Cuomo Made $783,000 From Selling 3,200 Books How Do I Get A Contract With Harper Collins
Cuomo made over $417K last year — mostly from his failing book (NYP) The governor said he raked in another $218,100 from “All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life,” a 2014 book that bombed on the sales racks. The 500-page book has sold just 3,200 copies, according to the tracking company NPD BookScan. But it provided a windfall for Cuomo. His taxes in 2013 and 2014 showed he received $565,000 in advances and other payments in those years. No income from the book was reported in 2015. So his total take from taking pen to page has come to $783,000. “This [latest] payment was contractual and per the agreement with the publisher [HarperCollins],” explained Cuomo spokeswoman Dani Lever. Initially priced at $29.99, the book was available Tuesday on Amazon for $13.05. (NYP) * Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported earning royalties for his memoir that amount to roughly $245 per book, but it was originally sold for $29.99, and when asked about the timing of the payments, the publisher said it does not comment on financial agreements, The Buffalo News reports. * How did Cuomo make $783,000 on memoir that sold 3,200copies? (Buffalo News) * How Did Gov. Cuomo Make $783,000 In Royalties From A Book That Sold Only 3,200 Copies? (International Business Times) * Problems in advance and giving elected authors the royalty treatment (NYP) What his returns show is that in 2016, he earned income of $218,100 — greater than his $179,000 gubernatorial salary — from HarperCollins Publishers, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Very good for Cuomo. The money was for his memoir, “All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life,” published in 2014. It was, for the governor’s bottom line, a rousing financial success. It was, for the publisher, a decisive setback. In 2013, Cuomo earned $188,333 from the book; in 2014, another $376,667. In 2015, he reported no income from the book. So his income so far for having authored the 528-page volume is $783,100. Yet the book (list price: $29.99) sold an estimated 3,200 copies of 200,000 printed. That comes to $245 per book going to Cuomo. Or, put another way, payments to the author of $783,100 on sales of $95,968. Namely, publishers hungry for big-name authors lavish them with giant advances, and minimal payment contingent on actual sales. Which means people who are supposed to work only for the public get big-money personal payments that would in other contexts be deemed unacceptable — especially in a state Capitol where Cuomo looks to limit outside income as part of ethics reform. We do not here allege any specific conflict of interest, though it is a fact that News Corp. lobbies the state, as many corporations do. And it is a fact that HarperCollins and its parent company have benefited from state tax breaks for electronic book sales and online-only subscription-based publications. News Corp. also gets plenty of ongoing help from state tax credits for film and TV production. To eliminate even the appearance of corruption, better to limit public officials’ author payments to royalties of books sold. No more advances. That is actually the rule in House of Representatives. It has been in place since 1995, when incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich signed a deal with — yep — Murdoch’s HarperCollins, including a $4.5 million advance. An uproar ensued, prompting Gingrich to rip up the contract and accept only royalties. He also made it the permanent rule of the House. Advances were initially meant to frontload payments of some portion of royalties to support an author during the writing of the book. That does not apply here, since politicians are still drawing a public salary when writing. The large payments surely do help the likes of Cuomo, who aren’t known for hunching over the keyboard themselves, to pay ghostwriters, researchers and the like. A royalty-only contract might complicate those economics. But leaders as creative as Cuomo can surely figure that out.
Fredric U. Dicker @fud31 Republican McLaughlin wonders where ''Republican" Flanagan is hiding re Cuomo book deal & hiring of "lobbyist's daughter as secretary":
de Blasio 2014 to 2017 Vs More de Blasio State of the City Campaign Promises Real Problem Cover-Up
What Happens to the 2013 Campaign Promise to Keep A Hospital Open, Solve Homelessness, Child Abuse and Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis?
Cuomo Wants Happy News Flacks to Control What is Printed About Him
The announcements included:
- Solar power in the state increased nearly 800 percent over the past five years.
- The State Police Forensic Investigation Center had slashed the amount of time it takes to process forensic evidence in drunken-driving cases.
- There’s a crackdown on illegal waste dumping in the city, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.
- A sting by the state Department of Financial Services caught 11 health insurers allegedly providing inaccurate or misleading information to consumers about providing contraceptive coverage.
- Some 370 CUNY and SUNY students registered to take part in the first Making College Possible Coding Challenge.
Agency press secretaries are managerial employees who serve at the pleasure of the governor, so they already spend their time trying to make him look good. “The time-honored tradition is the governor gets credit for good news generated by an agency. If it’s bad news, it’s the commissioner’s fault,” said one state official.
Cuomo Apears With and Calls Mangano Arrests By the Feds for Pay to Play A Personal Matter
Cuomo appears with indicted county executive (NYP) Gov. Cuomo’s “zero tolerance” policy against abusing the public trust might not be as strict as it sounds. Cuomo appeared Sunday with Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano to tout a road-improvement project — the first time the two have been in public together since Mangano and his wife, Linda, werecharged in October with accepting gifts from a restaurateur in return for government contracts. Cuomo took pains to soften Mangano’s legal predicament at the Long Island press conference — at one point referring to the federal charges as “his personal situations.” “The county executive and I have a working relationship,” Cuomo said. “There are a lot of state projects that are going on, and I’m working with him the way I have.” Cuomo has been much more critical when it comes to alleged corruption within his own administration. When longtime family friend and adviser Joe Percoco was indicted in September, he said at the time he has “zero tolerance for abuse of the public trust from anyone.” “If anything, a friend should be held to an even higher standard,” he added. * For the first time since January 2015, 60 percent of New Yorkers have a favorable view of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and his job performance rating is now positive for the first time since July 2014, according to a statewide Siena College poll released today. * Cuomo insisted there was already enough independent oversight of the state’s economic development programs, pointing to the local and federal prosecutors already in place,State of Politics writes.
Cuomo appeared Sunday with Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano to tout a road improvement project, the first time they’ve been in public together since Mangano and his wife were charged with accepting gifts in return for government contracts
Ted Hamm @HammerDaily -- Didn't Kathy Hochul refute corruption charges against Cuomo by saying "voters don't care"? Just saying...
Cuomo, GOP leaders feud over proposed tax hikes (NYP) A war has erupted between Gov. Cuomo and state Senate Republicans over the taxes and fees added in his new budget. “What we heard tended to be a little different than what we saw in reality,” Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said Monday. “The governor gave what I believe was a very broad macro-description of what was in the budget,” Flanagan later told reporters. “You tell me, ‘There’s basically nothing,’ and there’s $250 million in new fees. That’s important for the public to know and that’s important to be brought up in the discussion.” Republicans estimated the $152.3 billion spending plan included $803 million in new fees and taxes.
Where the buck stops: What Cuomo’s budget does (NYDN) Cost of 3 wind farms Cuomo wants off LI coast: $2-3 billion each
Cuomo defies President Trump by promising to protect NewYork women’s reproductive rights (NYDN)
Cuomo on his father, Tim Russert and an affinity forBuffalo (Buffalo News)
Is Cuomo going to abandon New York taxpayers? (NYP) Cuomo’s six-year budget record has mixed tax cuts and tax hikes, shrewd economizing and outright waste, sound financial practices and objectionable gimmicks. Through it all, however, he’s stopped the Legislature from spending wildly beyond the state’s means. Given Albany’s history, this is no small accomplishment. The question now as he pushes the progressive buttons with programs like free SUNY CUNY Tuitions for Middle Class Families is whether he’ll keep it up the 2% budget growth rate— or let taxpayers down.*
Cuomo IDC Rules Albany Now
- SEN. JEFF KLEIN: SHE IS MINE...Alcantara Fundraising for IDC...
- * No matter which party controls the state Senate come January, there is an excellent chance state Sen. Jeff Klein, the leader of the Independent Democratic Conference, at the very least will wind up the chamber's co-president, the Daily News’ Ken Lovett writes.
Trump Hits Cuomo On State Up NY TV Ads
While accepting the state Conservative Party’s endorsement, presidential nominee Donald Trump slammed the tens of millions of dollars in public funds Gov. Andrew Cuomo has spent on TV ads program promoting his Start-UP NY jobs program, the Post reports. * Despite the company’s financial problems, Cuomo defended SolarCity and said that its Buffalo factory, the centerpiece of his Buffalo Billion initiative, is part of a broader strategy focusing on the growth of the clean energy industry, The Buffalo News reports. * PolitiFact assessesAssemblyman Robin Schimminger’s claim that state officials reported an incorrect number of jobs created by companies participating in the Start-Up NY economic development program, and finds the lawmaker’s assertion to be “false.”
While accepting the state Conservative Party’s endorsement, presidential nominee Donald Trump slammed the tens of millions of dollars in public funds Gov. Andrew Cuomo has spent on TV ads program promoting his Start-UP NY jobs program, the Post reports. * Despite the company’s financial problems, Cuomo defended SolarCity and said that its Buffalo factory, the centerpiece of his Buffalo Billion initiative, is part of a broader strategy focusing on the growth of the clean energy industry, The Buffalo News reports. * PolitiFact assessesAssemblyman Robin Schimminger’s claim that state officials reported an incorrect number of jobs created by companies participating in the Start-Up NY economic development program, and finds the lawmaker’s assertion to be “false.”
Some Progressives Organize Against Cuomo
State Democrats want to drive Andrew Cuomo out of office (NYP) Disaffected Democrats furious with Gov. Cuomo after nine of his friends and donors were ensnared in a sprawling federal corruption scandal last week say they plan to run him out of office. More than four dozen progressive leaders met in Albany on Saturday to launch a statewide organization aimed at moving the Democratic Party leftward and building support for a candidate to oppose Cuomo in 2018. “Taking over the Democratic Party and pushing Cuomo out the door is a major reason we are pushing this forward today,” said attorney Arthur Schwartz, who organized the powwow.
Tom Dadey @TomDadeyJr .@PreetBharara Describes Corruption in New York as systemic overlooks 'do nothing' District Attorneys * Who Watchers the Watchman, Lobbyists, Grand Jury, AG -DAs Conflict of Interests with the political machines and pols who elect them
NYPD Ticket Fixing Scandal Reporting Drip Drip Drip
Cuomo Caught Up in Bridgegate Astorino Calls for Both to Resign
Witness: Cuomo, Christie talked about making Bridgegate 'go away' * Cuomo orderedhalt to Bridgegate probe after talks with Christie, former Port Authorityexecutive says * Cuomo Implicated in Bridgegate Scandal Cover-Up (DNAINFO) * Cuomo helped Christie cover up Bridgegate: witness (NYP) * Cuomo ordered halt to Bridgegate probe after talks with Christie, former Port Authority executive says (NYDN)
Cuomo Bites Back Hard
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his aides have developed a reputation for responding with searing personal attacks when criticized by those who disagree with his policies, which has left even political veterans jarred, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Team de Blasio Uses Media to Attack Cuomo's PAC
Minimum raise push blurs lines between donors' apparatus and Cuomo’s (PoliticoNY) Donors include SEIU, Amalgamated Bank, Hotel Trades Council Cuomo joining a major labor union's push to raise the minimum wage, or is the union putting as-yet-untold amounts of time and money into a boosting a gubernatorial proposal? Consider what happened in a former armory in this city's Midtown neighborhood on Wednesday morning, the latest in a series of rallies that the Democratic governor is headlining as part of an RV tour sponsored by the Mario Cuomo Campaign for Economic Justice. But the Mario Cuomo Campaign for Economic Justice — a registered lobbying group created last year when Cuomo first embraced the $15 minimum wage figure — paid for the RV and rented the space for the event, a spokesman said. The use of outside groups to buttress an official agenda is becoming increasingly common in state politics, and this is the second time during his five years in office that Cuomo has relied on an outside group for support. But the practice comes with questions about how the work of officials and interest groups overlap, and how rules requiring disclosure and prohibiting gifts apply, even as Cuomo himself pushes for greater transparency. Austin Shafran, a spokesman for MCCEJ — whose firm, Metropolitan Public Strategies, also works on behalf of Cuomo's re-election campaign — said the donors include 1199, the SEIU international organization, its 32BJ affiliate, the Hotel Trades Council, the labor-backed Amalgamated Bank and the Healthcare Education Project, a joint venture of 1199 and the Greater New York Hospital Association.
War: de Blasio vs Cuomo
Cuomo Hopes Economic Justice TV
Ads Ticket to Keynote
Insiders say TV commercials for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Mario Cuomo Campaign for Economic Justice are meant to help the governor secure the keynote speaking role at the Democratic National Convention in July, the Post’sFred Dicker reports: * It has been 270 days since Cuomo held a news conference in the Capitol, which veteran Albany observers say appears to be one of the longest dry spells by a governor in modern memory, the Journal reports: * On June 25, 2015, Gov. Andrew Cuomo strolled into the Capitol’s stately Red Room, unbuttoned his suit jacket, glanced at his wristwatch and sat down to face several dozen members of the Albany press corps. He hasn’t done so since. Today marks 270 dayssince the governor last held a news conference in the Capitol. * TV commercials for Cuomo’s $15-anhour minimum wage push are aimed at winning him the keynote speaking role at the Democratic National Convention in July — the same role that turned his father into a potential presidential candidate 32 years ago, Democratic insiders tell Fred Dicker.
After Cuomo Moves to Repair Ties to UFT is He Still the Student's Lobbyists?
de Blasio Describes NYC As A Semi-Colonial Victim of Albany . . . Is Cuomo King George?
De Blasio: City is hindered by Albany’s semi-colonial dynamic (NYP) Mayor de Blasio took aim at Gov. Cuomo on Sunday, saying the Big Apple is “hindered” by Albany’s “arbitrary” approval process, which has soured the relationship between the city and the state. “There are still so many things that we need to go to Albany for approval on that, at this point in history, we shouldn’t,” de Blasio said on Bill Samuels’ radio show. “It’s a semi-colonial dynamic that really needs to be overcome at this point.” De Blasio was responding to questions from Samuels about Cuomo potentially passing off about $650 million in Medicaid costs to the city. He and the governor have battled for months in a feud that bubbled over last summer when the mayor public aired his grievances with Cuomo. On Sunday, de Blasio said Cuomo assured him that Medicaid “cuts would not cost New York City a penny.” Last month, Cuomo presented a budget that would force the city to pick up the tab for Medicaid and CUNY expenses, costs the state usually takes on.* Albany 's blessing. Nothing in the plans outlined in de Blasio's Feb. 4 State of the City address rises or falls on cooperation from his frequent adversary, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, or State Senate Republicans. "In 2014 and 2015, they blocked the mayor on several fronts, including his ideas to tax the rich to fund universal prekindergarten and how to structure tax breaks to encourage affordable housing. 'I think that the mayor realized the challenges that he faces in Albany with both houses of the legislature and the governor,' Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder, a Democrat who represents southern Queens . 'I think that while he's working very hard to repair relationships, he's trying to be pragmatic in his approach to get this done for the city. * Cuomo: ‘Very Aggressive’ In Ethics Push (YNN)
More on Cuomo
de Blasio's War Against the Charter Schools Continue: pre-K Battle
A critical deadline passed in a dispute between Success Academy Success Academy
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A Side Effect Of the Albany Leadership Corruption Convictions Was the Empowerment of the UFT
As A Result of Real Estate 421-A Money Being Cut Off Cuomo Abandoned School Reform for the Political Support of the Teachers Union and to Cut of de Blasio From the UFT
Cuomo Uses His Father for His Turn Left to $15 Wage
Why is the Daily News Using Unnamed Democratic Flack or Operatives As A Source? And Why? How Often Does He Plant Stories for Them?
After All This Cuomo Double Dipping On Developers $$$ Both Union and No Union
Attorney for anti-union construction group to fundraise for Cuomo (PolitiaNY) The hosts are listed as the Gerstmans and David and Heather Schwartz. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is scheduled to make an appearance, according to the invitation. It’s not clear whether Cuomo himself will attend. Brad Gerstman and David Schwartz are the founding partners at Gotham and represent some developers who have been in the news lately. State records indicate their firm lobbies for 400 Times Square Associates LLC, which is reportedly using non-union labor to develop a hotel at 577 Ninth Ave., where a construction worker recently died. As of last month, Gerstman was also an attorney for the Rinaldi Group, a building contractor whose license was pulled for running unsafe job sites.
The city launched an investigation into Rinaldi after a worker perished at a Rinaldi construction site in Midtown. Gerstman is also frontman for BuildingNYC, a group launched this month that advocates against union construction labor. From NY Observer But Mr. Cuomo handed Mr. LaBarbera the ultimate trump card over the real estate industry in June: the 421a tax credit for developers, which many builders regard as essential to all new construction in the city, and which came up for renewal this spring. After weeks of ads and lobbying from union-backed groups like UP4NYC, the governor, Mr. Heastie and Mr. Flanagan reached an agreement: the abatement would expire in six months unless Real Estate Board of New York and the Building Trades Council could come to an agreement on new pay floors to be written into the tax credit. Was it a reward for Mr. LaBarbera backing the governor up in his spat with public employees unions years ago? Or was the union leader just the beneficiary of Mr. Cuomo’s continuing war with Mr. de Blasio? Probably nobody knows—and it’s unlikely Mr. LaBarbera and his members care. The days before the January 15 deadline are now swiftly draining away with no agreement in sight, leaving the Building Trades Council and REBNY in a game of chicken. But unlike REBNY President John Banks, Mr. LaBarbera has no incentive to blink.* Cuomo is taking blood money from anti-union grouplinked to worker deaths
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How Andrew Cuomo balanced his budget (PoliticoNY)
Team de Blasio Fights Back to What Cuomo Calls One of the Strongest Budget for NYC
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to transform the much-maligned Penn Station is already behind schedule. And it’s not clear what the hold up is.
Cuomo’s Budget Opens New Chapter in Rivalry With de Blasio (NYT) Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed on Thursday to use “any means necessary” to reverse cuts outlined in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s budget plan, which the mayor praised on Wednesday.* City University
Mayor de Blasio vows to fight Gov. Cuomo’s budget cuts ‘by any means necessary’ (NYDN)* Cuomo: "At the end of the day, there will be no cut to CUNY. I want to see more funding for CUNY. But we have to find efficiencies"*Cuomo: No Cuts, But ‘Efficiencies’ Need To Be Found (YNN)*Cuomo cuts $485 million from CUNY budget, says it's"steamlining" things * Cuomo now says his budget ‘won’t cost New York City a penny’ (CapitalNY)* In his second attempt to recast a media narrative that his proposed budget hurts New York City, Cuomo told NY1 his proposals to shift costs to de Blasio’s books are actually a joint effort to reduce the “cost of bureaucracy” at CUNY and in the city’s Medicaid program.* .@BilldeBlasio says he'll fight @NYGovCuomo's cuts to city "by any means necessary"* Mayor Bill de Blasio sternly rebuked Gov. Andrew Cuomo for placing new financial strains on New York City , saying he would use “any means necessary” to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in state financing, The New YorkTimes reports:
Both de Blasio Defenders the Daily News and Times Blasts the Cuts to the City in Cuomo's Budget
Hours after de Blasio vowed to do whatever it takes to scuttle up to $800 million in costs Cuomo wanted to force the city to cough up, the governor began to backpedal on the costly proposal*By day’s end, Cuomo said his budget changes, in fact, “won’t cost New York City a penny,” while Blasio, who on Wednesday had said the state budget represented “real progress” for New Yorkers, described the governor’s cuts a day later as “unprecedented” and “unfair to our city.” * Cuomo aides insisted that trying to offload the bulk of CUNY costs onto the city is an eminently reasonable thing to do, given the city’s one-third representation on the university system’s board of trustees. * The New York Times sides with de Blasio in this budget battle, saying if the governor’s proposals are as “needlessly punishing” as experts fear,” then he “must not get away with it.” * Cuomo’s push for a 12-week paid family leave law would only cover 35 percent of a person’s salary in the first year, because it will take time to build up the payroll contribution fund to pay more, the Daily News writes: * Cuomo did not mention during his State of the State a half billion dollars in cuts to the City University of New York from the state budget, part of a broader effort to shift costs from the state to New York City, the Times writes:
The governor received an “advance” worth some $700,000 to produce his 2014 memoir, “All Things Possible,” before he ever sold a single copy. Now, his administration has introduced language in his 2016 budget that would rein in state legislators’ abilities to similarly land lucrative book advances from publishers. It would not impact Cuomo – a member of the executive branch.* THINK BIG, BILL: Mayor must rise to Cuomo's budget challenge(NYDN Ed) The governor of Wednesday was not the governor of Thursday. Who will Andrew Cuomo be tomorrow and beyond? Roughly 24 hours after presenting a budget plan that would tap New York City ’s treasury for as much as $800 million with changes in funding for Medicaid and the City University New York City a penny,” Cuomo declared, perhaps motivated by a Daily News headline that captured the essence of his proposal in four words: “IT’S SCREW YORK CITY
Cuomo has unveiled several “signature proposals” ahead of his State of the State, which will allow him to focus on whatever he chooses today, after dropping hints about major Ethics Pushes, The New York Timesreports: * Good government groups met with the governor’s staff yesterday and attempted to pitch ideas about potential ethics reform proposals, but NYPIRG’s Blair Horner said they have no sense of which were viable, theTimes Union reports: * The governor floated many reform proposals, some of them decades-old retreads, some of them new ideas. His most notable new proposal was to limit the outside income of legislators to 15 percent of their base pay. * Cuomo plans for the state to play a larger role in overseeing New York City Homeless programs, but the city and some advocates maintain the state’s reluctance to financially help have contributed to the problem, the Times reports: * Part of Cuomo’s Penn Station proposal includes reviving a 15-year-old lease proposal with the Port Authority, but a former executive director said the plan would have shortchanged the authority, The Wall StreetJournal reports: * Governor Expected to Address Ethics Crisis in Albany in Wednesday'sState of the State Address (NY1) * Gov. Cuomo says his big transit proposals will upstage hisState of the State speech. (NYT)The Man Who is Scaring the Hell Out of Albany Gets No Credit
Pols Rase Millions this Quarter
Cuomo Takes $900,000 From LLCs At the Same Time He is Fighting to End That Loophole
Schneiderman To Report Raising $1.6M (YNN) * Cuomo Raises $5M, Has $16M In The Bank (YNN) * Candidate For Silver’s Seat Raises $133K Democratic Assembly hopeful Yuh-Line Niou will file $133,186 in her effort to fill the seat vacated by former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. * Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie raised $298,000 over the past six months.* Mark-Viverito raises $150,000 (PoliticoNY)* Being Assembly speaker pays off for Heastie - City &Region - The BuffaloNews (Buffalo News) *Hollywood bigs, Walmart heiress boost Cuomo’s$16M war chest (NYP) * Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo also disclosed records on Friday showing he had raised nearly $900,000 from limited-liability companies, or L.L.C.s, whose influence he is now seeking to curb.* Mr. Cuomo’s campaign reported raising about $5.5 million over the last six months, with just over $16 million in cash on hand, according to documents filed with the State Board of Elections. The governor’s disclosure of $900,000 in contributions from L.L.C.s came after he called for eliminating the so-called L.L.C. loophole in his State of the State address on Wednesday. These companies can contribute up to $60,800 to a statewide candidate per election cycle — far beyond the regular corporate limit. Government watchdogs have long criticized the maneuver as a way for companies to make donations by funneling them through multiple L.L.C.s. Asked to address the apparent discrepancy, a spokesman for the Cuomo campaign said in a statement that while the “campaign follows all finance laws and will continue to do so,” the governor had been a “vocal supporter of closing the L.L.C. loophole. The filing also showed that Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, paid $300,000 over the last six months to the law firm that represented his office while it was being investigated by Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan , over the governor’s shutdown of an anticorruption panel in 2014. Mr. Bharara said on Monday that prosecutors had not found enough evidence to bring a criminal case against the governor or his aides.* Cuomo has raised more than $5 million over the last six months and has $16 million in cash on hand, according to a campaign finance report filed with the Board of Elections, State of Politics reports: * COR Development, the politically connected company developing the state’s nanotechnology hub in DeWitt and Syracuse’s Inner Harbor, gave Cuomo $50,000 in the past six months, making them Cuomo’s top donor in Central New York.* -- The list of Cuomo's largest donors is dominated by hedge funders and real estate developers. This isn't a significant departure from the 2014 cycle , when most of the money going to the governor and the New York State Democratic Committee came from similar sources. But at least in the first quarter of the cycle, the dominance of these two sectors is notable: 1199SEIU, which gave the party $255,000 and the governor $60,000 and Ronald Perelman ($36,000 and $138,203) are the only two of the 15 largest donors to these committees to not fall neatly into one of these categories. This list is topped by hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller, who has written two $500,000 checks to the party that has spent a huge share of its money supporting Cuomo in recent years. In 2013, the state Democrats' housekeeping account spent millions buying advertisements that boosted the governor's agenda, the next year, 86 percent of its independent expenditures were on Cuomo's behalf.
Pro Cuomo Ads Return to TV
UFT Airs Common Core Ad (YNN) Remember last year, when Cuomo was in full-on war mode against the teachers unions, and trying to force education reform down the Legislature’s throat by inserting it into his budget language and tying his proposals to a boost in school aid? This year’s budget is nothing like that, though education advocates are not thrilled with the governor’s aid proposal, which falls about $1 billion short of what they were seeking. That said, there has been an about 180-degree about-face on the governor’s part when it comes to the controversial Common Core curriculum, the opt-out movement and linking test results to teacher performance evaluations. And instead of going on the offensive against Cuomo, one teachers union – the NYC-based UFT – is hitting the airwaves with $1.4 million ad campaign that urges New Yorkers to support the recommendations of the governor’s Common Core task force.* UFT spends $1M thanking Cuomo for Common Core backtrack (NYP) The city teachers union is spending $1.4 million on TV ads to thank Gov. Cuomo for retreating from plans to use student Common Core test results to evaluate teachers.
Cuomo Enters New Year in A Panic Wants to Take Down de Blasio and Uncertainty On What Bharara Will Do to Him
Cuomo enters his sixth year in office frantically driven to increase his record-low approval ratings, obsessed with defeating de Blasio in 2017 and “edgily nervous’’ about U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s next move
Cuomo is desperate to take down de Blasio in 2017 (Dicker, NYP) Cuomo has entered his sixth year in office frantically driven to increase his record-low approval ratings, obsessed with defeating Mayor de Blasio in 2017, and “edgily nervous’’ about US Attorney Preet Bharara’s next move, sources close to the governor have told The Post. Cuomo was also described as “desperately’’ seeking allies within his own Democratic Party to be part of an anti-de Blasio coalition, after having alienated many of them by his “bullying’’ and “contemptuous’’ treatment. Cuomo, meanwhile, was described by one associate as “edgily nervous’’ about the next move to be made by federal prosecutor Bharara, whose successful prosecution of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau) and startling admonition to “stay tuned” has led to widespread speculation that the governor is his next target.Not Being Charged By Bharara for Killing Moreland Does Not Clear Cuomo of Betrayal of His Pledge to Clean Up Albany
The Post writes that Cuomo should be ashamed of how he handled the Moreland Commission he convened to probe corruption, despite the fact that U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced he won’t bring charges against the governor
‘No indictment’ hardly clears Cuomo for his betrayal of anti-corruption (NYP) Preet Bharara’s announcement Monday surely brought one big sigh of relief: The US Attorney won’t bring charges in Gov. Cuomo’s handling of the anti-corruption Moreland Commission. Such is Albany ’s perpetual dysfunction that “insufficient evidence to prove a federal crime” in the “interference with the operation of the Moreland Commission and its premature closing” is good news. Still, Cuomo should be ashamed of his Moreland record. He shut the commission down even as it was developing key evidence against Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, the two leaders of the state Legislature — and it’s obvious he did it at their request, in exchange for other concessions in Albany’s endless bargaining.Bharara then swooped in, grabbed the Moreland files — and proceeded to arrest, indict and convict both men.“Stay tuned,” Bharara has said repeatedly, and by his account more cases may yet come from the Moreland evidence. Plus, his no-charges decision came with a key caveat: “absent any additional proof that may develop.” And he reportedly has an active investigation into a Buffalo construction project run by a Cuomo donor. But it’s hard to think of anything Cuomo might have done that’s more pro-corruption than his stifling of the Moreland probe. Again, the commission’s work helped Bharara land the biggest anti-Albany-corruption one-two punch in living memory. How many more heads might have rolled had the governor stood behind his investigators? Andrew Cuomo rode into office on a “clean up Albany ” platform — then trampled on his best chance to deliver. * With Bharara’s Moreland investigation over, Cuomo should push for stronger ethics reforms, and it will also be to Western New York ’s advantage if Bharara’s probe into the Buffalo Billion ends the same way, The Buffalo News writes:
de Blasio Defends His Record On Failing Schools
De Blasio pushes back against principals’ complaints over failing schools (NYP) Mayor de Blasio pushed back Thursday agaiDenst complaints by principals-union President Ernie Logan over how the city is running its lowest-performing schools, arguing he was elected to implement a “different vision” than his predecessor. In a public letter to his members this week, Logan complained that there were too many bureaucratic cooks in the kitchen at the 94 so-called Renewal Schools, and that principals don’t have nearly as much autonomy as they did under former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. But de Blasio fired back that he was picked for mayor because of his education platform. “If anyone says they would prefer the previous administration’s model, well, they should have voted for that. We have a different vision,” de Blasio said at the high-performing HS for Arts & Business in Queens . * De Blasio pushed back against complaints by principals-union President Ernie Logan over how the city is running its lowest-performing schools, arguing he was elected to implement a “different vision” than his predecessor.
de Blasio Caught At Making Nice to Flanagan At the Same Time He is Trying to Defeat Him- Meeting Off
Mayor School Control On the Table
Mayor deBlasio’s plans to make nice with state Legislature foiled again (NYDN) New Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan was set to meet face-to-face with the mayor a week after Christmas. But Flanagan is said to have abruptly canceled the sit-down after it was reported that de Blasio was still working behind the scenes to help the Democrats claim control of the Senate in the upcoming November elections. De Blasio had previously stated he would be taking a more low-key approach to the races after he gambled big on the Democrats in 2014 and lost, leaving the Senate GOP even more hostile to his agenda. "The mayor doesn't get it and he probably never will," a state government source said. "He has no allies in Albany , he is toxic in most parts of the state and on top of all that he shows that he can't be trusted. Why would anyone want to work with him? "* New York 's Less than a year after the New York State Legislature extended mayoral control over New York City schools for just a single year, Mayor Bill de Blasio is preparing to return to Albany to ask for a longer renewal. But this year, the dynamics in Albany indicate that it may be a less contentious process. ... De Blasio is starting this year off on a less acrimonious footing with Senate Republicans, as unlike last year, when de Blasio unsuccessfully intervened in Senate re-election races, the mayor recently vowed to stay out of this year's Senate election cycle. ... But de Blasio's own education record may be his greatest obstacle to securing a longer mayoral control extension. *-- WSJ headline: "New York City's Bill de Blasio Faces Another Slog in Albany": * On mayoral control, @BilldeBlasio isn't interested inbeing held accountable & expects a rubber stamp from Albany: * Assembly Dems Have Preliminary Talks On Outside Income (YNN) * Senate Revives Education Tax Credit Push (YNN) * Kaminsky Forms Campaign Committee For Skelos Seat (YNN)
"We have a list of rules reforms that Assembly Democrats voted down. Term limits for legislative leaders. Term limits for committee chairs.
Cuomo Names City Comptroller, de Blasio Foe, to Oversee City Homeless Shelters
In Albany,de Blasio takes a political punch, Cuomo-style (NYT) * Cuomo reveals $20 billion affordable-housing plan (NYP) * Gem in Cuomo budget: $590 million from bank settlementsproposed to go to affordable & homeless housing. Now posted: * Senate GOP Skeptical On Income Limit (YNN) * Flanagan’s Response: Senate Plans To Combat Terrorism, Heroin (YNN) * Barron Removed From State Of The State After Heckling Cuomo (YNN) * Cuomo Proposes $143.6B Budget, Challenges Lawmakers On Ethics Reform (YNN) * Andrew Cuomo Lays Out Ethics Plan forAlbany
Albany Whores Rush to Put Lipstick On Their Pig Ahead of Cuomo's Speech
Assembly Republicans Push Term Limits, Invite Bharara To Albany (YNN)* IDC Signs On To ‘Clean Conscious’ Pledge (YNN) * Senate To Consider Term Limits, Spending Cap (YNN)* * Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to include ethics and anti-corruption proposals in his 2016-17 budget, which could make it easier for the governor to get them passed, State of Politicswrites: * During a perennial call for term limits in the Assembly, Republican lawmakers extended an informal invitation for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara to provide an ethics lesson to their colleagues, State of Politics reports: * Republican state Sen. John Bonacic has introduced a constitutional amendment that would block state lawmakers from receiving outside income through private employment, State of Politics reports: * The five members of the state Senate Independent Democratic Conference have signed a “Clean Conscience Pledge” proposed by good-government groups to close the LLC loophole and ban or limit outside income, the Times Union writes: * Asked if Assemblyman Charles Barron would face any sort of sanctions for heckling @NYGovCuomo, Speaker Heastie said: "Charles is Charles." * Brooklyn Assemblyman Charles Barron stood up during Cuomo’s speech and heckled him over his economic and poverty policies, which Barron said was planned to draw attention to a “hypocrite,” The Wall StreetJournal reports:
Cuomo Names City Comptroller, de Blasio Foe, to Oversee City Homeless Shelters
Good-Government Groups Huddle With Cuomo Admin (YNN)* Malliotakis-backed GOP reform bills canned in Assembly - A package of 17 GOP ethics and transparency reform bil... * With Moreland Settled, Hochul Sticks To Script (YNN) Sucking Up de Blasio Extra $$$ * Cuomo: $90 million proposal for early detection of #breastcancer in #NYS * Advocates push Cuomo to add 15,000 supportive housing units to ease homelessness (NYDN) * Cuomo proposes 12 weeks of paid family leave / gets standing O Ethics Cuomo mentions public campaign financing, urges NYSLEG to pass it, citing need to encourage participation.* Cuomo: “It is indefensible” to exclude legislature from FOIL. Cuomo just vetoed new FOIL bills * @NYGovCuomo says state contractors, pol consultants should register as lobbyists; take state pensions from convicted pols * Cuomo is supportive of a constitutional convention * De Blasio: "I think the speech today included a lot of progress on some important issues." *Cuomo Names City Comptroller, de Blasio Foe, to Oversee City Homeless Shelters (NYO) * The state could appoint a receiver to oversee Homeless shelters in NYC that are found to have systemic problems under a much anticipated plan from Cuomo to address the burgeoning crisis.
Assemblyman Charles Barron heckled @NYGovCuomo over education funding during *Heckled at one point by Assemblyman Charles Barron, a Brooklyn Democrat, over his commitment to education funding, Cuomo proposed a one-year aid increase to the state’s 700 public school districts of $991 million – far below the $2.4 billion called for by the state Board of Regents * Barron, who was escorted out of Cuomo’s speech, said he wanted to “vomit” after watching a lengthy montage of people thanking Cuomo for activities across the state. He said he had planned a disruption to get media attention because he thinks the governor was a “hypocrite.”
In Albany,de Blasio takes a political punch, Cuomo-style (NYT) * Cuomo reveals $20 billion affordable-housing plan (NYP) * Gem in Cuomo budget: $590 million from bank settlementsproposed to go to affordable & homeless housing. Now posted: * Senate GOP Skeptical On Income Limit (YNN) * Flanagan’s Response: Senate Plans To Combat Terrorism, Heroin (YNN) * Barron Removed From State Of The State After Heckling Cuomo (YNN) * Cuomo Proposes $143.6B Budget, Challenges Lawmakers On Ethics Reform (YNN) * Andrew Cuomo Lays Out Ethics Plan for
Andrew's 2016 SOS Sounds A Lot Like Mario 1988 SOS
How Will Cuomo's Ever Shifting Ever Contradicting Spins Play Out in 2016?
Glenwood Gave Have Million to Cuomo Connected Committee to Save NY PAC
Even As They Fight Each Other Both Men Form Rove Style PACs to Go Around the Election Law to Win Elections
Local TV News Made $$$ From the Committee to Save NY and Other PACs
How Local TV News Make Millions Rehabilitating Candidates, Lobbying on Issues While Dumbing Down the Public
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 Pension * Bloomberg Defends His Administration With TV Ad - NY1.com * Local TV News For $ale: How Special Interests Control News Content and Public Opinion
Percoco Gets Deal With MSG One of Cuomo's Biggest Donors
Cuomo High Court JCOPE Connection
The Daily News writes that judge Janet DiFiore, Gov. AndrewCuomo’s nomination for the state’s top judgeship, will have to answer questions on her propensity for closed door meetings while leading the Joint Commission on Public Ethics: DiFiore was Cuomo’s pick to be the first chair of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, the lame watchdog birthed in December 2011 that’s failed miserably to root out corruption ever since. DiFiore quit JCOPE in April 2013 after only 16 months. She can’t be held to account for the office’s built-in deficiencies, which Cuomo unwisely accepted from legislative leaders Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos. But in state Senate confirmation hearings, DiFiore must answer for her propensity for closed-door dealings on the panel. And she must explain why the agency probed sexual harassment charges against late ex-Assemblyman Vito Lopez — but not how Silver used tax dollars to hush them up. The courts must be open. And they must also be wholly independent from the executive branch.* Gov. Cuomo’s newcontrol over New York’s courts is dangerous (NYP) Janet DiFiore may have all the skills to be New York ’s top judge, the job for which Gov. Cuomo just nominated her. Question is: Will she have the independence from him that’s so essential for that post? That’s even more worrisome, given that Cuomo continues to refuse to name a Republican to the state’s highest court. Cuomo tapped DiFiore, Westchester ’s DA, to be the New York Court of Appeals’ chief judge. In that post, she’ll also oversee the state’s vast judicial bureaucracy. DiFiore who for 16 months headed the state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics — Cuomo’s “independent monitor” of legislative corruption that turned out to be anything but. Recall how one JCOPE board member quit early on, charging both the agency and DiFiore were being manipulated by the governor’s office, an increasingly common complaint at other state agencies, as well. Meanwhile, Cuomo has now appointed five of the top court’s seven members; there’s one vacancy and another seat opening next year because of mandatory retirement. That creates the possibility for a lot of control for someone who clearly enjoys exerting it. Cuomo can assuage critics, of course, by nominating a Republican. The judicial screening panel for chief judge offered two well-qualified choices: former US Attorney Michael Garcia and former Chief Administrative Judge Gail Prudenti. * With the appointment of Janet DiFiore to the state Supreme Court, Cuomo has appointed five of the court’s seven members and may enjoy too much control, so he should assuage related concerns by nominating a Republican, the Post writes: *The NY Post questions Westchester County DA Janet DiFiore’s ability to be independent from Cuomo in the post of chief judge of the Court of Appeals, for which he has nominated her, and also expresses dismay that the governor has yet to appoint a Republican to that bench.
Cuomo Take Credit for Silver's Corruption Charges The Gov Who Killed Moreland
Cuomo takes creditfor Sheldon Silver’s corruption charges (NYP) He disbanded his own anti-corruption commission before its work was done, but Gov. Cuomo claimed Tuesday a law he approved spurred corruption charges against one of New York ’s state legislative leaders. While addressing students at Harvard University
Is Cuomo Moving to Left Because He See Skelos Trial, Real Estate $$$ Connected With Both Trials and the Hillary 2016 Vote Will Kill GOP Senate?
As Cuomo Tries to Steal de Blaio's Left
Cuomo spokeswoman: "Everyone understands the City has had a very real homeless problem and we’re glad the city is starting to act on it." * The Post writes that de Blasio’s plan to build 15,000units of affordable housing over the next 15 years to combat homelessness will do little, if anything, to help those who refuse services and contribute to a declining quality of life:(NYP)
As Cuomo Tries to Steal de Blaio's Left
Cuomo, With Unilateral Actions, Advances a Renewed Liberal Agenda in New York (NYT) Cuomo’s vision has taken on a personal urgency since the death of his father, who was an icon of the left. Cuomo appears to have been embracing what he describes as his inner progressive after the death of his father, a liberal icon, and after gaining a reputation as a centrist, pragmatic politician* Increasing his use of executive powers, Cuomo is marrying his drive to get things done with a distinctly liberal vision — a vision that has taken on new personal urgency since the New Year’s Day death of his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, whose soaring defense of liberalism made him an icon of the lefting to get ahead of the city’s homelessness problem and explain it to New Yorkers is the biggest mistake he has ade so far in office.
NYP's Dicker Cuomo Still Helping GOP Senate Stay In Control
Cuomo’s lack of support may lead to Senate candidate’s downfall (NYP) Democratic state Senate candidate Barbara Fiala’s campaign will be crushed by her Republican opponent because Gov. Andrew Cuomo reneged on his pledge to go all out to help and wants to maintain a GOP-controlled state Senate, the Post’s Fred Dicker writes:
Cuomo's Pay to Play Crowd
State workers were allowed and in some cases encouraged to attend a speech Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered last week on climate change, leaving their jobs in the middle of the day and being paid their full salaries,the Post writes: * The NY Post reports state workers were allowed – if not outright required – to attend Cuomo’s climate change announcement with VP Al Gore last week on the taxpayers’ time.* BREAKING: State workers attended EVERY State of the State speech EVER on taxpayers dime!!! * The Post writes the governor should be ashamed of having state employees leave their jobs and attend his speech while on the payroll, which amounts to shelling out taxpayer money to feed his vanity:
Albany Business As Usual Cuomo? Meets Apocalypse Now
Andrew Cuomo’s already reeling from Preet Bharara’s probes (NYP) Certainly an intense gubernatorial focus will be on two federal courtrooms in Manhattan next month, as a pair of former confederates in state government go on trial for their freedom — and the chief federal prosecutor makes no secret of his interest in Cuomo as well. It’s hard to believe that it was scarcely a year ago that Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos were riding high and handsome, one the Assembly speaker, the other the Senate majority leader — only to be brought low by Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara’s expressed antipathy for business as usual in Albany . And let’s face it: New York ’s 57-year-old governor has been an Albany player since he came to the Capitol with his father Mario at the age of 25 — leaving only for a spot of resume-polishing in the Clinton administration. So when it comes to business-as-usual in Albany , Andrew Cuomo lost his virginity a very long time ago. No surprise, then, that Bharara has penciled Cuomo’s name onto his list of usual suspects. For cause, it would seem. The governor short-circuited his own earlier probe of Albany corruption — basically meant to be an attention deflector — when it began to show signs of going beyond his control. This excited Bharara’s interest, and he demanded a boxcar of relevant documents while hinting broadly that more will be heard on the topic. Then the prosecutor took direct aim at Cuomo’s signature “Buffalo Billion” economic-development project — and seems to have extended that probe to the multibillion-dollar SUNY Poly nanotech initiative, which dates to the Mario Cuomo administration.* A scathing critiqueof Cuomo’s Albany (Press Connect) Gov. Andrew “I am the state” Cuomo will likely be under federal indictment by early 2016. Only the radical left is welcome in his New York . It’s a one-party system where rich, urban “progressives” make war on the rural middle class as a hobby.* Amid corruption cases and probes in Albany , the governor has tried to appear productive while distancing himself from legislators by taking executive action on minimum wage and gender identity issues, the Post’s Bob McManus writes: *Bob McManus: “Certainly an intense gubernatorial focus will be on two federal courtrooms in Manhattan next month, as a pair of former confederates in state government go on trial for their freedom — and the chief federal prosecutor makes no secret of his interest in Cuomo as well.”
Wow Percoco Leaving Cuomo
Cuomo’s closest aide, executive deputy secretary Joseph Percoco, is slated to leave the administration by the end of the year and join the private sector because he would like to earn money, the Daily News’ KenLovett reports: * 'HE NEEDS TO MAKE MONEY': Longtime Cuomo loyalist Joseph Percoco to leave for private sector after 16 years of service (NYDN) * Veteran Cuomo aide Joe Percoco, who has served as the governor’s righthand man since 1999, will leave the administration by the end of the year. He has no new job yet, but will become a consultant for the state Democratic Party and remain a key “external” adviser to the governor. * Cuomo Claims Top Aide’s Departure Unrelated to Justice Department Investigation (NYO) * Top Cuomo aide Joe Percoco departing Cuomo administration * Cuomo said that Joe Percoco, a top aide who he has likened to a brother, is not leaving state government because of a pending anti-corruption investigation. “No sir. It was a personal life decision,the governor told reporters. “His family needed time and attention and resources, which is what he’s going to be attending to.”
A Dumb Worthless Poll About Cuomo
A Siena College poll found halfof New Yorkers view Gov. Andrew Cuomo favorably, but on six of seven specific issue job performance ratings at least 60 percent of voters said he is doing a fair or poor job:* Siena Poll: Cuomo’s Numbers Flat (YNN) de Blasio vs Cuomo War Dan Janison: “Anyone watching the state’s best-known intraparty split (between de Blasio and Cuomo) may find it hard to tell for sure what’s personal, what’s political, and what’s purely a government response to a crisis.” * Cuomo is holding steady, with his favorability rating, 50-42 percent, unchanged from last month, according to Siena College ’s new Siena Research Institute poll of New York voters. The poll also shows that Cuomo’s overall job performance rating is largely unaltered.
Cuomo de Blasio Race to Marry Same-Sex Couples
Cuomo one-ups de Blasio by marrying couple at Pride Parade (NYP) * Cuomo is set to officiate a same-sex wedding before today’s gay pride march in Manhattan after winning the heDaily News reports: * There is no Team Cuomo. There is onlyCuomo."(NYP) * Gov. Cuomo to officiate same-sex marriage before Pride March (NYDN) power to do so from the state Legislature just a few days ago, * Cuomo officiates gay wedding at historic Stonewall Inn (NYP) * Cuomo marched about a block ahead of de Blasio at the Pride Parade in New York City and “one-upped” the mayor by officiating a same-sex wedding.
Cuomo's Corruption Probe Has Isolated Him in A Wave of Paranoid Fear
NYP's Dicker Says Cuomo's Closest Aide Percoco Not Around Cuomo Flack Responds He is Having Hip Surgery
Where’s Joe? It’s a question many Albany Democrats are asking regarding longtime Cuomo aide Joseph Percoco, who appears to have dropped from sight. “There are a lot of questions about what’s going on with Joe and very few answers,’’ said a Democratic activist and Democratic Party insider. “You can occasionally get him on the phone, but he’s not around the way he once was and people are wondering why not.” * Cuomo confidante recruited Moreland support Update PM Cuomo aide Percoco returns to work after hip surgery (Capital)* Following a blind item in Fred Dicker’s column questioning the whereabouts of top Cuomo aide Joe Percoco, the administration revealed he has returned to the office, more than a month after undergoing hip surgery.
de Blasio is Also Isolated From His Natural Allies the Democratic Assembly Already not popular in the GOP-run Senate, de Blasio has also lost support among his natural allies, the Assembly Democrats. “The mayor thinks he’s God’s gift to the Democratic party, and many of us feel he’s just a major distraction, viewed as arrogant and unwilling to collaborate with the Legislature” one assemblywoman said. * "The mayor thinks he’s God’s gift to the Democraticparty," one assemblywoman said. (NYDN)
Feds Investigation Cuomo Connection
Andrew Cuomo’s Administration Involved in Federal CorruptionProbe of Real Estate Industry(IBT) The New York State Housing Finance Agency, whose chair is appointed by the governor,rejected an IBTimes FOIL request because it is “cooperating” with a federal prosecutor’s probe of state lawmakers’ relationship with campaign donors in the real estate industry. * The Cuomo administration cited its cooperation with a federal probe in blocking the release of documents about transactions between the state and the governor’s top donor, the International Business Times Reports:
Sen. Dean Skelos and his son pleaded not guilty tocorruption charges (Newsday) Feds tapped Dean Skelos’ phone for months (NYP) The feds tapped state Sen. Dean Skelos’ cell phone for two-and-a-half months before busting him and his son in an alleged pay-to-play scheme, prosecutors revealed at the pair’s arraignment Monday — and the news is sure to make at least some Albany lawmakers squirm. “There were four months of wiretaps on the primary cellphone of Adam Skelos,” said Assistant US Attorney Rahul Muki, adding that investigators also tapped another of the boneheaded son’s phones for one month and that the tap on his dad’s phone ran for two-and-a-half months.
More Rats 4 Bharara . . . Gets Closer to Cuomo's Circle
Preet Bharara creeps closer to Cuomo with latest indictment (NYP, Dicker) Attorney Preet Bharara moved “a giant step closer” to Gov. Cuomo late last week with an indictment that alleges insurance exec Anthony Bonomo, a top Cuomo contributor whom the governor made chairman of the New York Racing Association, gave a lucrative no-show job to state Sen. Dean Skelos’ son, sources have told The Post. “Bonomo is Cuomo’s guy, and he wouldn’t offer anything to Skelos’ kid without first making sure it was OK with the governor or his people,’’ said a senior state Democrat. “The fact that Bonomo, like Dorego, is cooperating with Bharara brings the whole investigation a giant step closer to Cuomo,’’ the Democrat added, referring to Charles Dorego, a top official at Cuomo megacontributor Leonard Litwin’s Glenwood Management.
“This is a drip by drip that’s getting closer and closer to Cuomo, with Bonomo and Dorego providing prosecutors with an inside look at how the corrupt Albany system works,’’ explained a second senior state political figure. Four major political insiders now in feds' crosshairs (NYDN) Anthony Bonomo, a big time donor to Gov. Cuomo and other state politicians in both parties and who was recently named by the governor as chairman of the New York Racing Association, last week was referenced (not by name) in the indictment against now former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Suffolk County) for allegedly giving the senator’s son a $100,000 no-show job. And Steve Pigeon, a registered lobbyist and longtime Democratic operative from western New York who has done work for Cuomo, had his home raided by state and federal investigators as part of a probe into his fundraising activities. Meanwhile, Charles Dorego, a top executive at Glenwood Management, has been cooperating with the feds in separate cases against Skelos and now former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Influential lobbyist Brian Meara, who has close ties to Silver, has also been cooperating in the probe against the Manhattan Democrat. * Whether a coincidence or not, the timing of AG Eric Schneiderman’s trip to push ethics reform in Buffalo today is certain to raise eyebrows in the area’s political community, which is already on edge following the ratcheting up of the probe by the state and federal investigators of G. Steven Pigeon, Steven Casey and Christopher Grant. * U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr., husband of LG Kathy Hochul, has reportedly recusedhimself from an investigation into the political activities of G. Steven Pigeon, due to the potential political ramifications of the case. * Because of such little info on probes into western New York's Steve Pigeonand others, theories abound:
Moreland Investigation Ends, Media Cover-Up
More Pay to Play Development By Cuomo
Builder linked to top Cuomo donors got tax deals, fundsover higher-rated rivals (TU) Despite higher-rated rival plans, builder with ties to top Cuomo donors often got tax deals, funds. Birchez Associates, an affordable housing builder, donated more than $250,000 to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and often got tax deals and state funds ahead of higher-rated rival plans. The state of New York has been a generous friend to Birchez Associates, an Aaron-controlled firm that builds affordable housing. A development now being built in the rural village of Schoharie, for example, was promised millions of dollars in funds and tax credits from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal after its then-commissioner, Darryl Towns, bypassed competing projects that had higher recommendations from his staff. It was one of several instances in recent years where Aaron's projects leapfrogged the competition despite subpar initial scores. Birchez Associates received millions in state support for the five projects (comprising 360 units) it completed between 2004 and the beginning of 2011, when Cuomo took office. Though three other Birchez projects have been proposed, only the Schoharie development is currently under construction. Almost half of Aaron's support for Cuomo comes from his company Rivergate Development LLC, which has given Cuomo $122,800 since 2010, including a gift of $25,000 in July. Rivergate gave an additional $50,000 to the "housekeeping" account of the Cuomo-controlled state Democratic Committee in February 2013.
Skelos' Son $100,000 From Medical Firm That Does State Business and Ties to New State Racing Boss
Top Real Estate Hooker Already A Rat for the Feds
No Charges Against the Real Estate Robber Barons While Dorego Rats
Cuomo Scalping for His Funding Raising, Is the Increased Ticket $$ An Inkind Donation By Mets?
Cuomo Sells $5,500World Series Tickets in Citi Field Campaign Fundraiser (DNAINFO) Another said that it might seem “a bit unseemly” to capitalize on the Mets, but the governor’s campaign people have not violated any regulations in doing so. His 2018 fund reportedly contains more than $12 million already. Cuomo’s World Series scalping scam is outrageous and hypocritical (NYP) Now, scalping is perfectly legal in New York ; a whole secondary market exists for that purpose. But Cuomo’s charging a major markup: The average Series ticket at Citifield is going for about $1,600 on StubHub. Worse is the unseemly air of insider access here. It’s far easier for a high-ranking official (or his flunkies) to score seats than it is for the average Joe. Did Cuomo forget the anger when Gov. David Paterson scored Yankees tickets? And to then milk the prized passes for campaign cash . . . It’s particularly tacky when Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was so tough on scalpers. Back in 2010, he went after folks who sat in line for free Shakespeare In The Park tickets, then resold them on Craigslist. Under Cuomo’s prodding, the site agreed to ban such ads. And that was to stop some low-level types from earning a few extra bucks.* Cuomo flew to the Mets game in Kansas City yesterday aboard the team owners’ private jet. He had three seats on an aircraft owned by the Wilpons, and his staff said he paid for them out of campaign funds. Accompanying him were two aides: Melissa DeRosa and Joe Percoco. (The Mets lost). * The NY Post slammed Cuomo for “scalping” tickets to the Mets’ World Series home games and using them as political fundraising tools. (He’s not alone, Rep. Grace Meng, a Queens Democratic, is doing something similar).* Cuomo Cancels Fund-Raisers at Mets’ World Series Games (NYT) Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo had come under fire for asking $5,500 a ticket for games between the Mets and the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field.
With all due respect to good gov't groups, Gov Cuomo pulled plug on Mets tickets because he was Ripped all day on @WFAN660.
Fundraiser with Cuomo's Mets World Series tickets canceled (NYP)*
Head of Dept Financial Services Resigns Moreland Redux All About Controlling the Benjamin's?
Anthony Albanese, the acting head of New York’s Department of Financial Services, will step down before the end of the year, giving Cuomo a run at reshaping a regulator that has levied billions of dollars of penalties against international banks and at times raised hackles in foreign capitals. * Albanese’s departure reportedly comes amid tensions between the agency and Cuomo over independence. * N.Y. Bank Regulators Exit After Clash With Governor Cuomo’s Office (WSJ) * New York State’s Financial Regulator Says He Is Leaving (NYT) Anthony J. Albanese, superintendent of the State Department of Financial Services, disputed reports he was resigning over tensions with the governor’s office.*As Anthony Albanese, the state Department of Financial Services’ top regulator, announced his resignation, he denied a report of a feud with the Cuomo administration over the agency’s independence, but sources said a Cuomo aide had asked to review DFS’ outgoing requests, The New York Timesreports:
Will One Man In A Room Block End of Session Pay to Play Corruption?
Senate Republicans wary of deal-making under the watchfuleye of crusading U.S.Attorney Preet Bharara (NYDN) R-Nassau County ) and Assemblyman Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) - both of whom subsequently gave up their leadership posts - and with Bharara openly criticizing how Albany does business, many Senate Republicans are in no mood to take chances, two GOP senators said. One noted that much of the Republican conference received campaign contributions from influential real estate developers, including Leonard Litwin, who has been linked to the cases Bharara brought against Skelos and Silver.*New York City ’s commercial rent tax is a heavy burden on many of the city’s small business owners and according to critics is one factor that contributes to many businesses closing each year, the Post writes:
UFT Sends A Message to Cuomo Floats DiNapoli as Gov Poll Numbers Drop
Two Democratic activists said state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli may run for governor in 2018 at the urging of progressives, regardless of whether Gov. Andrew Cuomo seeks a third term, the Post’s Fredric Dickerreports: * Two Democratic activists told The Post that the well-liked DiNapoli, who last week released a damning audit on Cuomo’s controversial “Start Up NY’’ ad campaign, is being urged by union activists and other “progressives’’ aligned with Mayor de Blasio to consider running for governor and even challenging Cuomo in the Democratic primary.* Paterson: Corruption Scandals Hurt Cuomo’s Approval (NYP) * Paterson Backs De Blasio On Permanent Mayoral Control (NYO) * New York Democrats meet as Cuomo's approval rating drops
Update
* Despite revelations last week that Cuomo staffers have steered bond work to his campaign contributors, state officials announced they are giving those same donors even more lucrative business, The International Business Times reports:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Gave Bond Deals To His WallStreet Donors, Despite Federal Rules (International Business Times) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has since 2012 taken in more than $131,000 in campaign contributions from three major financial firms that were then tapped by his administration to manage state bond work, according to an International Business Times review of campaign finance documents and state bond prospectuses. The Democratic governor accepted the money -- and his officials handed out the government business without competitive bids -- despite federal rules that bar campaign contributors from receiving taxpayer-financed state bond work. Last week, Cuomo officials designated the three banks that contributed the campaign funds -- JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of America -- as the dealers for a $33 million bond issue, enabling the firms to reap lucrative fees. That came on top of the Cuomo administration assigning the firms to manage a $68 million bond issue last fall, even as federal law enforcement officials were investigating allegations thatNew York lawmakers were doing favors for political donors.
Federal rules bar states from awarding bond work to parties who have donated to gubernatorial campaigns within the last two years (more than $86,000 of the campaign cash from the firms flowed to Cuomo in the last two years). The rules aim to prevent financial firms from gaining influence over officials who have the power to select which firms receive the lucrative bond business. The rules explicitly seek to stop financial companies from circumventing those strictures: They prohibit firms from channeling contributions to bond overseers through PACs, which are giant pools of money distributed to multiple campaign war chests. “The pay-to-play rules are very clear,” said Craig Holman, an ethics expert at the watchdog group Public Citizen. “If Andrew Cuomo’s receiving any money from a PAC controlled by a municipal dealer, he’d be in violation of pay-to-play rules.”
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Cuomo’s office declined to answer IBTimes’ questions. Bank of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase said they are in compliance with the federal rules. Though the banks acknowledge that their PACs have contributed to Cuomo’s gubernatorial campaign and also acknowledge that they received state bond work from the Cuomo-controlled New York State Housing Finance Agency, they maintain that the individual bond dealers did not contribute to the PAC that gave to Cuomo. * Cuomo has since 2012 taken in more than $131,000 in campaign contributions from three major financial firms that were then tapped by his administration to manage state bond work without competitive bids and in apparent violation of federal rules.* Cuomo Gave His Wall St Donors Work On $3 Billion In Bonds Weeks After Donations (Albany Project) The Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have over the past 2 1/2 years received taxpayer-financed contracts to help manage the sale of more than $3 billion worth of bonds for New York state, according to a review of state records by International Business Times. The three banking companies secured this lucrative line of business during the same period they delivered more than $132,000 in campaign contributions to Gov. Andrew Cuomo through political action committees under their corporate control. That’s really, really not a good look for any governor, let alone one that used to be New York ’s top law enforcement officer and who ran for governor on a “clean up Albany ” platform. It also doesn’t look good that the agency issuing those bonds was up until recently run by the Blackstone bankster who now serves as Cuomo’s right hand man on the 2nd floor, Bill Mulrow, the man who replaced Cuomo enforcer Larry Schwartz. *As state attorney general five years ago, Cuomo made headlines prosecuting so-called “pay-to-play” cases at New York ’s pension fund. His investigations ultimately led SEC officials to subject pension funds to the same “pay-to-play” rules that govern bond deals.
Does Cuomo Face Problems for Shutting Down Moreland?
Mr. Dorego, the complaint says, was unaware that Mr. Silver collected 25 percent of the fees paid to the firm. The complaint, however, does not indicate what Mr. Dorego thought he would get in return for steering work there. But a battle in the State Legislature in 2011 over renewing the 421-a tax program as well as rent regulations that govern one million apartments in New York City provide some clues.Today, nine Glenwood buildings get 421-a tax benefits, according to New York City records. In exchange for the tax breaks, Glenwood set aside 459 units, a relatively low 15 percent, of the 2,987 apartments for low- and moderate-income households, according to city records and an analysis by the Association for Neighborhood Housing Development. Days after Glenwood contributed $1,000 to Mr. Cuomo’s re-election campaign, Mr. Dorego and a lobbyist met in April 2011 with the governor to discuss rent regulation, according to state records.
Goodbye Cuomo: Pay to Play Bond Deals
Looks Like Another Fed Drop
Update
* Despite revelations last week that Cuomo staffers have steered bond work to his campaign contributors, state officials announced they are giving those same donors even more lucrative business, The International Business Times reports:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Gave Bond Deals To His WallStreet Donors, Despite Federal Rules (International Business Times) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has since 2012 taken in more than $131,000 in campaign contributions from three major financial firms that were then tapped by his administration to manage state bond work, according to an International Business Times review of campaign finance documents and state bond prospectuses. The Democratic governor accepted the money -- and his officials handed out the government business without competitive bids -- despite federal rules that bar campaign contributors from receiving taxpayer-financed state bond work. Last week, Cuomo officials designated the three banks that contributed the campaign funds -- JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of America -- as the dealers for a $33 million bond issue, enabling the firms to reap lucrative fees. That came on top of the Cuomo administration assigning the firms to manage a $68 million bond issue last fall, even as federal law enforcement officials were investigating allegations that
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Its the Cuomo Court Now
Judge Susan Read, 67, announced she would retire from the Court of Appeals in August, leaving Judge Eugene Pigott as the lone Republican on the seven-member bench. Her departure also means Cuomo will have two vacancies to fill before the court begins its new term in January. Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman has reached the court’s mandatory retirement age of 70 and must also step down.* If Cuomo appoints another Democrat to the state Court of Appeals to replace one of two Republican appointees left on the court, here’s little hope for healthy debate or checks and balances on government policies,the Post writes:
Cuomo Forgot His Meeting With Glenwood
From Cuomo's Schedules:
re Rent Regulation Location: Governor’s Conference Room Staff: Larry Schwartz, Senior Advisor Jim Malatras, Deputy Secretary for Policy *** June 3, 2011 12:45 PM Meeting re Rent Regulation Location: ESDC Conference Room, Staff: Mylan Denerstein, Counsel to the Governor, Larry Schwartz, Senior Advisor to the Governor, Jim Malatras, Deputy Secretary for Policy Management, Betsey Ball, Director of Legislative Affairs, Attendees: Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Leonard Litwin, Glenwood Management Corp, Charles Dorego, Glenwood Management Corp, Gary Jacob, Glenwood Management Corp, Steven Spinola, REBNY, Arnold Goldstein, RSA, Robert Mujica, Senate Staff, Jim Yates, Assembly Staff, Judy Rapfogel, Assembly Staff, Lou Ann Ciccone, Assembly Staff *** June 16, 2011 5:00 PM Meeting re Rent Regulation, Location: Governor’s Conference Room, Staff: Larry Schwartz, Senior Advisor, James Malatras, Deputy Secretary for Policy Management, Attendees:Robert Mujica, Secretary to the Senate Finance Committee, Steve Spinola, President, REBNY, Joe Strasburg,President, Rent Stabilization Association (RSA), Arnold Goldstein, Chairman of the Board, RSA, Charles Dorego, SVP & GC, Glenwood Management Corporation (on behalf of Leonard Litwin, President of Glenwood Management and Vice Chairman of RSA, Governor and Secretary of REBNY, and Executive VP of the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York )
Cuomo's Poll Numbers
Gov. Andrew Cuomo received his lowest approval rating—44 percent—and 5 percent of voters said he is part of the problem, not the solution, when it comes to ethics in government, a Quinnipiac poll found: *Q-Poll: Cuomo’s Ratings Continue To Sag (YNN) * Majority of New York Voters Dissatisfied With State Government, Poll Finds (NYT) A Quinnipiac University poll found that in a year dominated by corruption scandals, 58 percent of voters had a bleak view of Albany and only 44 percent approved of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s * Corruption scandals sink Albany's reputation further, but has alsostymied any progress on issues at the Capitol performance.Ethics Democratic lawmakers say Cuomo won’t go to the mat to curb “pay to play” politics that contributes toAlbany corruption such as the recent indictments of Skelos and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. * In an aside comment, @fud31 points out that 55% of NY voters want to remove incumbents. A very salient observation:
Cuomo's Poll Numbers
Gov. Andrew Cuomo received his lowest approval rating—44 percent—and 5 percent of voters said he is part of the problem, not the solution, when it comes to ethics in government, a Quinnipiac poll found: *Q-Poll: Cuomo’s Ratings Continue To Sag (YNN) * Majority of New York Voters Dissatisfied With State Government, Poll Finds (NYT) A Quinnipiac University poll found that in a year dominated by corruption scandals, 58 percent of voters had a bleak view of Albany and only 44 percent approved of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s * Corruption scandals sink Albany's reputation further, but has alsostymied any progress on issues at the Capitol performance.Ethics Democratic lawmakers say Cuomo won’t go to the mat to curb “pay to play” politics that contributes to
Let the Schwartz Be With You
Wednesday Update The Post writes that Cuomo’s “heated outburst” over itscolumnist Fred Dicker’s work shows that the piece on Cuomo’s aide Lawrence Schwartz remaining on the state payroll “couldn’t have been more spot on”:
Fred Dicker reports Cuomo’s top aide, Larry Schwartz, who has been replaced by Bill Mulrow, remains on the public payroll at $181,560 and is having a tough time finding a private sector job – possibly due to his role in meddling with the now-defunct Moreland Commission.
* The admin in January had said Schwartz left for the"private sector." Now he's leaving in March.(YNN)* Cuomo calls NY Post story by Fred Dicker about Larry Schwartz "garbage." Cuomo adds: "And I know garbage, because I read that paper."*Cuomo Vs. The New York Post(NYP) * Andrew Cuomo Calls Latest Fred Dicker Story‘Really Garbage’(NYO) * Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed back against a Post report that former aide Lawrence Schwartz remained on the state payroll because he couldn’t find work and called the article “garbage,” the Observer reports: * Cuomo spokesman calls-out columnist amid claims ex-aide is toxic(NYP) The outpouring of venom came in response to Dicker’s story that a former top Cuomo aide can’t find a job because of his role in managing an anti-corruption commission. In fact, Cuomo said, his former secretary, Lawrence Schwartz, is getting such terrific offers that he’d take them himself.Dicker reported that employers view Schwartz as “radioactive” because he was the governor’s point man in dealings with the Moreland Commission panel, which Cuomo appointed last year to battle corruption and then suddenly disbanded. Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara is now investigating the commission’s abrupt shutdown.
Reisman: Do you know where Larry Schwartz works? AskCuomo (LoHud) * Phil Reisman on the Cuomo administration’s response to the Larry Schwartz-is-still-on-the-public-payroll story: “(C)alling somebody a liar is awfully strong stuff, and it hedges perilously close to the kettle calling the pot black.”*Cuomo’s choice of senior adviser Lawrence Schwartz, onetime top aide to bumbling Gov. David Paterson, as his new chief-of-staff has stunned some investigators because of Schwartz’s role in the explosive AEG-Aqueduct casino bid-rigging scandal. Schwartz was criticized for his role in the debacle last fall in a scathing state inspector general’s report. “Schwartz incred[ibly] claimed to not recall myriad meetings he organized and attended, various e-mail correspondence between himself and other individuals, and numerous conversations in which he engaged, and claimed unawareness of the governor’s selection of AEG despite personally engaging the governor’s press office in a colloquy about the very subject,” the report found. “One wonders why the governor, who has such a stellar record, would make such an appointment, given the questions raised in the IG’s report,” said a law-enforcement source with knowledge of the AEG investigation.*Larry Schwartz, Top Cuomo Aide, to Meet With Prosecutors (WSJ)
Cuomo spokesman 2012:“Mr. Dicker has been reporting on Albany
de Blasio Losing Support of White Voters in the Polls
It Seems Term Limits Limits Corruption
By comparison, only five New York City Council members were arrested for corruption while in office in the past 10 years. And only seven sitting members of Congress have been indicted, most recently former Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm on tax-evasion charges. Good government groups say its hard to compare Albany ’s cesspool of criminality with other houses of power because ethics laws vary by jurisdiction. “In New York , it sure feels like it is worse. But part of that is [that] the laws have gotten stronger and part of it is that Preet Bharara has decided to take this issue on,” said New York Public Interest Research Group’s Blair Horner. “You’ve always had and you probably always will have some level of corruption,” Cuomo told “Inside City Hall United States , so, that continues.” Cuomo said during the TV interview that he hopes to pass ethics reform this year because corruption threatens the legacy he’s built. “I’ve passed very strong ethics. I hope to get that done this year. Because it really, to me, casts a shadow on everything we’ve done,” he said. Cuomo took New York 1’s Errol Louis on a tour of the Hall of Governors at the Capitol and said he wants more accomplishments to be listed under his portrait on the wall where it will eventually reside.
Michael Caputo @MichaelRCaputo So a TV crew had rare access to Cuomo and nobody asked him about the Feds investigating him shutting down the Moreland Commission? Gov. Andrew Cuomo just barely noted the absence of a portrait of disgraced ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer in a lengthy NY1 interview broadcast last night. The governor said recent renovations to the state Capitol are a symbol of his efforts to make the government work again. * Cuomo: Strip pensionfrom corrupt officials (TU) He backs joining other states with such laws. Part of the governor’s five-point ethics ultimatum, which will appear in his 30-day budget amendments, would retroactively extend the effects of a 2011 law that allowed for the denial of pensions from corrupt public officials who entered the system going forward.* Critics worry Gov. Cuomo's proposed budget windfall plandoesn't include enough foreclosure relief. (WNYC)* Cuomo: ‘Power corrupts and government is a source of power’ (LoHud)* New York ’s “CodGov. Andrew Cuomo just barely noted the absence of a portrait of disgraced ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer in a lengthy NY1 interview broadcast last night. The governor said recent renovations to the state Capitol are a symbol of his efforts to make the government work again* Cuomo: No Legal Obstacle To Income Disclosure (YNN)
NY1 First Interview With Cuomo Was Well Worth the Wait Exclusive: Governor Gives Errol Louis a Tour of State Capitol Building's Restored Second Floor(NY1) * Jacqueline Kennedy: White House Tour - Documentary Film
Cuomo Poll Numbers Fall
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s favorability and approval ratings fell to new lows, while voters overwhelmingly say state corruption is a problem and support the property tax cap, Start-Up NY and the SAFE Act, a Siena poll finds: * Siena Poll: Voters Say Jobs And Education Trump Ethics (YNN) * Sienapoll: Cuomo's favorability at a new low: * .@NYGovCuomo's approval rating sinks again, @JimmyVielkind reports (Capital) Cuomo's job approval rating sank again this month, a new poll shows, as voters continue to see corruption as a major problem in state government. A Siena Research Institute survey released Tuesday found 41 percent of voters approve of Cuomo, a Democrat who is in the first year of his second term. The same poll found 90 percent of the 695 registered voters surveyed still think corruption is a serious problem, but a solid majority—57 percent—said it's roughly the same as ever. While people like former Gov. David Paterson have speculated, it's unclear if there's a link between Cuomo's erosion and the high-profile arrest and ouster of the State Legislature's leaders, Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver. In addition to his job approval—which dipped to 37 percent in a Marist College
Cuomo One Last Dip In Money Pool Before It Closes
NYP Cuomo Created 'Total Cluster F--K In Manhunt
SOME EXPLAINING TO DO: Funding cuts eyed as cause of upstate prison escape, raising issues for Cuomo administration (NYDN) * Upstate prison escape creates problems for Cuomo(NYDN) * Gov. Andrew Cuomo will announce a formal investigation into the escape of two convicted murderers from a maximum-security prison in northern New York, The New York Times reports: * The escape of two inmates from an upstate correctional facility is rekindling a debate over Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s funding for state prisons, with Cuomo moving to close 10 facilities since taking office, the Wall Street Journal writes: * The Post’s Fred Dicker writes thatthe massive manhunt for two escaped murderers from prison has been hampered by State Police secrecy, inter-agency rivalries and the involvement of Cuomo:
The UFT Enemies List is All About Cuomo
Union leaders are now the outrage machine of the state party, and anyone who isn’t an enemy of Cuomo’s might soon become an enemy of theirs. This is not to say that charters alone can explain de Blasio’s tantrum, or the union’s. Randi Weingarten, Karen Magee and Michael Mulgrew, the national, state and city leaders of the union, can’t tell the difference between Scott Walker and Andrew Cuomo, or between killing collective bargaining and championing nonprofit charter schools. . . . The Anti-Cuomo team unyielding negotiating posture damaged the chance for extended mayoral control and even seemingly unrelated tenant protections.
Books Attacks Cuomo
WELL, AISLE BE DOOMED: Andrew Cuomo's controlling ways, hatred for the Kennedy family led to his failed marriage to Kerry — which hit rocks far earlier than previously known, book reveals (NYDN) Book on Cuomo “The Contender,” an unauthorized book on Cuomo slated for release at the end of the month, was written without the governor’s involvement—and despite Cuomo’s efforts to stymie him, the Journal reports Gov. Andrew Cuomo tried to charm the author of his forthcoming unauthorized biography, Michael Shnayerson, out of writing the book, suggesting over a francs lunch that they collaborate on a different tome instead.* The new Cuomo biography by Michael Shnayerson paints the governor as a lonely, obsessive executive with a skill for manipulation and an appetite for vengeance, Capital New York’s Laura Nahmias writes: * The new, unauthorized biography of Gov. Andrew Cuomo paints the governor as a lonely, obsessive executive with a skill for manipulation and an endless appetite for vengeance.
When that didn’t work, the governor signed a book deal of his own, but the resulting memoir was a flop.Cuomo * Fred Dicker, the longtime New York Post Capitol columnist, said Cuomo was never involved with finding an editor for his never-published biography of the governor, and that his initial draft was not “glowing.” * Cuomo’s editor at HarperCollins says the governor never warned the publishing company that he didn’t plan to promote his memoir if it came out before the 2014 election.* Gov. Andrew Cuomo tried--unsuccessfully--to charm an authorinto backing off an unauthorized biography of him * Cuomo biography to explain animosity toward Schneiderman (Page 6)* Cuomo Is Called Controlling but a ‘Contender’ in an Unauthorized Biography (NYT) In “The Contender,” Michael Shnayerson describes Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s youth in Queens , his father’s campaigns, his high-profile marriage and his political future. * NEWS: Docs show NewsCorp lobbied @NYGovCuomo on legislative issuesbefore and after it gave him a $700K book deal
A TALE OF THREE CUOMO BOOKS—Wall Street Journal’s Jennifer Maloney: “The author of “The Contender,” Michael Shnayerson, secured a deal for an unauthorized Cuomo biography in January 2012. In the late spring or early summer of that year, Mr. Cuomo invited him to lunch at an oyster bar in his Midtown Manhattan office building. There, Mr. Cuomo suggested that Mr. Shnayerson, a contributing editor for Vanity Fair but an unknown in Albany, ditch the unauthorized biography and instead work with him on a book about governing. … “Thank God I didn’t do that,” Mr. Shnayerson said. “I think it would have been a hellish experience.” …
“[Fred] Dicker’s book was slated to come out before Mr. Shnayerson’s. By September 2012, Mr. Dicker had turned in a partial manuscript that cast the governor in glowing terms, according to a person who worked on the book. His publisher told him it needed work and advised him to hire a private editor. The governor “intervened with the publisher to get him an editor, to help negotiate the terms with the editor,” said a person familiar with the governor’s thinking. Mr. Dicker had a falling-out with that private editor, and the project was soon dead, said the person who worked on the book. Mr. Dicker didn’t respond to requests for comment. …
“All Things Possible” [which Cuomo wrote himself] was released Oct. 14, in the midst of the governor’s re-election campaign. Mr. Cuomo received several invitations from national television programs to discuss the book. But he turned most of them down, including “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” a powerful platform for selling books. The governor’s team “did not warn us that he wouldn’t promote the book if it came out before the election,” said Claire Wachtel, Mr. Cuomo’s editor at HarperCollins.” http://on.wsj.com/18NiuMu
How Cuomo See His Job and Mission
Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the New Yorker’s Jeffrey Toobin on the art of dealmaking in Albany : “My job is to get to yes. If I don’t make a deal, I get nothing done. If I get nothing done, I am a failure. If the objective is to make a nice speech, it means nothing.”* Cuomo’s recent public battles with fellow Democrats and some Republicans a result of“Post-Silver Stress Disorder”?* Cuomo’s latest ethics proposal goes where even he has never gone before by pushing for unprecedented disclosures – including identifying legislators’ private law clients – and uses the hammer of the state budget to do it. * Insiders say Cuomo is rattled by Silver corruption case (NYP) Gov. Cuomo is suffering from a newly discovered syndrome that is wearing thin his already strained relationship with leaders on both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats alike are saying. Calling it “PSSD,” or “Post-Silver Stress Disorder,” Democratic insiders say the governor’s obsession over Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara’s ongoing investigation into Albany corruption was apparent last week in his worsening relations with Mayor de Blasio, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, Staten Island Republicans and other state lawmakers. “Cuomo appears to be engaged in a sort of overcorrection because of the beating he’s taking from Preet,’’ a prominent Big Apple Democrat said of the governor’s multiple battles.* Cuomo: I'm As Responsible For Silver As Obama Is For Weiner(JP UpDATES* State Senate Republicans want to put Cuomo’s proposed $1.1 billion education hike toward ending the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which they said harms public schools, the Times Union reports:
In followup, paid Cuomo flacks now setting themselves up to decide who is and who is not a journalist. Scary. (NYP)
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Cuomo's Plans
Cuomo's Education War With de Blasio and UFT
Impose stricter teacher evaluations, extend the period to earn tenure, expand charter schools and boost state oversight of failing public schools.
The UFT is holding a series of “emergency meetings” for educators, parents and clergy today in response to Cuomo’s fiery declaration of war on the union in the aftermath of his State of the State speech.
.@BilldeBlasio on charter cap "I think the cap we have now is sufficient." Cuomo just announced he plans to raise it by 100 schools. * Cuomo’s Education Policy: Expand Charters, Reform Teacher Tenure(YNN) * Cuomo Dangles ExtraSchools Funding in Exchange for Education Reform(YNN) * Republican-Led Senate Passes Controversial Education Tax Credit(NYO) * Cuomo proposes sweeping education reforms (NYP)Half of a teacher’s rating should be tied to how their students perform on state standardized exams, up from the current 20 percent, Cuomo said in his State of the State Address.Classroom observations by school officials and an independent educator would account for the other 50 percent. The Cuomo plan also seeks to prevent school districts from inflating the scores of teachers. Any instructor who is rated ineffective based on student test scores or observations would be barred from receiving an overall rating of effective. The governor also recommended that teachers not be awarded tenure until they got five years of effective ratings, up from three years. Cuomo also called for an increase in the number of charter schools allowed statewide to 560 from 460.An education tax credit would give New Yorkers a tax break for donating funds to public schools or scholarship funds that aid students in parochial schools. The plan is a top priority of Cardinal Timothy Dolan. The Cuomo education plan, which requires legislative approval, also would authorize the state education commissioner to appoint receivers to try to turn around chronically failing public schools — modeled after a 
Who is the Boss More gently this time, @NYGovCuomo shows @BilldeBlasio who's boss, @SallyGold reports
Budget
Cuomo Proposes $141.6B Spending Plan(YNN)
Grand Jury Reform
DA Assoc Prez Frank Sedita says group "accepts the concept of statutory changes to increase the transparency of the grand jury process" Fairness for All': Cuomo Seeks Criminal Justice and Prison Reform (NYO) * Garner prosecutor: I would oppose any law that alters grand jury decisions(NYP) * Cuomo also called for a commission on police and community relations, recruiting of minority police officers, greater grand jury transparency and an independent monitor to review police killings, the Observer reports: * Skelos: Don’t ‘Tinker’ With Grand Jury Process(YNN)* Cuomo to name ‘independent monitor’ to review cop-related grand jury decisions(NYP)
Terrorism And Kelly
Terrorism And Kelly
Cuomo announced that he is naming New York City ’s former city police commissioner, Raymond Kelly, to conduct a terrorism “preparedness audit” of state agencies, the Post reports:
Cuomo Cuba
Seeking Business, Cuomo Heads to Cuba With a New York Trade Delegation (NYT) Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo would be the first governor to travel to Cuba since President Obama announced plans to ease relations in December.* Cuomo begins his trade mission to Cuba , where he will meet with Cuban officials and businesses to pave the way for New York companies to expand their reach * Cuomo: Isolation Of Cuba Is Not Working (YNN) * Republicans Pounce On Cuba Trip (YNN) * Critics of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s whirlwind Cuba trade mission say its timing – he’s the first US governor to visit the Communist country since the start of a thaw between the two nations – may diminish its economic value. Supporters say being first in line is key for New York , as is planting the seeds of a relationship that will blossom over time.
On the even of his departure, Cuomo issued a lengthy statement defending his trip, saying: “I agree with the President that engagement is the best way to promote democracy and bring about positive change, rather than continuing a failed policy of isolation.* Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, a Staten Islander whose mother is a Cuban exile, said any efforts to normalize relations must be accompanied by significant concessions from the Castro regime. * Cuomo Stays Optimistic After Seeing the Challenges of Doing Business in Cuba (NYT) Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s enthusiasm was hard to miss, but the obstacles of abject poverty and a poorly developed infrastructure were equally apparent.* Cuomo pushes normalization with Cuba during visit(NYP)* Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited with business interests in Cuba as part of his trade mission, saying that despite the nation’s challenges there are real opportunities for New York State New York companies had inked partnerships in Cuba . * Former Gov. George Pataki on Cuomo’s Cuba trip: “I’m not going to criticize the governor, I don’t believe that I would have been as interested in pursuing trade with a Marxist, Stalinist state without them reforming significantly.” * WCBS-TV’s Marcia Kramer gave Cuomo a toy replica of a ’56 Chevy he admired while in Cuba .* Gov. Andrew Cuomo wrapped up his taxpayer-funded mission to Cuba saying he’s more convinced than ever that the Communist nation is ready to do business. He spent less than 27 hours on the island – long enough, the governor said, to see that Cuba is fully committed to developing a free market that can provide opportunities for New York . Before he departed Cuba , Cuomo met with First Vice President Miguel Dìaz-Canel – the highest ranked official the governor saw on his trip – where the topics of discussion included lifting the United States ’ trade embargo, and Cuba ’s record on human rights. “Human rights are an issue that is very important to the people of the United States and New York in particular, and those issues have to be worked through,” Cuomo said. “What we have learned is the best way to do that is through engagement as opposed to through a policy of isolation.”* Gov. Andrew Cuomo lunched in Cuba with a government official, Gustavo Machin Gomez, who was expelled from the U.S. in 2002 in retaliation for Cuban efforts to spy on the United States ,the Daily News writes * Gov. Andrew Cuomo lunched in Cuba with Gustavo Machin Gomez, a government official who was booted from the United States in a spy controversy. Cuomo administration officials defended Gomez’s appearance at the lunch, noting he’s been involved in the ongoing talks to normalize relations.
Cuomo Cuba
It's cool that Cuomo is launching his Cuba mission from an airport named after the guy who ordered Bay of Pigs
Hard to believe NYT report that Gov. Cuomo jokes about suppression of press freedom in Cuba.
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Cuomo Good Minimum Wage Cop, Senate Bad Minimum Wage Cop
State Senate Republicans pose a significant roadblock to the governor’s plan to again hike the minimum wage, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds most of the cards in the negotiation because of the budget powers he wields, the Daily News’ Ken Lovett writes: * Cuomo vows to boost city’s minimum wage to $11.50(NYP) * Cuomo called for investing millions of dollars inanti-poverty programs and increasing the minimum wage.(WNYC) * STAKES GO HIGHER: Gov. Cuomo pushes 30% hike, raising minimum wage to $11.50 in NYC and $10.50 in rest of state(NYDN) * Gov. Cuomo holds most of the cards in plan to increase minimum wage: analysis(NYDN)* Cuomo, BY PHONE, telling @TheRevAl audience about his plan to create the "highest minimum wage in America.” cc @JimmyVielkind. #MLKDay * Wage advocates callGov. Cuomo's plan to boost New York'sminimum wage "seriously inadequate" (NYDN)* Cuomo's proposed minimum wage hike would take effect at endof 2016, not 2015 as he said during press conference. (LoHud) * Conservative Party Reiterates Minimum Wage Hike Opposition(YNN) * IDC Agenda: Local Control For Minimum Wage, Paid Family Leave(YNN)* Cuomo On Minimum Wage, Then And Now(YNN)* Cuomo said his minimum wage proposal—$11.50 in New York City and $10.50 elsewhere—is not inconsistent, although he had backed allowing local governments to raise it above the state’s, State of Politics reports: * * With the state’s minimum wage having lost almost 25 percent in purchasing power since 1970, and CEOs enjoying compensation that is 300 times the pay of their workers, now is the time for a wage hike, the Daily News writes: * Cuomo’s proposal to raise the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour in the city would offer workers less compensation than other urban areas and reneges on a campaign promise, the Daily News’ Juan Gonzalez writes: * The DN’s Juan Gonzalez calls the minimum wage hike Cuomo is proposing “half a loaf.”* OMCE likes Cuomo call for a legislative/executive pay commission, but notes such a panel could also look at salaries of thousands of non-union state employees in management/confidential state jobs. * Silver Questions Legality Of Two-Tiered Pay Hike(YNN)
Black Team Cuomo Taking Shape to Take On Who? Another Rev? Flake, Camara
Rev. Floyd Flake, who Cuomo nominated to the state Public Service Commission, is has a record as a “Cuomo back-scratcher” who will do the governor’s bidding, regardless of the merit, the Post writes: * Brooklyn Assemblyman Will Join the Cuomo Administration(NYO) Assemblyman Karim Camara, a Brooklyn Democrat and ordained minister, will lead a new faith-based community development program, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today.* Cuomo announces $50M nonprofit program headed by Karim Camara(Capital)
Shifting State Tax to Local Taxes Gov. Unserious(NYP Ed) Certainly, the plan can provide minor relief for some taxpayers. But does it address 
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)
Trade Mission to Cuba? Why Cuomo is Really Going to the Communist Nation
The state’s top Republican contends Cuomo’s upcoming “trade mission” to Cuba should convince him to back off his efforts to have the government control New York’s economy, the New York Post’s Fred Dicker reports * Ed Cox thinks Cuomo has a lot to learn during Cuba visit(NYP) * New York Gov. AndrewCuomo is planning trade mission to #Cuba @WSJ * Cuomo says he will not push Cuba on human rights, says he doesn't want to get involved in American diplomacy as relations are normalized *n Cuomo says state is researching now what it can do to trade with Cuba before upcoming trade mission.* Cuomo: "There are issues that concern me about Cuba " but says trip is not conducive to raising human rights issues.* Cuomo says he'lltalk business, not human rights, while visiting Cuba (Capital)
Black Team Cuomo Taking Shape to Take On Who? Another Rev? Flake, Camara
New York ’s overall tax problems — or even just its high property taxes — for the long term? Not even close.As E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center
Black Team Cuomo Taking Shape to Take On Who? Another Rev? Flake, Camara
Rev. Floyd Flake, who Cuomo nominated to the state Public Service Commission, is has a record as a “Cuomo back-scratcher” who will do the governor’s bidding, regardless of the merit, the Post writes: * Brooklyn Assemblyman Will Join the Cuomo Administration(NYO) Assemblyman Karim Camara, a Brooklyn Democrat and ordained minister, will lead a new faith-based community development program, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today.* Cuomo announces $50M nonprofit program headed by Karim Camara(Capital)
Shifting State Tax to Local Taxes Gov. Unserious(NYP Ed) Certainly, the plan can provide minor relief for some taxpayers. But does it address
Cuomo "I Will Bring the City Together for My Father"
'IT'S TIME FOR THIS CITY TO COME TOGETHER': Gov. Cuomo evokes father Mario's compassion as he calls for peace between NYPD, City Hall during eulogy(NYT) * In eulogy for dad Mario, Cuomo vows to bring city together(NYP) * The Daily News Editorial Board writes that Cuomo, in his eulogy to deceased father Mario, echoed with greater eloquence the call of Tuesday’sfront page—End This War Now: * Mario, Andrew , New York (NYDN Ed) New York City * Sergeants headpraises Gov. Cuomo for eulogy call on cop-City Hall peace(NYDN)
The New York Timesis pushing back against Fox Business Network for a report they ran on Wednesday morning claiming New York City MayorBill de Blasio and his top aides urged the mayor’s political allies to take to the media and “blast the police officers” who turned their backs to de Blasio ontwo separate occasions. The Times, according to correspondent David Asman, is the main culprit because they ran editorials this week that “kowtowed” to the mayor’s request. And per CNN Money reporter Tom Kludt, the Times‘ head of communications Eileen Murphy calledAsman’s reporting “ludicrous.” “We couldn’t really understand how they could say something like this, but now we know why,” Asman said. “Because they were taking orders from the mayor’s office.” Friday Update Man Threatened to Kill Officers, Authorities Say(NYT) The case brought to 21 the number of people arrested in connection with threats against the police since two New York City officers were fatally shot in their patrol car on Dec. 20.
A Feistier de Blasio Resurfaces, Uncowed and Speaking Out on Police Unions(NYT) After a fortnight of cautious, sometimes halting remarks, Mayor Bill de Blasio blasted the language of police unions and those who turned their backs on him at two officers’ funerals.* Drop in New York Police Arrests Continues for a Second Week(NYT) The slowdown built on a drastic drop in activity that began shortly after the murder of two uniformed patrol officers in Brooklyn on Dec. 20.
ACuomo 2.0: Everyone is Talking and No One is Listening
At Inaugration, Gov. Cuomo Vows To Tackle ‘Greatest Challenges’ In 2nd Term
Cuomo: "We must do more for ethics reform to build trust wich is the lifeblood of any government." * .@NYGovCuomo gets things started by striking a bipartisan tone, but also hits some progressive themes: Women's equality, AIDS eradication. * Cuomo praises Legislature for putting "
Governor De Witt Clinton in spite of a lack of public support, funding, untrained engineers, and unforgiving terrain had the vision and leadership skills to build the Erie Canal in the early 1800's. The canal which opened New York’s manufacturing goods to the Midwest markets was responsible for the state overtaking Boston and Philadelphia to become the commerce and jobs capitol of America - increasing the state’s population five fold, in the decade after it was open.
Cuomo 2.0 A New Team . . . Combining State of the State and Budget Address
Gov. Cuomo retools team for 2nd term (NYDN) * Cuomo moves budgetdirector to head Thruway; Schwartz departs(LoHud)* New Cuomo Appointments Shape a Second-Term Team (NYT) In the most notable change, William J. Mulrow, an executive at the Blackstone Group, will replace Lawrence S. Schwartz as secretary to the governor. * Cuomo bringing in fresh faces for second term(NYP) * Andrew Cuomo appoints new members to his administration(NYDN) Cuomo’s reshuffling of top administration aides includes changes in his press shop.* Susan Del Percio, the GOP consultant hired last year by Cuomo to keep her away from his opponent, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, is returning to her private consulting firm. (Second item).* The governor is considering combining his fifth State of the State address with his budget presentation on Jan. 21 after the speech was delayed due to his father’s funeral, State of Politicsreports: * Cuomo appointed Howard Zemsky to run Empire State Development, Ken Adams to lead the Department of Taxation and Finance and Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney to chair the Thruway Authority, State of Politicsreports: * The Budget And State Of The State Give Way To The ‘Opportunity Agenda’(NYO) * Cuomo announced he will merge his State of the State address and executive budget presentation into one speech at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 21st, in order to expedite the budget hearing process in the Legislature, the Times Union reports: * Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney in the Post writes that the governor’s START-UP NY Queens pastor Rev. Floyd Flake for a spot on the Public Service Commission, the DailyNews reports: * Another Round of Appointments for Cuomo’s Second Term(NYT)For the third day, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo assigned new people to state jobs and committee posts, including William C. Thompson Jr., who will be chairman for the state’s housing finance and mortgage agencies. Wednesday Cuomo Proposes $1.66B Property Tax Credit Plan(YNN)* Cuomo’s announcement that he had appointed the Rev. Floyd Flake to serve on the PSCmade no mention of the former congressman’s service on the first Moreland Commission.* The Cuomo administration defended its nomination of the Rev. Floyd Flake to the state Public Service Commission, saying his work on Cuomo’s first Moreland panel gave him experience in regulatory matters, theTimes Union reports: * Cuomo’s new secretary, Bill Mulrow, is a seasoned political operative but he’s also a nice guy, bearing little resemblance to his predecessor, “Machiavellian hatchet man” Larry Schwartz, The Journal News’ PhilReisman writes: *EJ McMahon: “Cuomo’s proposal would not represent a property tax cut but a means-tested state personal income break.” Plus it treats the “symptom” and not the “disease” of high taxes.
Cuomo The Ventriloquist A Great Act
"Nobody who knows Cuomo believes he didn’t dictate all three decisions."
Cuomo manages to stand out among Albany’s crazy denizens(NYDN)
Cuomo Inauguration in NYC
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2014 the Year of the Lies
Cuomo Lawmakers Fight Over Bank $$$
Cuomo, Legislators Jockey Over Bank-Settlement Proceeds(WSJ) New York state lawmakers face an enviable problem heading into the new year: how to spend an extra $5 billion.* 2014 is the Year ofthe Lie..."Andrew Cuomo and that anti-corruption commission." (NYP)* Lead by example: Cuomo must grasp that ethics not justsomeone else’s problem (Watertown) * Cuomo declares war on union that supported @zephyrteachout
It Was Actually the Cuomo-Skelos-Media Pact
Cuomo and Skelos Not So Secret Deal
Cuomo had a secret re-election ‘pact’ with Republicans(NYP, Dicker)Long Island races, a top New York GOP leader has charged. Former state Republican Party Executive Director Michael Lawler — who managed Rob Astorino’s ill-fated gubernatorial run against Cuomo — told The Post that he learned of the alleged bombshell deal between Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos and Cuomo just days ago, after suspecting for months that it existed.* Astorino, who wonthe Westchester executive race on his secondtry, is front-runner for a second crack at Cuomo (NYDN) When will the newspapers start reporting on the inaccurate polls? * Threats of primaries already being issued against Independent Democratic Conference - NY Daily News State law prohibits individuals from giving more than $10,300 to state Senate candidates.
Cuomo Loves the Mayor and WFP Like Michael Loves Fredo . . . Fuck You Lesson
Bacio de Morte Canter, de Blasio
Yes Cuomo Wanted To Keep the Senate Away From the Democrats, But His Anger Exploded When He Found Out WFP and de Blasio Conspired to Teachout Him A Lession
De Blasio Denies Dem Defeats in New York About Him(NYO)
The Aftermath of the Teachout Run: All Out "War" Between Cuomo and de Blasio
Did Republican Astorino Big Win Up-State or Big Money From Deep Pocket Contributors of the Mayor and Governor Make the Senate GOP?
Dems lost seats where Cuomo underperformed (Capital) * With Republicans claiming outright control of the state Senate, a major defeat was handed down to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Daily Newsreports: * .@NYSenate Dems handed bruising loss, kept out of power (Capital)* Sen. Simcha Felder might not be the only breakaway Democratto continue working w/ the state senate GOP. * Students First NY, a group supportive of charter schools and education reform that spent $4.2 million on Republicans in key state Senate races, is touting itself as a new counterbalance to the powerful statewide teachers’ union, State of Politics reports: * Democrats were routed in the state Senate in areas where Cuomo won markedly less support than in his 2010 campaign, according to voting returns, Capital New York writes: Cuomo stepped on de Blasio’s Albany press conference by holding a competing press conference of his own. For Cuomo and de Blasio, Still Some Good Old Days Historically the nature of the governor’s relationship with New York City’s mayor has always been something of an arranged marriage, but like many couples, the governor and the mayor do seem to enjoy each other’s company, at least when they are not fighting.
War: de Blasio vs Cuomo, How the GOP Won the Senate, Education AttackTeam Cuomo Pulled from Ethnic Strongholds
Cuomo's campaign pulled voters out from democratic and ethic strongholds in NYC. At one polling place in Flushing the vote according to an election inspector was as high as a presidential election. The Hasidic Leaders from Orange County made a deal with the Independence Party Bosses and who else (sic) to deliver their vote for Cuomo on their line
Cuomo Keeps Banging the Teachers Unions
Cuomo reiterated that he will tackle an overhaul of education in his second term, a sign that he is not letting up on his battle with the state teachers union, State of Politics reports:
Red America . . . Blue New York . . . Red Senate
Cuomo Wins
54% Cuomo 1,918,000
41% Astorino 1,442,000
Cuomo's 3rd Party
Working Families 120,028
Independent 64,226
Women;s Party50,876
WEP has crossed 50,000: BoE site shows them at 49,247, but has only 24% of the vote from Erie , where WEP won 1,421 votes.* Women’s Equality Party Hits 50K Threshold(YNN)
Astorino Conservative 236,875
Greens 175,250
Stop Common Core Over 50,000 (Friday)
Green Party on the map as Hawkins grabs 5% of gov vote (NYP) In his own small way, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins scored big Tuesday night, grabbing 5 percent of the vote—more than any other minor party except for the Conservatives* Voter turnout in Brooklyn and Queens : 22%. In the Bronx : 21%. NYC, we've got to do better..* Cuomo won only eight upstate counties while Republican Rob Astorino won 42 counties.Four years ago, Cuomo won 37 upstate counties, leaving Republican Carl Paladino only 13. * Democrats were routed in the state Senate in areas where Cuomo won markedly less support than in his 2010 campaign. * Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr.: “So as long as the Republicans need my vote to stop the Cuomo radical agenda, I will be with them.” * Astorino said his campaign sent a “clear and powerful message”, and again signaled his plan to return in 2018. * New York State
Despite an overall bad night for Democrats, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s majority in the chamber swelled last night from 98 to 106 seats, State of Politicsreports: * Gov. Andrew Cuomo ended up with 54 percent of the vote when all his ballot lines were totaled, and his Women’s Equality Party appeared to eke out the 50,000 votes needed to gain ballot status, Gannett Albanyreports:
GOVERNOR RACE BREAKDOWN: #Astorino performed well among Catholics, white men and independents.* Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino got 41 percent of the statewide vote in the governor’s race and carried most of the rural counties outside of the big cities, but did not win in his home county of Westchester
* As Republican Rob Astorino took the stage to concede defeat to Cuomo, he hinted this wasn’t the end of his gubernatorial ambitions, saying “We have planted a flag and we will be back to reclaim it and advance it further,” Gannett Albany reports * Aftercongratulating him on winning reelection, the Post asks Gov. Cuomo to pleasetell the public what he is going to do on fracking, tolls on the Tappan Zee Bridge New York state more affordable" * Silver gains one more seat than in 2012: Assembly Democrats now at 108 * Skelos won't say whether the GOP will invite Jeff Klein to be part of a coalition to control the Senate, or go it alone.* Pro-Charter And Education Reform Group Says Its A Counterbalance To NYSUT(YNN)
Working Families Party knocks their candidate -- Cuomo(LoHud)
In Rebuke to Democrats, Voters Return Control of New York Senate toG.O.P.(NYT)
REPUBLICANS SEIZE STATE SENATE: The Republican Party capitalized on a nationwide shift and won enough seats so that they will no longer have to depend on the Independent Democratic Conference to stay in power, City & State reports:
With firmer control in State Senate, GOP says forget talk ofa higher NY minimum wage. via @CapitalNewYork * Sen. Simcha Felder might not be the only breakaway Democratto continue working w/ the state senate GOP.(C&S)* Astorino 2018? He Leaves The Door Open(YNN)
Cuomo's Unanswered Subpoena Questions
Astorino's question to Cuomo asking if he or his staff had been subpoenaed in connection with the shuttered Moreland Commission was fair, and the governor had no one to blame but himself for it
Governor Cuomo asked for it(NYP Ed) Clearly, Gov. Cuomo was peeved during Wednesday’s debate when GOP challenger Rob Astorino asked him to swear neither he nor his staff had been subpoenaed by the US attorney, who’s probing the decision to shut down a state ethics panel. The question is “outrageous,” huffed the governor. And though Cuomo defended his handling of the panel, he declined to answer the question that was asked. Understandably, that will lead some voters to wonder if someone on the governor’s staff has indeed been subpoenaed. On Thursday, The Post gave Cuomo another chance to clear it all up. But an aide, Matt Wing, said, “We are not commenting on the US attorney’s investigation.” Let’s stipulate: Even if the US attorney, Preet Bharara, has in fact asked Cuomo or his staff for information, it doesn’t mean they are guilty of anything illegal.
State Comptroller investigates Cuomo’s state-funded ads(NYP)START-UP NY New York ’s new business-friendly, tax-reducing policies. But Republican critics and even many of Cuomo’s fellow Democrats say the commercials have really been about boosting the governor’s popularity in and out of the state. “If those ads have done anything to help New York , I don’t know about it,’’ one of the state’s best-known Democrats told The Post.* Fred Dicker: “State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a Democrat long derided as weak and indecisive, is completing a hot-potato audit of Gov. Cuomo’s controversial ‘START-UP NY
Will the State Comptroller Duck Reality In His Start-Up NY 100 Million TV Campaign
Insiders agree state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, is completing a hot-potato audit of Cuomo’s controversial “START-UP NY” TV campaign that will make or break DiNapoli’s reputation for years to come
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo spent just shy of $20 million on his re-election effort in the two-month period ending Monday, according to filings his campaign made with the state Board of Elections, The Wall Street Journal reports:
State Comptroller investigates Cuomo’s state-funded ads(NYP)
| Brain-Washing: TV Ads, Emails |
GONZALEZ: Cuomo may have won easily, but not all of hissupporters are celebrating (NYDN) Many Democrats held their noses to vote for Cuomo Tuesday or even cast protest ballots for Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins. Meanwhile the Working Families Party leaders are furious, feeling betrayed by Cuomo after he sought their party's nomination this year in a controversial deal brokered by Mayor de Blasio.* Rep. Michael Grimm wins third House term — despiteindictment, threat to throw NY1 reporter over balcony (NYDN) * De Blasio Still Faces Uphill Battle in Trying to Connect With Cuomo(NYT)
Campaign Over Cuomo Back in the Bunker
Cuomo has not held a single public event since winning re-election on November 4, returning to a schedule Albany watchers know well—minimizing opportunities for the press to scrutinize him and ensuring that the public is unaware of exactly where their governor is going or what he is doing, the Observer reports:
NYP Endorses Astorino for Governor
Rob Astorino for governor of New York(NYP) Are you better off today than you were four years ago? That’s a tough question for New Yorkers to answer yes to. Under Gov. Cuomo, the economic needle has barely moved, with growth that ranks well below the national average and was 46th among states last year. Yes, Cuomo’s done some good: He slowed Albany spending growth, passed a property-tax cap and cut some taxes. New York ’s perennially late budgets, a symbol of Albany dysfunction, now seem like history. And he recently stood up for kids over unions by backing charter public schools. Then there’s corruption. New Yorkers hoped the governor’s Moreland Commission would clean up Albany . Instead, the governor ditched the panel and changed his story about its independence. Now a US attorney is probing the governor’s actions. Meanwhile, Astorino as Westchester county executive has done much to rein in spending, cutting operating costs 3.4 percent over his first four years. That helped him hold down property taxes — and win re-election in a heavily Democratic bastion. Astorino wants to slash New York ’s top income-tax rate, reduce the number of tax brackets from eight to two and make the property-tax cap permanent. To pay for this, he’d grant mandate relief, end corporate welfare, reform Medicaid and offer public workers 401(k)-style pensions. And he’s not afraid to say he would OK fracking. How sad Cuomo refused to debate Astorino one-on-one, denying voters a chance to hear them spell out their sharp differences and how exactly they intend to help New Yorkers better their lives. All the more reason to pull the lever for Rob Astorino next Tuesday.* * In pushing through a cap on property-tax levies, Cuomo achieved one of the most significant fiscal reforms in New York history, but it needs to be permanent to make a permanent difference, Empire Center for PublicPolicy’s E.J. McMahon writes in the Post: * The Times Union editorial board endorsed the incumbent Democrat Tom DiNapoli in the race for state Comptroller: Wednesday Update * Former President Bill Clinton, who has been stumping for Democrats across the country, is expected to campaign for Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday at a rally in New York City
Anti-Robrace rant: Slurring Astorino as Bull Connor(NYP Ed)* Andrew Cuomo calls public school system a"monopoly" he wants to bust. (Wash Post) * Cuomo: 'Lot of applause'for quarantine policy (Capital)* Bill Samuels Says Andrew Cuomo Ebola ‘Gaffes’ May CostSenate Democrats(NYO) * Sheila Astorino: Cuomo's Dishonest Attack Ads areUnforgivable (Video)* Pro-Astorino Super PAC Plans $800K Media Buy (YNN)* W.F.P. turns on Cuomo over ‘monopoly’ comment (Capital) The Working Families Party released a statement Wednesday criticizing Andrew Cuomo, the party’s candidate for governor, for his comments comparing the state’s public school system to a “public monopoly.” “Governor Cuomo is wrong on this one,” the W.F.P.’s state director Bill Lipton said in a statement to Capital.* In shot at Bharara, Cuomo sez prosecutors are "betterat starting investigations" than closing them. Ditto for govs. * Cuomo decries "political baloney" over MorelandCommission controversy (YNN)* The low-key attorney general(Capital) * As session waned, Cuomo flew to city for Forbes summit (Capital)* Sales of Cuomo’s memoir, for which he received an advance of over $700,000, fell by more than 43 percent to 535 copies in its second week on shelves, The New York Times reports:
SALSA ENDORSEMENT: Rob Astorino gets backing from musiclegend Willie Colon in Bronx, accuses Cuomo ofignoring borough(NYDN) *The governor of Wall Street (Capital) There was reluctance on Wall Street about Cuomo, given some actions as AG. Then Bill de Blasio got elected * Cuomo will push new teacher evaluations, vows to bust school'monopoly' if re-elected (NYDN) * After backing a 5-year moratorium on Common Coreconsequences for kids, Cuomo wants to toughen teacher evaluations: (NYDN) Read My Book Day after @NYGovCuomo recommends “All Things Possible” for #Ebola quarantine reading, book leaps to No. 16,288 on @amazon. #woot * Astorino again knocks Cuomo for using federal money for Sandy ads @NYGovCuomo took $37.5 million from Hurricane Sandy victims to pay for StartUpNY commercials. NYers got nothing back
A state Democratic Committee ad is touting Cuomo's SAFE Act * Cuomo ally pro-charter Families for Excellent Schools Inc.spent $6 million thru June...curious why not on JCOPE list * Citing potential fraud, state Senate Democrats say they are considering going to court to try and keep all GOP senators from running on the Rob Astorino-created Stop Common Core ballot line, the Daily News reports: * Cuomo’s re-election campaign raised $110,000 in contributions over a single 24-hour period from 13 donors, while Republican Rob Astorino raised $23,000 during the same time period from five donors, State of Politics reports: * New York was again ranked 49th for its business tax climate by the Washington D.C.-based Tax Foundation, even after the group feted Cuomo earlier this month for his tax policies,Gannett Albany reports : * Former Missouri state Sen. Jeff Smith writes in Politico that while the hagiographic gaze ofCuomo’s new memoir isn’t unique considering the low bar that is the politicalbiography genre, the book is singular in the degree to which current controversies circling the governor aren’t just glossed over, but ignored completely: Clinton Former President Bill Clinton to headline rally for Gov.Cuomo (NYDN) Gov. Andrew Cuomo will get his second Clinton bump within the span of a week. Former President Bill Clinton will headline a rally for the governor in NYC Thursday. * Ebola and the gubernatorial election (Capital)* UFT Prez Michael Mulgrew says Cuomo's characterization of public education as a monopoly is "disturbing."* N.R.A. takes out $104,000 ad buy against Cuomo (Capital)* Rob Astorino: Mayor Bloomberg And New York City Better at Sandy Recovery ThanState (NYO)* Cuomo was flanked by Republicans on a visit today to acommunity praised for its Sandy buy-backsuccess.
* A Hispanic registered Democratic voter in New York City received a letter Wednesday, paid for by the New York State Democratic Committee, which said that the party will be monitoring "whether or not you vote," Capital New Yorkreports: * State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli explains why he’ll bevoting “No” on Prop. 1 in an op-ed in the Times Union:
Photo Bomb Cuomo
Cuomo, trying to enjoy a little post-election down time, inadvertently photo-bombed a young girl’s picture at a Dunkin Donuts, which subsequently wound up on Twitter, the Daily News reports: ” Two days after cruising to victory, he expanded on his ambitions in an interview with public radio’s Susan Arbetter. * De Blasio's campaign for Democrat-ruled state Senate mayhave doomed his agenda * In Deal, Staff at 2 of New York ’s Lowest Performing Schools Must Reapply for Jobs
* Astorino To Senate GOP: Act Like Republicans (YNN) * Astorino: Republicans Need To Raise Money(YNN)* Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said he may run for governor again in 2018 and that Gov. Chris Christie’s dismissal of his race against Cuomo was damaging when he most needed to raise funds, the Daily Newsreports:
Cuomo" Leftists Wrong On Issues Public Cares About
Cuomo won with fewer votes (1.95M) than his father got when he lost in 94 ((2.36M)
Andrew Cuomo source: Leftists don't focus on issues thepublic really care about (UPDATED) New York City ," the source said. "Their biggest problem was they were talking about issues that they philosophically believe in but were clearly not shared by the voters they were trying to court for their candidates." For instance, it was ludicrous to spend money on having failed Democratic primary candidate Zephyr Teachout, a liberal Fordham Law professor, record calls for upstate Democratic state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk days before the election, the source said. Tkaczyk lost to Republican George Amedore. UPDATE: A Democratic operative shot back at Team Cuomo. "This is silly coming from the guy that traveled the state in a women's equality bus and started a new women's party," the Dem said. "The governor underperformed and a million less less voters showed up. That has an affect." What the Frack Cuomo Cuomo faces pressure to decide fate of fracking(NYP)* Cuomo predicts lessprogressive change in 2015Crain'sNY* Republican StateSenate Hurts de Blasio but May Help Cuomo (WSJ)
Cuomo blames forecasters over (NYP) * Cuomo’s Response to Buffalo-Area Snow: Praised, With Exceptions(NYT)
Buffalo-area snowstorms(NYP)Buffalo region late Saturday, after more than 7 feet of snow and 13 deaths in the area. “Snow coming down at the rate of about 5 inches an hour. No one had an idea,” he said. “The weather service was off.”
But weather experts quickly buried the governor under an avalanche of data that showed they were right on target. On Sunday, National Weather Service spokesman Chris Vaccaro unleashed records of the week’s forecasts that showed his agency’s predictions were “timely and accurate.” And, once again, “Today” show weatherman Al Roker got heated over a weather-related snafu. “Seems like @NYGovCuomo folks didn’t look at @NWSBUFFALO forecasts on Monday for 2’-3’ of snow with significant additional amounts possible,” he tweeted Sunday. “One hopes that @NYGovCuomo folks just forgot to tell him. Or maybe they were playing #cya but @NWSBUFFALO did their jobs.”* Andrew Cuomo Slams Nat'l Weather Service Over His Own Ignorance * Director of Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission, @rcalcaterra, has sold more booksthan Cuomo has (NYDN)* Cuomo abstains from global warming ‘debate’(Capital)* Gov. Cuomo backs off criticism of weather forecasters(NYDN) * Meteorologists NotHappy That Cuomo Blamed Them for BuffaloSnow Disaster
Why Sandra Lee Is More Valuable to Cuomo ThanMany Reckoned (NYO) * The Weather Channel’s Sam Champion invited experts on his show to dispute Cuomo’s claims, saying there is “no question whatsoever” that the Buffalo NWS office put out an accurate forecast for the storm. * “Today” show weatherman Al Roker vs. Cuomo, take II. * A NWS spokesman said the state system Cuomo is creating “would not have made significant improvements to the already accurate forecasts provided for the two lake effect snow storms last week.” * Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani defended his comments about Ferguson from over the weekend, saying he “saved more black lives” than any previous mayor.* Duffy: Lobbying Albany ‘A Small Slice’ Of New Job(YNN)
Cuomo's Snow Job . . . Update
Cuomo Says He Didn’t Mean To Criticize NWS(YNN) “To the extent any weather forecaster felt they were criticized was not the intention,” Cuomo said at a press briefing while flanked by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.* Cuomo weathers storm, apologizes to forecasters
Buffalo-area snowstorms(NYP)
The NYT is Wrong To Say Cuomo is Directed By Wind, the Yoda Gov Has Screwed the WFP and Their Progressive Movement, After They Endorsed Him. . . Yoda Will Head Back to Albany in 2015 With the GOP Still In Control of the Senate
How Gov. Cuomo derailed the progressive ‘wave’(McManus, NYP) A funny thing happened to New York progressives on their way to a total takeover of politics and public policy in the Empire State
It was only a year ago that the progs were presenting themselves as an irresistible force, about to transform New York from merely a reliably blue state into a pulsating cobalt beacon. After all, Bill de Blasio — running with a hot-pink City Council slate and backed heavily by the (putatively) progressive Working Families Party — had just buried 20 years of middle-of-the-road municipal government under a 73%-of-the-vote landslide.
It Became Clear to Team Cuomo That Teachout Was Put Up Against Him By WFP With the Blessings of de Blasio to Weaken the Gov
Double
Agent Teachout Started the War
While the WFP is Blaming the Governor the Facts Show They Started the Fight Against Cuomo
Teachout the Corruption Fighter Did Not Endorse A Candidate Against Him in the General? The Cuomo primary opponent who attacked the governor all summer for corruption did not endorse a candidate against him in the general. "There was no question ... that we would have gottenmore votes on our Green Party line if we had gone with Zephyr." (Capital)
Cuomo Set Up The Women's Party to Hurt the WFP
The Governor and Team WFP de Blasio Pump Money Against Each Other Into the State Senate Control Fight
“We’ve formed every kind of fringe party for every kind of reason,” the governor said. “We have Democrat, Republican, Green, red, white, blue, working people, working short people, working tall people. We’ve never had a women’s party. This is the home of Seneca Falls . Let the women make their voice heard.” * Cuomo denies taking revenge on Working Families Party #WFP's Bertha Lewis: #Cuomo's "Women’s Equality Partyis unnecessary. I don’t like it. It’s cynical.” @CuomoWatch
Campaign's Last Weekend
Campaign's Last Weekend
DOWN TO THE WIRE: Andrew Cuomo, Rob Astorino head upstate asthey enter the final weekend of the gubernatorial campaign(NYDN) After a New York City radio interview, Cuomo held rallies in the Democratic strongholds of Syracuse , Rochester and Niagara Falls touting his efforts to transform Albany and the state’s economy. Astorino held get-out-the-vote rallies in Elmira , Binghamton , Watertown and Plattsburgh .* Bill Clinton endorses Cuomo for governor (wsj) * Cuomo: "I am less concerned with the internal politicalmachinations of who has political power .." cc @PolitiFact * Andrew Cuomo, Rob Astorino stump upstate as they enter finalcampaign weekend (NYDN) * In Home Stretch, Cuomo Aims to Get Out the Vote (NY1) Sunday Update UPSTATE BATTLES FOR CONTROL: Mayor de Blasio's hopes for a Democratic state Senate rely on races throughout New York (NYDN) Races over seats held by three first term incumbent Democrats, one for an open seat in the mid-Hudson Valley and a four-way contest near Buffalo are likely to decide which party has a majority in the 63-seat Senate in January, officials on both sides of the aisle said.
“We’ve formed every kind of fringe party for every kind of reason,” the governor said. “We have Democrat, Republican, Green, red, white, blue, working people, working short people, working tall people. We’ve never had a women’s party. This is the home of Seneca Falls . Let the women make their voice heard.” * Cuomo denies taking revenge on Working Families Party #WFP's Bertha Lewis: #Cuomo's "Women’s Equality Partyis unnecessary. I don’t like it. It’s cynical.” @CuomoWatch
Campaign's Last Weekend
Campaign's Last Weekend
DOWN TO THE WIRE: Andrew Cuomo, Rob Astorino head upstate asthey enter the final weekend of the gubernatorial campaign(NYDN) After a New York City radio interview, Cuomo held rallies in the Democratic strongholds of Syracuse , Rochester and Niagara Falls touting his efforts to transform Albany and the state’s economy. Astorino held get-out-the-vote rallies in Elmira , Binghamton , Watertown and Plattsburgh .* Bill Clinton endorses Cuomo for governor (wsj) * Cuomo: "I am less concerned with the internal politicalmachinations of who has political power .." cc @PolitiFact * Andrew Cuomo, Rob Astorino stump upstate as they enter finalcampaign weekend (NYDN) * In Home Stretch, Cuomo Aims to Get Out the Vote (NY1) Sunday Update UPSTATE BATTLES FOR CONTROL: Mayor de Blasio's hopes for a Democratic state Senate rely on races throughout New York (NYDN) Races over seats held by three first term incumbent Democrats, one for an open seat in the mid-Hudson Valley and a four-way contest near Buffalo are likely to decide which party has a majority in the 63-seat Senate in January, officials on both sides of the aisle said.
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The NYT's Wind Cartoon About Cuomo Is Proof That Their Ideology Has Destroyed Their News Judgement
WFP Hoist By his Own Petard"
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| From Today's NYT Editorial Page |
years.
The Real WFP Starts to Be Exposed
Cuomo Accepts WFP Endorsement
After de Blasio Got Cuomo His WFP Endorsement the Gov Went to War Against A Democratic Take Over the Senate
Glowing endorsement from Zuckerman (just 6 words onMoreland) MT @melissadderosa: "@NYDailyNews endorses Cuomo..." (NYDN Ed) * Marist Poll shows Gov. Cuomo maintaining wide lead overRepublican Rob Astorino(NYDN) * Cuomo: Women's Equality line isn't about punishing Working Families Party * An NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll findsCuomo leading Republican challenger Rob Astorino by almost two to one among likely voters, despite a lukewarm 44 percent job approval rating: * Cuomo dismissed as a “really tortured analysis” criticism that he is urging people to vote for him on his Women’s Equality Party ballot line in order to destroy the Working Families Party, the Daily News reports * State Sen. Liz Krueger stepped up her criticism of Cuomo’s Women’s Equality Party push, calling an email from the governor urging voters to support him on the new party’s ballot line “disturbing,” State of Politicsreports: * The Working Families Party got a boost from Whoopi Goldberg, who in a video touted the “progressive party” that’s helped elect officials who passed measures like paid sick leave and living wages, State of Politics reports: * Cuomo pointed to a poll showing broad popular support for his controversial decision to quarantine health workers returning from Ebola-ravaged African nations as justification for the policy, the Observerreports: * Cuomo’s teacher fight linked to non-help for Senate Dems (Capital) Dovetails with legislative alliances * Weingarten: Gov’s ‘monopoly’ comments campaign rhetoric (Capital)* Whoopi Goldberg cut a video for the Working Families Party,which is struggling to survive Cuomo * The hometown newspaper of both Gov. Cuomo and his GOPopponent Rob Astorino has endorsed...Cuomo. * "Anything can happen, but I believe the Democrats are going to win the State Senate," Cuomo tells reporters after a rally in Rockland County*
NYP Endorses Astorino for Governor
Rob Astorino for governor of New York(NYP) Are you better off today than you were four years ago? That’s a tough question for New Yorkers to answer yes to. Under Gov. Cuomo, the economic needle has barely moved, with growth that ranks well below the national average and was 46th among states last year. Yes, Cuomo’s done some good: He slowed Albany spending growth, passed a property-tax cap and cut some taxes. New York ’s perennially late budgets, a symbol of Albany dysfunction, now seem like history. And he recently stood up for kids over unions by backing charter public schools. Then there’s corruption. New Yorkers hoped the governor’s Moreland Commission would clean up Albany . Instead, the governor ditched the panel and changed his story about its independence. Now a US attorney is probing the governor’s actions. Meanwhile, Astorino as Westchester county executive has done much to rein in spending, cutting operating costs 3.4 percent over his first four years. That helped him hold down property taxes — and win re-election in a heavily Democratic bastion. Astorino wants to slash New York ’s top income-tax rate, reduce the number of tax brackets from eight to two and make the property-tax cap permanent. To pay for this, he’d grant mandate relief, end corporate welfare, reform Medicaid and offer public workers 401(k)-style pensions. And he’s not afraid to say he would OK fracking. How sad Cuomo refused to debate Astorino one-on-one, denying voters a chance to hear them spell out their sharp differences and how exactly they intend to help New Yorkers better their lives. All the more reason to pull the lever for Rob Astorino next Tuesday.* * In pushing through a cap on property-tax levies, Cuomo achieved one of the most significant fiscal reforms in New York history, but it needs to be permanent to make a permanent difference, Empire Center for PublicPolicy’s E.J. McMahon writes in the Post: * The Times Union editorial board endorsed the incumbent Democrat Tom DiNapoli in the race for state Comptroller: Wednesday Update * Former President Bill Clinton, who has been stumping for Democrats across the country, is expected to campaign for Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday at a rally in New York City
Anti-Robrace rant: Slurring Astorino as Bull Connor(NYP Ed)* Andrew Cuomo calls public school system a"monopoly" he wants to bust. (Wash Post) * Cuomo: 'Lot of applause'for quarantine policy (Capital)* Bill Samuels Says Andrew Cuomo Ebola ‘Gaffes’ May CostSenate Democrats(NYO) * Sheila Astorino: Cuomo's Dishonest Attack Ads areUnforgivable (Video)* Pro-Astorino Super PAC Plans $800K Media Buy (YNN)* W.F.P. turns on Cuomo over ‘monopoly’ comment (Capital) The Working Families Party released a statement Wednesday criticizing Andrew Cuomo, the party’s candidate for governor, for his comments comparing the state’s public school system to a “public monopoly.” “Governor Cuomo is wrong on this one,” the W.F.P.’s state director Bill Lipton said in a statement to Capital.* In shot at Bharara, Cuomo sez prosecutors are "betterat starting investigations" than closing them. Ditto for govs. * Cuomo decries "political baloney" over MorelandCommission controversy (YNN)* The low-key attorney general(Capital) * As session waned, Cuomo flew to city for Forbes summit (Capital)* Sales of Cuomo’s memoir, for which he received an advance of over $700,000, fell by more than 43 percent to 535 copies in its second week on shelves, The New York Times reports:
SALSA ENDORSEMENT: Rob Astorino gets backing from musiclegend Willie Colon in Bronx, accuses Cuomo ofignoring borough(NYDN) *The governor of Wall Street (Capital) There was reluctance on Wall Street about Cuomo, given some actions as AG. Then Bill de Blasio got elected * Cuomo will push new teacher evaluations, vows to bust school'monopoly' if re-elected (NYDN) * After backing a 5-year moratorium on Common Coreconsequences for kids, Cuomo wants to toughen teacher evaluations: (NYDN) Read My Book Day after @NYGovCuomo recommends “All Things Possible” for #Ebola quarantine reading, book leaps to No. 16,288 on @amazon. #woot * Astorino again knocks Cuomo for using federal money for Sandy ads @NYGovCuomo took $37.5 million from Hurricane Sandy victims to pay for StartUpNY commercials. NYers got nothing back
A state Democratic Committee ad is touting Cuomo's SAFE Act * Cuomo ally pro-charter Families for Excellent Schools Inc.spent $6 million thru June...curious why not on JCOPE list * Citing potential fraud, state Senate Democrats say they are considering going to court to try and keep all GOP senators from running on the Rob Astorino-created Stop Common Core ballot line, the Daily News reports: * Cuomo’s re-election campaign raised $110,000 in contributions over a single 24-hour period from 13 donors, while Republican Rob Astorino raised $23,000 during the same time period from five donors, State of Politics reports: * New York was again ranked 49th for its business tax climate by the Washington D.C.-based Tax Foundation, even after the group feted Cuomo earlier this month for his tax policies,Gannett Albany reports : * Former Missouri state Sen. Jeff Smith writes in Politico that while the hagiographic gaze ofCuomo’s new memoir isn’t unique considering the low bar that is the politicalbiography genre, the book is singular in the degree to which current controversies circling the governor aren’t just glossed over, but ignored completely: Clinton Former President Bill Clinton to headline rally for Gov.Cuomo (NYDN) Gov. Andrew Cuomo will get his second Clinton bump within the span of a week. Former President Bill Clinton will headline a rally for the governor in NYC Thursday. * Ebola and the gubernatorial election (Capital)* UFT Prez Michael Mulgrew says Cuomo's characterization of public education as a monopoly is "disturbing."* N.R.A. takes out $104,000 ad buy against Cuomo (Capital)* Rob Astorino: Mayor Bloomberg And New York City Better at Sandy Recovery ThanState (NYO)* Cuomo was flanked by Republicans on a visit today to acommunity praised for its Sandy buy-backsuccess.
* A Hispanic registered Democratic voter in New York City received a letter Wednesday, paid for by the New York State Democratic Committee, which said that the party will be monitoring "whether or not you vote," Capital New Yorkreports: * State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli explains why he’ll bevoting “No” on Prop. 1 in an op-ed in the Times Union:
6PM Presser With de Blasio
Who Is In Charge Of Ebola Response Gov, Mayor and CDC Not Talking?
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In Dallas , lack of command hindered #Ebola response. So who's in charge in New York — de Blasio, Cuomo or CDC? They aren't even talking.
* @Ambassador_Power rightly says health workers inEbola-stricken countries should be treated as "conquering heroes"(NBC) * Top NIH official slams Ebola quarantines (The Hill) * The treatment of doctors and nurses actually fighting Ebola,by politicians pretending to fight Ebola, is disgraceful (Doctors Without Boarders) * Will mandatory Ebola quarantines imposed by states makethings worse? Many think so (WCBS) * Quarantine for Ebola health care workers is enforceable,Cuomo says, as head of NIAID slams practice (NYDN) * Christie sees 'national policy' as feds criticize quarantine(Capital)* Quarantined nurse Kaci Hickox says her "basic humanrights have been violated," isolation like prison (Newsday) * "From a public health point of view, it doesn't makeany sense." NYU's head of medical ethics on quarantine policy … *Norman Siegel attorney for 1st person quarantined by @GovChristie & @nygovCuomo talks to @nahmias about pending lawsuit http://capi.tl/1wxwDaj #EbolaNYC * Video excerpt: Mayor de Blasio addresses the Cuomo/ChristieFriday quarantine policy & the failure to advise him. * Hundreds of people may soon be in state-enforcedquarantines: (Bloomberg News) * De Blasio Spent Weeks Readying to Lead NYC Through EbolaMoment (Bloomberg) * "De Blasio wants to talk Ebola into submission, andCuomo has acted as if he wanted to punch the virus in the nose." (NY Mag) * @JimmyVielkind Cuomo jokes that people on Ebola quarantine could read his book while under quarantine.* Cuomo’s imposition of a 21-day quarantine on health workers who have had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him in the fight against AIDS, The New York Times reports: Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Ebola quarantine policy is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him on another infectious disease: AIDS. * Cuomo bravely ventured a joke at a news conference about Ebola quarantines, saying impacted health care workers should “read my book” to pass the time. * For Crew in New York, a Virus Is Fought With Scrub Brushes andCleanser (NYT)
Team Cuomo Believes Teachout Was Put Into the Primary to Weaken the Governor By the WFP
Zephyr Teachout andthe Working Families Party reunite to attack Gov. Cuomo on charter schools (NYDN)* Fordham law professor Zephyr Teachout is promising to remain a thorn in Cuomo’s side. The former gubernatorial challenger is re-joining forces with the Working Families Party today to fight her erstwhile primary opponent on charter schools. Picture @ZephyrTeachout & @WorkingFamilies Bill Lipton w parents & activists vs the billionaires #AllInForFairness
* Teachout And WFP Join Forces To Oppose Charter Schools(YNN)
* Teachout And WFP Join Forces To Oppose Charter Schools(YNN)
8PM Presser Cuomo de Blasio
NYT breaking news: "Under Pressure, Cuomo Loosens Policy for Ebola Quarantines."
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Bright Side on the End of the Election
We will only have to watch tax payer funded Start Up NY commercials 4 only 17 more days
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Its Hand to Hand Combat End of Campaign Times
A quarantine that allows unlimited contact with nonquarantined people doesn't seem like a quarantine
Cuomo - This is a war on the virus in West Africa
Its Hand to Hand Combat End of Campaign Times
What At Stake Election Day
Cuomo’s ‘victory’won’t be one for the books(NYP)
In a sharp slap just hours before the polls opened, national teachers union president Randi Weingarten told her members Monday that she’s voting the Democratic ticket, but bypassing the governor.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH ON ELECTION DAY: (City and State) What to know about today's general election contests, from the battle for the state Senate to a potential GOP landslide in congressional races to a potential shakeup of the state's third parties: * Bringing a nasty end to their sometimes-bitter campaign, Gov. Andrew Cuomo Monday unleashed his harshest attacks yet against Republicans while rival Rob Astorino pleaded for a change from the “status Cuomo,” theDaily News writes:
Lawyered Up With control of the state Senate in the balance and some contests running exceedingly close, cadres of attorneys on Monday for both Democrats and Republicans were gearing up for recounts after Tuesday's voting,the Times Union writes: * New York Republicans are hoping a wave of discontentment with President Barack Obama and incumbents in general will carry them to wins in a handful of congressional districts, even as they struggle to compete statewide, The Wall Street Journal reports: * THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS! Cuomo blasts Republican ‘zealots’at rallies; rival Astorino says N.Y. ‘losing’ under governor(NYDN)* 7 things to watch for on Election Day in New York (besides oncoming traffic because#VisionZero) (Capital)* size of anti-gov lib vote & @nygovcuomo's margin todayinteresting. but campaign to control state leg. just starting: * A Tepid Thumbs Up Is the Best Many Can Muster for Cuomo(NYT) * Politicians Show Frustration After a Police Chief’s Exit in New York (NYT)* Cuomo Doesn’t Expect Senate To Be Settled Tonight (YNN)* Hochul Votes On Women’s Equality Line (YNN)* A difference between Governor Cuomo and Rob Astorino? Tryabout $40 million of them.(NYT)
Kosher Voting On the Independence Party Line
Kosher Voting On the Independence Party Line
KJ Leaders Urge Vote for Cuomo on Indy Line (YNN) A SoP reader forwarded this sample ballot being handed out in Kiryas Joel, the Orange County village of Hasidic Jews Westchester , said he’s optimistic about his chances because his voters are enthusiastic and will come out in force, the Daily News reports: v* New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito voted for Cuomo and lieutenant governor candidate Kathy Hochul on the Working Families Party line and against ballot Proposal 1, Capital New York reports: * The left-leaning Working Families Party says it's gotten complaints that the ballot and its many rows and columns are causing confusion at the polls, especially when it comes to third-party votes, the Daily Newsreports: * The Manhattan Democratic Party, headed by former state Democratic Party Chair and Assemblyman Keith Wright, sent out an email imploring Manhattan Democrats to vote on the Democratic Party ballot line,State of Politicsreports: * Democratic State Senate Committee Chairman Michael Gianaris appeared to take several jabs at Sen. Jeff Klein, leader of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference, for apparently hedging over a reunion with the mainline Democrats, the Observer reports: * Rep. Charles Rangel cast what he says will be his final vote for himself, and unsurprisingly said he’d also voted for Cuomo, the Daily News * Rep. Charles Rangel cast what he says will be his final vote for himself, and unsurprisingly said he’d also voted for Cuomo, the DailyNews reports: * Rep. Michael Grimm didn’t look like an under-funded, under-indictment incumbent fighting for his seat as he strolled across a Staten Island elementary school gym to applause from poll workers and voters alike, the Observer reports * State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman had to fill out three ballots before his vote was counted, with multiple voting machines spitting his first two back out along with a message that said "unreadable marks detected on your ballot," Capital New York reports: * The labor-backed Working Families Party is desperately fighting to retain the 50,000 votes it needs to preserve its ballot status—a task complicated by the fact that it must convince a critical mass of Cuomo-haters to vote for Cuomo on its line, Capital New York reports:
Thursday
Greenwich Village , which briefly closed after Ebola-infected Dr. Spencer visited for about 40 minutes on Tuesday. * The nurse quarantined in NJ after helping Ebola victims isdenouncing how she's been treated (WNBC) Cuomo says it's "obnoxious," "irrational" and "irresponsible" to suggest he might be using the Ebola scare to his political advantage.* 1st-person account of nurse, now in forced quarantinedespite negative test. …(Dallas News) * Cuomo jumps into the Ebola spotlight, leaving de Blasio behind (NYDN) Cuomo, after initially sharing the stage with de Blasio on Thursday, went solo and coast-to-coast one day later. A de Blasio source claims it's not a surprise, while an Albany insider insisted there was likely no slight intended to the mayor.
NYT's Carolyn Ryan on #MTP: New restrictions by Cuomo/Christie generates more confusion and public anxiety #ebola * Quarantine for Ebola health care workers is enforceable,Cuomo says, as head of NIAID slams practice (NYDN)* White House Presses States to Reverse Mandatory EbolaQuarantine Orders (NYT) Norman Siegel plans legal challenge, says Ebola quarantine policy is "overly broad" & "infringes on Kaci Hickox's civil liberties" * Chris Christie predicts quarantine will be "nationalpolicy"
6PM Presser With de Blasio
Who Is In Charge Of Ebola Response Gov, Mayor and CDC Not Talking?
Bill Hammond @NYDNHammond
In Dallas , lack of command hindered #Ebola response. So who's in charge in New York — de Blasio, Cuomo or CDC? They aren't even talking.
* @Ambassador_Power rightly says health workers inEbola-stricken countries should be treated as "conquering heroes"(NBC) * Top NIH official slams Ebola quarantines (The Hill) * The treatment of doctors and nurses actually fighting Ebola,by politicians pretending to fight Ebola, is disgraceful (Doctors Without Boarders) * Will mandatory Ebola quarantines imposed by states makethings worse? Many think so (WCBS) * Quarantine for Ebola health care workers is enforceable,Cuomo says, as head of NIAID slams practice (NYDN) * Christie sees 'national policy' as feds criticize quarantine(Capital)* Quarantined nurse Kaci Hickox says her "basic humanrights have been violated," isolation like prison (Newsday) * "From a public health point of view, it doesn't makeany sense." NYU's head of medical ethics on quarantine policy … *Norman Siegel attorney for 1st person quarantined by @GovChristie & @nygovCuomo talks to @nahmias about pending lawsuit http://capi.tl/1wxwDaj #EbolaNYC * Video excerpt: Mayor de Blasio addresses the Cuomo/ChristieFriday quarantine policy & the failure to advise him. * Hundreds of people may soon be in state-enforcedquarantines: (Bloomberg News) * De Blasio Spent Weeks Readying to Lead NYC Through EbolaMoment (Bloomberg) * "De Blasio wants to talk Ebola into submission, andCuomo has acted as if he wanted to punch the virus in the nose." (NY Mag) * @JimmyVielkind Cuomo jokes that people on Ebola quarantine could read his book while under quarantine.* Cuomo’s imposition of a 21-day quarantine on health workers who have had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him in the fight against AIDS, The New York Times reports: Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Ebola quarantine policy is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him on another infectious disease: AIDS. * Cuomo bravely ventured a joke at a news conference about Ebola quarantines, saying impacted health care workers should “read my book” to pass the time. * For Crew in New York, a Virus Is Fought With Scrub Brushes andCleanser (NYT)
8PM Presser Cuomo de Blasio
"My personal practice is to err on the side of caution" -@NYGovCuomo on his quarantine policy * "My personal practice is to err on the side of caution," Cuomo says, adding that the state has gone thru hurricanes, floods and blizzards.New York ’s quarantine policy for medical personnel treating Ebola, denying that he had in any way softened his stance between Friday and Sunday, Gannett Albany reports: * Republican gubernatorial nominee Rob Astorino accused Cuomo of having “no clue” what he is doing when it comes to Ebola, maintaining that the governor has changed policy three times and has failed to communicate with de Blasio, the Daily News reports: * It hasn’t been easy to follow the governor’s direction on the Ebola issue—in a single weekend he undermined de Blasio’s message of calm, announced an aggressive new quarantine policy with Chris Christie without notifying city or federal officials, and inaccurately suggested a doctor-turned-Ebola-patient did not follow safety guidelines, writes Blake Zeffin Capital New York:
Bill Hammond @NYDNHammond * De Blasio's expression could be interpreted as incredulous. * Cuomo says health care pros will check in twice a day. If they develop symptoms, they'll go to hospital. . *.@NYGovCuomo "interestingly the org Drs without Borders ... require" health care workers stay out of work for 3 wks when they return . * NYS Gov Cuomo backtracks, partly, on the quarantine order: doctors or travelers in contact with Ebola must now stay home for 21 days. . *Cuomo says he wants to encourage people to go to West Africa , treat it like being called up on military reserve. "This is a war."
Should the Bellevue Doctors and Nurses Working On the Ebola Doctor Have Their Travel Restricted Govs?
TIGHTER TRAVEL REGULATIONS: Flyers who have come intocontact with Ebola-infected people now face mandatory 21-day quarantine whenthey land in N.Y., N.J. (NYDN) * 'We want to account for ALL of his time': 'DiseaseDetectives' hunt contacts of Ebola-infected Craig Spencer (NYDN) Spencer's uncle said he didn't like the criticism his nephew was receiving, and called the 33-year-old doctor 'a wonderful boy.' His relatives spoke after Health Department 'disease detectives' retraced Spencer’s every step and tracked down all his contacts since he landed at Kennedy Airport West Africa
How Come Pushing Out the Middle Class is Not An Issue in Campaign 2014
NYT says it's confirmed: A doctor in New York City... tested positive for theEbola virus Thursday"
Quarantine On the Fly Without A Plan Changing By the Hour
Sunday Morning
Dallas Morning News: Nurse Says She is In Quarantine Hell Piss Off
Dallas Morning News: Nurse Says She is In Quarantine Hell Piss Off
Amid concerns that quarantining healthcare workers will dissuade them from traveling to Ebola-infected nations, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo rolled out a plan to offer job security and financial incentives to doctors willing to fight the virus abroad, the Observer reports:
'IT'S NOTHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED': Andrew Cuomo admitsEbola quarantine policy could be unenforceable The governor said officials had never considered whether people refusing to go along with the order could face prosecution or arrest. While Cuomo fielded questions, Mayor de Blasio scarfed down meatballs with his wife and Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett at The Meatball Shop in
Thurs: Cuomo w/ BDB urging calm; Fri: Cuomo w/ Christie calling for quarantine; Sat: Cuomo tamping down fear; Sun: WH out against quarantine
6PM Presser With de Blasio
Who Is In Charge Of Ebola Response Gov, Mayor and CDC Not Talking?
* @Ambassador_Power rightly says health workers inEbola-stricken countries should be treated as "conquering heroes"(NBC) * Top NIH official slams Ebola quarantines (The Hill) * The treatment of doctors and nurses actually fighting Ebola,by politicians pretending to fight Ebola, is disgraceful (Doctors Without Boarders) * Will mandatory Ebola quarantines imposed by states makethings worse? Many think so (WCBS) * Quarantine for Ebola health care workers is enforceable,Cuomo says, as head of NIAID slams practice (NYDN) * Christie sees 'national policy' as feds criticize quarantine(Capital)* Quarantined nurse Kaci Hickox says her "basic humanrights have been violated," isolation like prison (Newsday) * "From a public health point of view, it doesn't makeany sense." NYU's head of medical ethics on quarantine policy … *Norman Siegel attorney for 1st person quarantined by @GovChristie & @nygovCuomo talks to @nahmias about pending lawsuit http://capi.tl/1wxwDaj #EbolaNYC * Video excerpt: Mayor de Blasio addresses the Cuomo/ChristieFriday quarantine policy & the failure to advise him. * Hundreds of people may soon be in state-enforcedquarantines: (Bloomberg News) * De Blasio Spent Weeks Readying to Lead NYC Through EbolaMoment (Bloomberg) * "De Blasio wants to talk Ebola into submission, andCuomo has acted as if he wanted to punch the virus in the nose." (NY Mag) * @JimmyVielkind Cuomo jokes that people on Ebola quarantine could read his book while under quarantine.* Cuomo’s imposition of a 21-day quarantine on health workers who have had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him in the fight against AIDS, The New York Times reports: Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Ebola quarantine policy is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him on another infectious disease: AIDS. * Cuomo bravely ventured a joke at a news conference about Ebola quarantines, saying impacted health care workers should “read my book” to pass the time. * For Crew in New York, a Virus Is Fought With Scrub Brushes andCleanser (NYT)
8PM Presser Cuomo de Blasio
NYT breaking news: "Under Pressure, Cuomo Loosens Policy for Ebola Quarantines."
A quarantine that allows unlimited contact with nonquarantined people doesn't seem like a quarantine
Cuomo - This is a war on the virus in West Africa
After A String of Losses, Quinn, Rangel Race the No Shame NYT Picks Cuomo
NYT Editorial
Endorses Cuomo
Endorses Cuomo
– with caveats. It wants him to devote himself to cleaning up Albany , and passing campaign finance reform, for the next four years. Calling him a “strong governor” the New York Times Editorial Board endorsed Andrew Cuomo for reelection and urged him to use his political powers to clean up New York State Albany into a place that best serves moneyed interests and the politicians in hock to them. Mr. Cuomo himself has benefited from lax rules that have allowed him to raise nearly half of the $45 million for his campaign mostly from the developers and lobbyists giving $40,000 or more.* NYT editorial endorsing Cuomo criticizes Astorino for opposing Common Core. Cuomo abandoned the standards in new ad. Oops.
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Should the Bellevue Doctors and Nurses Working On the Ebola Doctor Have Their Travel Restricted Govs?
How Come Pushing Out the Middle Class is Not An Issue in Campaign 2014
NYT says it's confirmed: A doctor in New York City... tested positive for theEbola virus Thursday"
NYC Doctor Tests Positive For Ebola, Sources Tell CBS 2 (WCBS)NYC has disease detectives tracing the Ebola patient’s recent movements. City "prepared to quarantine contacts as necessary,” says mayor. @billdeblasio confirms first Ebola case in NYC, says it is very hard to contract. Urges calm.
“Being on the same subway car” or living close to someone with Ebola isn’t in and of itself a risk, @deBlasioNYC says. * Governor Cuomo says NYC has learned from the experience with Ebola in Dallas and is very prepared * Cuomo says he's spoken with Ron Klain, the Obama-appointed "Ebola czar" and says a CDC team has been sent * Cuomo on #nyc Ebola doc: we believe he came into contact with four people during the relevant period. * Ebola patient took the A, 1 and L trains, says city health chief * Bassett: Among those Spencer has been in contact with isfiancé, two friends and a Uber driver.(WSJ) *-- Daily News: “FDNY hazardous materials specialistssealed-off Spencer’s apartment on W. 147th St. and took the doctor out on a stretcher. … the super in Spencer’s building, said firefighters took the doctor’s door off its hinges when they took him out of the apartment.”
Mario Cuomo: EXCELSIOR
A Pol Who Talked From the Heart Used It All Up In His 82nd Year
Mario Cuomo: one of the last great "politicians of quality," to use a Jack Germond term. These clowns don't compare
Wayne Barrett On Mario Cuomo
IF NEW YORKIS A FAMILY, MARIO CUOMO WAS ITS SOUL(Wayne Barrett,C&S) Albany while governor, I always thought, because he feared he might not be able to force himself to come back, despite an oath he said he often repeated in his mind. He was no saint in a brothel, but he might have been one of the few at the Capitol who knew what sin was. And he had to make the government work, like a chef with nothing but tawdry leftovers to cook. Continue on to his Notre Dame speech, when every word was a prayer for tolerance, a careful reconciliation of a church he loved with a constitution he loved at its point of collision, the abortion issue. “We know,” he said to Catholics, “that the price of seeking to force our beliefs on others is that they might try someday to force theirs’ on us.” The convention speech he gave in San Francisco in 1984 was not so much “the tale of two cities” as it was the tale of two Cuomos—the one his soul yearned for, which he could express on a national stage, and the one who governed New York, where every dollar was a decision.
A Pol Who Talked From the Heart Used It All Up In His 82nd Year
Wednesday
Cuomo delivers 40-minute eulogy for his father (Capital) @NYGovCuomo in eulogy touched on tensions in NYC & committed himself to addressing it & it appears he may have to step in.* Cuomo Gives Stirring Tribute To His Father(YNN)* Mario Cuomo laid to rest(NYP)* Former Gov. Mario Cuomo was eulogized by his son, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who called him “the keynote speaker for our better angels” at a funeral attended by hundreds, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, The New YorkTimes reports: * Andrew Cuomo’s eulogy for his father, Mario, was perhaps the most personal and stirring address he has given in his public life, opening up a rarely seen vulnerable side, State of Politics’ Nick Reisman writes: http://goo.gl/jtKvB8 * Although he was known as an orator, Mario Cuomo was also an ambitious and ruthless pick-up basketball player, political consultant Charlie King recalls in the Daily News:http://goo.gl/vHHWEz
Monday Update
Cuomo obituary: “People asked me what I want as an epitaph,” he said. “He tried."
At Funeral for Mario Cuomo, Praise for a Leader’s Role as a Humanist(NYT) Former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo was eulogized on Tuesday by his son, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who called his father “the keynote speaker for our better angels.”
Cuomo delivers 40-minute eulogy for his father (Capital) @NYGovCuomo in eulogy touched on tensions in NYC & committed himself to addressing it & it appears he may have to step in.* Cuomo Gives Stirring Tribute To His Father(YNN)* Mario Cuomo laid to rest(NYP)* Former Gov. Mario Cuomo was eulogized by his son, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who called him “the keynote speaker for our better angels” at a funeral attended by hundreds, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, The New YorkTimes reports: * Andrew Cuomo’s eulogy for his father, Mario, was perhaps the most personal and stirring address he has given in his public life, opening up a rarely seen vulnerable side, State of Politics’ Nick Reisman writes: http://goo.gl/jtKvB8 * Although he was known as an orator, Mario Cuomo was also an ambitious and ruthless pick-up basketball player, political consultant Charlie King recalls in the Daily News:http://goo.gl/vHHWEz
Monday Update
Cuomo faces difficult term after death of his father(NYP)
Pataki Praises ‘Gracious’ Mario Cuomo(YNN)* * Former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden are set to attend the funeral of former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reports: * Mario Cuomo’s failed 1977 bid for New York City’s mayoralty cast a long shadow over his career, and no doubt weighed heavily on his mind as he deliberated over whether to run for president in later years, the Times reports: * Unlike other elected officials, Mario Cuomo tried publicly to reconcile his belief in the God of his Roman Catholic Church with his progressive political agenda while challenging religious leaders, the Times writes: * A who’s who of the political world showed up at a Manhattan funeral home today to pay their respects to former Gov. Mario Cuomo.While eulogizing his father, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his dad was a “progressive pragmatist” and “keynote speaker for our better angels.” “At his core, he was a philosopher. He was a poet. He was an advocate. He was a crusader,” the governor said of former Gov. Mario Cuomo. CNN anchor Chris Cuomo aired a six-minute tribute to his father this morning, recounting his rules for life and challenging those who dubbed him the “Hamlet on the Hudson .” A Reuters photographer captured a difficult but beautiful moment between the governor and his mother outside the church where Mario Cuomo’s funeral was held.
Mourners Pay Their Respects to Mario Cuomo(NYT)
From the archives:"Cuomo Rising: Will New York's Great Smart Hope Run for Mayor?" (1977, Village Voice)
Three-term N.Y. Gov. Mario Cuomo, known as the most eloquent public official of his time, dead at 82: source close to family(NYDN) *
State Archives videoof Mario Cuomo taking the oath of office for the first time, 32 years agotoday: * POLITICO's ToddPurdum on Mario Cuomo, the poet laureate of liberalism. * Mario Cuomodelivered one hell of a speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention * This 1994 New York cover storylooks back on Mario Cuomo's term in office, before he lost his bid forre-election: (NY Mag) *#MarioCuomo's legacy of fighting for #NewYork's working & middle classes is one that students of history will be studying for years to come. * When Rudy Giuliani went to bat (and swung really hard) for Mario Cuomo:(NYT)
A candid assessmentof Mario Cuomo's legacy by the @nydailynews editorial board:* Cuomo, the MarianoRivera of political quips, replied when Sharpton said he might run v. him:"I should be so lucky." (Newsday) * Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo dead at 82(NYP)* The @NYPost'seditorial board remembers the late governor's role in saving the paper:"Mario Cuomo, 1932-2015" * Ken Auletta remembers Mario Cuomo:(New Yorkers)'For all his eloquence and intensity, as governor he was strangely aimless.'* Video of Bill and Mario's hatchet-burying press conf threedays before the 4/92 NY primary: * Remembering Mario Cuomo (Today) * Mario Cuomo remembered by politicians, celebrities (NYDN) * Here is a compilation of obituaries remembering theDemocratic titan from various news outlets * Mario Cuomo was an underachieving enigma—brilliant yet indecisive, accomplished as a lawyer yet riddled with self-doubt as a politician and was eventually booted from office for failing to use that popularity to lead New York in a direction that would have made the state better, the Post’s Fred Dicker writes:
HE LOVED NEW YORK: Former Governor Mario Cuomo dead at age 82, just hours after his son Andrew is sworn in for second term(NYDN) * LUPICA: Son of the Empire State, Mario Cuomo, is missed already for his voice — which we need now more than ever(NYDN) * LAST LION OF N.Y. LIBERALISM: The News says goodbye to Super Mario, who commanded a deep respect, affection(NYDN) * 'Cuomo was a voice for dignity and inclusiveness': Obama says Mario championed tolerance, opportunity(NYDN) * Mario Cuomo passedaway the same day his son, Andrew Cuomo, was re-inaugrated. Cuomo pere approvedhis son's remarks * HAMILL: Mario fought a lifetime for justice and a more equitable New York(NYDN) * From his humble beginnings in Queens to nearly becoming a presidential candidate, NY1 looks back at the life of Mario Cuomo.* “One of the most iconic governors of the 20th century.” * Mario Cuomo was in some sense the “true leader” of the liberal opposition in the Reagan era, though he shunned many trappings that came with political life. * He championed liberalism at a time when it was “marginalized” in the 1980s. * Ken Auletta, writing in The New Yorker, recalls profiling “a man comfortable with himself.” * The Daily News’s editorial:
“There was never doubt that he would be on the little guy’s side.” * Paul Grondahl’s Times Union obituary of Cuomo looks at “a maddening, Sphinx-like figure for political pundits who tried to decipher his sometimes opaque intentions, especially when it came to his presidential ambitions.” * Rex Smith of the Times Union found it fitting Mario Cuomo would pass away at his home. * The Buffalo News has a fascinating slideshow of images of Mario Cuomo in the Queen City.* Among the many things that set Mario Cuomo apart from other governors was actually living in Albany. * Dan Janison recalls a governor who would often quote a fictional philosopher turned alter ego, AJ Parkinson. * Mario Cuomo's favorite speech is not the DNC address, plus avignette from the immortal "What It Takes" * Giuliani salutes Cuomo as "a truly exceptional man ofconscience and of great intellect" (NYO)* Mourners line up to bid Mario Cuomo farewell(NYP)
Cuomo inspired but did little for New York(NYP) * Both Cuomos Shaped by Queens , the Outsider’s Borough(NYT) * good 2012 story on Mario Cuomo's short lived baseballcareer, which ended with a pitch to the head from John Barbier * Was Cuomo Destined To Be President Or Just Political PoetLaureate? (NPR) * Funeral Plans Set for Former Governor Mario Cuomo According to Saint Ignatius Loyola Church on Park Avenue in Manhattan , services will be held Tuesday, January 6. * Mario Cuomo’s Favorite Speech(YNN) * The oratory that rocketed Mario Cuomo to stardom(NYP) * Cuomo Postpones Stateof the State Address Following Father’s Death(NYO)* Mario Cuomo’s impact endures in part because hearticulated his political philosophy so powerfully and he never fulfilled the national destiny many envisioned for him, WNYC reports:
Cuomo played role in electing Giuliani over Dinkins(NYP) He was a Democratic icon, but former Gov. Mario Cuomo played a role in helping elect Republican Rudy Giuliani as mayor in 1993 over the Democratic incumbent, David Dinkins. Inserting himself into a polarizing dispute, Cuomo in December 1989 signed a controversial law allowing Staten Island residents to vote on secession from New York City . He did so over the heated objections of Dinkins, who had just won the November mayoral election over Giuliani and was preparing to take office. “I was very surprised he didn’t veto the secession bill. As a legal scholar, he had to know the bill was unconstitutional,” Dinkins told The Post Friday.* Mario Cuomo, 1932-2015(NYP Ed) * Cuomo inspired but did little for New York(NYP) * Cuomo defied the odds and hung on to see son’s inauguration(NYP) * Man arrested after calling 911 to say he's "dying tokill NYPD"(NBC) * SteveCuozzo:Remembering The Post’s unlikelysavior, Mario Cuomo(NYP) * Gov. Andrew Cuomo has postponed his annual State of theState address two weeks following the death of his father. * An Outsider’s Borough Shaped a Politician Who Helped Shape It(NYT) * Liberal Voice and Practical Eye for Progress(WSJ) Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo was considered the Democratic Party’s liberal poet, but a look at his three terms in office shows that his governance of New York state was often prosaic.* What if Cuomo hadrun?(Daily Beast)* Mario Cuomo's strong death penalty legacy *Ken Burns says that for Mario Cuomo, baseball was aboutdemocracy (NYP) * The Mario Cuomostory from Nick D'Arienzo (at 0:50) may be the best I've heard so far. * A Look Back at Mario Cuomo's Early Life in Queens(NY1) * Wonderful Cuomo insights by another Albany veteran, @MichaelOreskes * . Watch Mario Cuomo and Ann Richards concede to@Doritos in this 1994 ad * Mensch, shabbos goy, liberal - Sizing up Mario Cuomo andthe Jews(Jerusalem Post)
Mario Cuomo, a very important and beloved influence in my life, has passed away. I will be eternally grateful to ...
"Mario’s lifeblood organ was his soul—a reservoir of conscience battling a conniving world." writes Barrett in C&S
Wayne Barrett says The New York Times was biased for Koch and against Mario Cuomo - even in the writing of their respective obits. Wayne also offers tender reflections on the love/dislike, journalist-vs-politician relationship between him and Mario Cuomo. And he reveals the two of them - himself and Mario - finally showing the frailties of lives spent in battling. They were battles fought in the soul-relieving way, in the democratic way - with words.
LAST ACT OF LOVE: Mario Cuomo's final moments spent listening to son Andrew Cuomo give inauguration speeches
LAST ACT OF LOVE: Mario Cuomo's final moments spent listening to son Andrew Cuomo give inauguration speeches (NYDN)* Salon’s Blake Zeff writes that Mario Cuomo wasn’t just a principled and eloquent champion of liberal America but he was also a very skilled politician who “knew the sport … and played it at a high level” * Nearly 50 years ago, Mario Cuomo, an unassuming Queens lawyer spurned by Manhattan ’s white-shoe firms, emerged as the “Great Compromiser” after columnist Jimmy Breslin lionized him, The New York Times reports: * He was known for his speeches, but Mario Cuomo's wit andintelligence were also on constant display(NY1) * He was nearly invisible in the decades after his defeat. But Mario’s politics are around to this day. * One Last Confluence for Mario and Andrew Cuomo, Proud Rivals(NYT) On the day of Andrew Cuomo’s inauguration for his second term as governor of New York , his father, Mario Cuomo, died, commanding the state’s attention. * Mario Cuomo’s Life in Public Service(NYT) The former governor of New York was an eloquent champion of the plights and hopes of ordinary citizens and had a passion for the potential of government.* Among his last interviews was one where Mario defended Andrew’s dealings with the Moreland Commission.* State Of The State Rescheduled To Jan. 21 * Cuomo family intimates predicted over the weekend that Andrew — who reveled in his father’s praise when he won adoption of a gay-marriage law — will even more aggressively pursue a liberal agenda in his second term. Two of Mario Cuomo’s granddaughters bid him a touching farewell over the weekend, sharing their heartfelt memories in essays. Before he was governor, Mario Cuomo was a reluctant candidate for New York ’s mayor in 1977, and the defeat weighed heavily on the rest of his political career.
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