” that the governor’s office was dictating what subpoenas could go out, although he acknowledged that some were pulled back or modified on advice of staff. * Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: “We believe that the request made by the Moreland Commission regarding client disclosure was a reasonable request which should be answered.” (She only has one member, Sen. Neil Breslin, who reportedly earned more than $20,000 in outcome income last year).

No Wonder Cuomo Stopped the Subpoenas for the Real Estate Board
So-called super PAC Jobs for New York could drop some serious cash on state races in 2014
The big question is how is Parkside going to work for the democrats and the Job4NY PAC when they have opposite goals.

Silence of the Assemblymembers On Silver's Crimes Is Anti-Democratic - Lopez's Hush Fund to the Rapfogel Family

Reward: Call the Albany's Tip Line

Sheldon Silver’s many scandals(NYP) 1. Silver pal William Rapfogel, the hubby of his longtime chief of staff, Judy Rapfogel, is arrested Sept. 24. and charged with stealing $1 million from the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. 2. Silver signed off on a secret $103,080 payout to two sexual-harassment victims of disgraced Assemblyman Vito Lopez last year in an effort to keep a lid on the scandal. 3. Three of Silver’s children used his Grand Street address to vote in his district even though they had long ago moved away — one to New Jersey.  4. The speaker callously ate a snack while Elizabeth Crothers alleged that Michael Boxley, Silver’s chief counsel, raped her in 2001. Silver backed Boxley.

"The truth is that legislators don’t want to lose their ability to trade on their official status to make more money"BN
The Buffalo News says a state lawmaker who refuses to disclose the source of their outside income should resign* Silver’s driver making wasteful Albany-NYC trips(NYP) While Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver collects frequent-flier miles on the taxpayer dime on airplane trips from New York City to Albany via Washington, DC, his driver and bodyguard racks up thousands of miles on the ground. While Silver flies — often in first class — his nearly $80,000-a-year shadow sometimes drives Silver’s state-issued 2011 Ford Taurus from the city to Albany, the insider said. 

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Moreland Report Response

 The Journal News writes that in considering the recommendations made by the Moreland Commission on public corruption, Albany should separate out some of the proposed reforms to insure they pass, instead of getting stuck as part of a big package of legislation:

Thursday UpdateThe Moreland Commission's GOP co-chair says it DID look into Cuomo, and did not find anything 'improper'

There are no recommendation to do anything significant about nonprofit skimming in the first Moreland Report
The Moreland game: Cuomo’s commission comes up short(NYP Ed)  Picture poor Pedro Espada, a former state senator and one of the most accomplished skimmers of his era, sitting there in his federal prison cell and cursing his bad timing: If only he’d waited for such “reform.” Or Willie Rapfogel, former executive director of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, husband of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s closest aide — and apparently so adept at skimming that the feds say they found upward of $400,000 in council cash in his bedroom closet. (Mrs. Rapfogel says she had no idea. None. Honest.


"If prosecuting corruption cases were fishing, Albany would be considered a trout farm."
The reek of Albany(NYP Ed)
Legislator questions why commission isn't looking at Cuomo, Schneiderman(NYDN)
Corruption Panel’s Report Offers Look at the Payback Culture in Albany(NYT) The panel appointed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said it had found possible sham nonprofit groups funded with public money and businesses using campaign donations to influence laws.
More Moreland madness in Albany - William F. B. O'Reilly (Newsday)
Diaz Praises Moreland’s ‘Magnificent Seven’(YNN)
Cuomo claimed that he is still holding out for public financing of campaigns, saying that lawmakers would already have passed an ethics package if he was okay with leaving out public financing(YNN)
Fitzpatrick: Moreland Free Of Cuomo’s Influence(YNN)
Fred Dicker: “To many observers, the contrast between the new Moreland Commission’s findings on public corruption and Gov. Cuomo’s actions is nothing short of breathtaking.”
Many of the problems highlighted in the Moreland Commission report have been red-flagged before by the media.
Winds of Battles to Come
The Cuomo-de Blasio drama to come(Capital) Their longstanding relationship will be tested when they're governor and mayor. It was supposed to be standard unity event: Six days after the mayoral primary, Bill Thompson was formally conceding the nomination to Bill de Blasio at City Hall. New York’s top Democrat, Andrew Cuomo, was on hand to bestow his blessing. And then something unusual happened. Cuomo aide Joe Percoco and de Blasio campaign chief Bill Hyers got into a heated argument, in public, within earshot of the press. It was a dispute—or “staff level miscommunication,” according to a de Blasio’s spokesperson—about speaking order. But it was also, say sources familiar with the event, the result of a feeling among de Blasio's aides that their boss had been upstaged by the governor. *  Cuomo says state Board of Elections contributes to "manufactured gridlock," argues for independent enforcement mechanism.* Cuomo: Moreland is focused on Legislature because "that's where the indictments are." Willie Sutton would approve.*  DEEP DIVE : Steve Kornacki, writing on Capital, “The state of Clintons and Cuomos,” first installment in a five-part series.

Local TV News Which Makes Millions Off of the Culture of Big Campaign Spending Has Not Cover the Moreland Commission


Pay to Report Local TV
Spending on advertising has fueled the increase in TV lobbying costs. Well-funded special interests funnel millions to lobbyists for public campaigns to sway lawmakers on hot-button issues (TU)  Local News which is mainly weather, traffic, cooking and dog segments is making millions in lobbyists spending.  Union and business interest like the pro fracking interest are also spending millions on ads to local stations.  All this money is coming in as local news dumbs down.  Local TV stations stand to profit from boom in super-PAC spending (The Hill)*CSNY’s budget blitz: $3.9 million (updated)(TU) *Save NY airing tax cap ad(TU) *Budget opponents up their ads and mailers(TU) *Bloomberg Blames Negative Ads For Poor Showing In Education ...(Politico) *Save NY now airs on school money(TU) *NYC's Bloomberg Pays for TV Ads Backing Cuomo's PensionBloomberg Defends His Administration With TV Ad - NY1.com * Local TV News For $ale: How Special Interests Control News Content and Public Opinion
Moreland Updates





True News, Bharara an Politico (Capital) Push the NYT to Demanding That Cuomo Let Moreland Do Its Job

Will New York’s Political Watchdog Pass the Test?
The Times is concerned that after a promising start, Cuomo’s Commission to Investigate Public Corruption is becoming little more than a branch of the governor’s political network. Gov. Andrew Cuomo had the right idea when he formed a commission to help end the scandal epidemic in New York State. He appointed a respected group of experts, asked them to come up with ways to cut the sleaze, promised them independence and asked for a preliminary report by Dec. 1. As that deadline nears, however, there is growing concern that the Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, also known as the Moreland Commission, could become little more than a branch of the governor’s political network. If so, it will be another Potemkin committee, issuing another report. The independence Governor Cuomo promised will clearly be compromised if not wholly sabotaged if he or members of his staff tell the commissioners what to do and what not to do.*  Governor Andrew Cuomo Quashes Moreland Commission’s REBNY Subpoena and Other Follow-The-Money Subpoenas Hitting Too Close To Home(Noticing New York)

Governor Cuomo's Crusade (sort of) Against Corruption Comes With Too Many Asterisks. My Gotham Column(NYT) "a commission member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he desires to continue living peacefully" in NYS. “That’s fundamental, except maybe not for this governor.” “The politicians in Albany won’t like it, but I work for the people, and I won’t stop fighting until we all have a government that we can trust.”— Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, in a commercial shown more than 100 times last summer.



Both the NYT and Times Union Today Say Cuomo Will Pay A Price for Killing Moreland
Even worse, doing so would destroy the confidence of an already wary public that anything meaningful can be done to curb the way money corrupts politics in Albany.* “What gives, Mr. Cuomo?” the Albany Times Union writes on the Moreland Commission. “As dismal as this all is, it may not be too late for this commission to succeed — if Mr. Cuomo can keep his hands off it, regardless of whose feathers get ruffled, and if the commissioners haven’t lost their vision of the original goal and their will to do something about it. If not, Mr. Cuomo should be prepared to own a failure as embarrassing as the system he vowed to fix.”


Bharara: New Media End NYC's Journalism of Sheep
Quotes Murrow Preet Bharara: “fresh news outlets like BuzzFeed … bent on doubling down on political investigations will provide grist” 4 corruption probe Bharara, SDNY US Atty, bullish on , /, & new , in testimony tonight to Moreland Commission *  In testimony, Bharara laments loss of investigative journalists, and puts high hope in new outlets and revived old * U.S. Attorney To Commission: Political Corruption Is Out Of Hand In N.Y. State(WCBS)* Top Lobbyist Patricia Lynch Sees Income Loss Since 2011(NYDN)

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More Moreland Crap

Is Transparency of Corruption Enough to Reform the BOE?

Board of Dereliction (NYDN Ed)
The state's elections panel desperately needs a thorough fumigation. Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission has finally done real good — by exposing the state Board of Elections as the do-nothing patronage dump that it is. Under three hours of sharp questioning at a public hearing, three sad-sack board officials admitted that they have opened just six investigations since 2008, and only one since 2009. That their sole staff investigator — who has since quit — resorted to playing solitaire at his desk after begging for work and being given none. That the board waited two years to probe a serious allegation of voting fraud— then dropped the case after losing a boxful of records. That the board’s former chief enforcement counsel ducked a subpoena to testify by retiring and moving out of state.* Corrupting Influence of Money and Lobbyists in NY(Video)*
AND A WARNING SHOT — Legislators threaten probe of Cuomo lieutenant — Post's Fred Dicker: Members of Klein's Independent Democratic Conference, as well as Democrats who dominate the Assembly, may ask the state's ethics watchdog JCOPE to probe Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy's dealings with the Rochester Business Alliance, and seemingly contradictory statements by him and others. http://goo.gl/fRdCB) * Assembly’s Moreland Law Firm’s Role Defined(YNN) * * The law firm representing the Assembly in its dealings with the Moreland Commission on Public Ethics has broad parameters, including assisting in writing potential legislation, State of Politics reports: 
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Moreland Commission is “off the leash”

Daily News Takes Well Deserved Create For Making Moreland More Real But Forget About Bloggers and Other Papers Who Also Pushed
Off the leash (NYDN)
Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission shows some teeth The Daily News connects the dots on the sudden decision by Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission to barrage the state’s political parties with subpoenas, and says Cuomo should continue to stay out of the commission’s way. It was not until the NYT editorial push on by the DN, NYP and Bloggers did Cuomo free the commission.

The News Takes Credit Alone For Ending Moreland Cover Up
The Old Bulls At the NYT Editorial Board Embarrassed to Get Off Their Ass


Daily News Dot 1: Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman create the Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, with the governor declaring that the panel would be an “independent” force, free to pursue all leads — including any that lead to his desk.
Dot 2: Daily News Albany Bureau Chief Kenneth Lovett reveals that the commission is not so independent after all. Sources tell Lovett that it dropped certain subpoenas under pressure from Cuomo’s top aides.
Dot 3: The shelved subpoenas include one aimed at the state Democratic Party’s “housekeeping” account, which had financed ads promoting the governor’s agenda. In one case, the commission actually delivers a subpoena to the Democrats’ ad-buying firm, then pulls it back.
Dot 4: Reform-minded voices, including this page, warn Cuomo that back-room meddling risks trashing the commission’s credibility — and ruining this generation’s last, best shot at cleaning up Albany.
Dot 5: In a meeting with the Daily News Editorial Board, Cuomo acknowledges that the panel is not truly independent since it answers to him and uses staff borrowed from his office. He also says that he was concerned only that all subpoenas approved by the commission’s co-chairs — Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, Syracuse DA William Fitzpatrick and former federal prosecutor Milton Williams — would be legally defensible. Dot 6 : A few hours later, the commission announces a unanimous vote to subpoena the “housekeeping” records after all — and not just from the Democrats, but also from the Republican, Conservative and Working Families parties, plus the housekeeping accounts controlled by legislative leaders.

Moreland Connections
K2 Intelligence CEO Jules Kroll, whose company is about to be hired by the commission, contributed campaign cash to both the commission’s co-chair, Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice, and AG Eric Schneiderman, who appointed some commission members and is providing its staff.


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Cuomo"Who's On First" Moreland Routine


Who Ever is On First Moreland is Out 
The Times’ Michael Powell adds asterisks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s claims about the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption to reflect the governor’s attempts to inoculate himself from scrutiny
Did you or anyone in your administration block those subpoenas? “No,” the governor replied. “The co-chairs make the decisions.” Did your staff, the reporter persisted, play a role in guiding them? The commission’s staff, the governor replied, is picked by the governor and the attorney general.Is that a yes? “The co-chairs make that determination,” the governor said, before he really had to get going.
It called to mind a gubernatorial updating of Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on first?” routine.





Moreland Issues New Subpoenas


Separation of Powers looming Lawmakers Vs Moreland Commission


Breaking ThurPM
Moreland Commission now serving subpoenas on NYS legislators. Huge important legal battle re: separation of powers looming.
The founder of the firm hired by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission to use counter-terrorism software to probe state lawmakers finances donated $10,000 to one of the commission’s co-chairs, Capital New York writes
The founder of the intelligence firm that is finalizing a contract with the Moreland Commission has given $20,000 in campaign contributions to one of its co-chairs, Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice.
Anti-Corruption Commission Co-Chair Received Donations From Firm Set To Be Hired By Panel (NYDN) *   Cuomo's anti-corruption commission turns sights on itself and its allies(NYDN)
EXCLUSIVE: Anti-Corruption Commission Sending Subpoenas To Gov. Cuomo-Tied Entities(NYDN)
Commission probes NY lawmakers’ outside income(NYP)
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The Moreland Commission should make clear how they chose this particular company. Government contracts are big business and making huge campaign contributions is a time-tested marketing strategy.” – NYPIRG’s Bill Mahoney on reports that the founder of a firm hired by the Moreland Commission gave campaign donations to one of the co-chairs, via Capital New York.  * The founder of the firm hired by the anti-corruption Moreland Commission to use counter-terrorism software to probe state lawmakers finances donated $10,000 to one of the commission’s co-chairs, Capital New York writes: http://bit.ly/GSGQqd
Governor Andrew Cuomo's anti-corruption commission decided to reverse its stance and subpoena the state Democratic Party among other entities tied to the Governor. * Make them come clean (NYDN Ed) Subpoena-slapping is about to befall the top bosses and moneymakers of the state Legislature. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch. Cuomo, under pressure on casino money and Moreland, meets the 'Times'  * Moreland Commission targets NY's limitless campaign accounts

Albany Rats Shaking in Their Boots
Some lawmakers are shaking in their boots over Tuesday's abrupt announcements by the Moreland Commission suggesting it will subpoena legislators, as well as examine all soft money “housekeeping” accounts, including one linked to Gov. Andrew Cuomo that the commission had reportedly balked at subpoenaing. Those actions followed a meeting yesterday that one source described as a “fresh start.” The commission's new boldness was announced just before Cuomo sat down with the Times' and Daily News' editorial boards.
 Commission Says It Will Compel Legislature To Turn Over Records(YNN)
Lovett: Cuomo doing damage-control over anti-corruption commission that held back subpoenas to Cuomo friendlie(NYDN) * Schneiderman: Moreland Must Be Independent (Updated)(YNN) * Inbox: After legis leaders "refused to cooperate," Moreland Commission votes to "aggressively move forward in compelling production" of info * Moreland Commission To Issue Subpoenas To NYS Lawmakers For Info On Outside Income(NYDN)  QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Our investigation includes examining New York State legislators and their connections to outside business practices. On August 27, we requested information to be submitted by certain legislators. Leaders of the legislature for both the Assembly and Senate refused to cooperate. The Commission voted today to aggressively move forward in compelling production of information into specific matters that the Commission is investigating.” – The Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, via the Daily News.* JCOPE Mid-Year lobbying data is out * Sources: the Moreland Commission voted today to subpoena the State Democratic Party, among other political committees.* . on : Lhota didn't attack for lack of experience.


Bharara: New Media End NYC's Journalism of Sheep
Quotes Murrow Preet Bharara: “fresh news outlets like BuzzFeed … bent on doubling down on political investigations will provide grist” 4 corruption probe Bharara, SDNY US Atty, bullish on , /, & new , in testimony tonight to Moreland Commission *  In testimony, Bharara laments loss of investigative journalists, and puts high hope in new outlets and revived old * U.S. Attorney To Commission: Political Corruption Is Out Of Hand In N.Y. State(WCBS)* Top Lobbyist Patricia Lynch Sees Income Loss Since 2011(NYDN)

Judge Sullivan Does Not Like Bharara Press Operation
Federal Judge Chides Bharara for ‘Tabloid’ Press Operation(Law Blog) At a recent panel discussion in Manhattan, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan said the U.S. attorney’s office press releases had assumed a “tabloid” tone. The judge questioned whether Mr. Bharara was casting too much judgment on public officials who stand accused of corruption, but have not been convicted.

Lawmakers High Costs of Living
State power players draw the most cash(TU)
Legislature spends $102M in latest report, lawmakers with influence receive the most
The truism that money follows power remains at work in the state Senate, where IDC leader Jeff Klein has reported office expenditures of $5.7 million over the past six years.


CIA Counter-Terrorism Software to Albany Corruption

Today the NYP Reports What the Blogger Broke Yesterday
Data firm tapped to target state corruption(NYP) * Why Albany hates sunlight(NYP Ed)

Moreland Fights to Stay Alive: BREAKING ON CAPITAL: A special investigative commission wants to turn software designed for counter-terrorism investigations on New York lawmakers, Capital has learned. … The Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption is finalizing a contract with K2 Intelligence for “reviewing immense amounts of data from disparate sources and of varied levels of organization to uncover conflicts of interest or possible corruption,” according to a letter from Cuomo's office. While the Moreland Commission has no set budget, the letter seeks approval to spend as much as $175,000 on the data analysis between now and the end of the year, drawing funds from the operating budget of the Cuomo-controlled Division of Budget. READ THE LETTER "Corruption commission seeks to turn N.S.A. software on "






The Old Bulls At the NYT Editorial Board Embarrassed to Get Off Their Ass Today
Were is the Outrage From the Goo Goos and Reforms?
New York Legislators’ Secret Income(NYT Ed) The state anticorruption commission must press for details about outside money sources that lawmakers have kept hidden for decades.Considering the scandals in the New York State Legislature, one would think that battered lawmakers would be eager to clean up their reputation. Instead, they’ve hired lawyers to fight a new anticorruption commission’s efforts to find out precisely where they earn outside income. This fight, they insist, is all about maintaining a separation of powers and protecting the Legislature from an intrusive executive. That's the press, baby (Video from Deadline - USA)

Cuomo Damage Control Plan to Cut Off the Moreland Commission is Blocked By GOP Senate
Cuomo doing damage-control over anti-corruption commission — gets no favors from GOP (NYDN)

Cuomo may want to reignite talks with the Legislature on ethics reform, but Senate Republicans are letting him know, says an insider, ‘We may very well do it, but we’re not doing it on your time frame. State Senate Republicans are balking at Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to reignite talks with the Legislature on ethics reform, with Cuomo believing it will hurt Senate Republicans in retaining control of the chamber. Cuomo has been turning to G. Steven Pigeon, the former Erie County Democratic chairman, for politics, policy and fundraising, in part due to Pigeon’s close relationship with Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, one of Cuomo’s proxies in Buffalo, The Buffalo News writes * Cuomo’s power game with Con Ed(NYP) * State officials say Cuomo’s Director of Operations Howard Glaser is working on helping Cuomo author his State of the State address, and is pushing to get the governor’s casino expansion plan realized, the Times Union reports






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Moreland Ethics Problems

Moreland Commission Head Rice Got $300,000 From Silver Law Firm

Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice, the co-chair of the Moreland Commission investigating public corruption, has received nearly $300,000 in campaign donations from Sheldon Silver’s law firm, the Daily News writes: http://nydn.us/18eUHh7
Critics question how deeply corruption panel co-chair Kathleen Rice would probe Sheldon Silver after campaign contributions











NYP Joins the NYT and True News Book 'Em (Albany) Danno, Why Not Call for A Moreland Commission

The rot at NY’s top(NYP) Why There’ll Be No Real Reform

NYT Yesterday
NYP Today
Book 'Em Danno

The Post’s Bob McManus argues that there can be no real reform against public corruption until investigators address the current legislative leadership and their obvious conflicts of interest

NYP - There will be no real reform until Bharara, Lynch & Co. address the current legislative leadership and their obvious, egregious, conflicts of interest. And it wouldn’t hurt for the governor to bring less rhetoric and more example to this issue. There’s no room for ethics — nor for ethical people — in this mess.
So why be surprised when the skeezy back-benchers who predominate declare, Hey! I’m going to get mine! Bob McManus believes corruption in Albany starts at the top, and calls out Cuomo for his taxpayer funded pro-business ad campaign.

NYT “It will take more than public shaming to the Albany crowd to do things right.”

 NYT Should Call for the Moreland Commission
NYT "encourage the prosecutors to keep probing — and listening"
 Corruption in Albany(NYT Ed)
The indictment of yet another politician by federal investigators is one way to clean up New York’s rancid state government. Public financing of campaigns is another.

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