Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Third man left standing

From NY Magazine:

The third man of Albany's three-men-in-a-room power bloc isn't going to face any charges. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced in a statement that there is “insufficient evidence” of illegality in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to prematurely dissolve the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption in March 2014.

Cuomo himself had set up the Moreland Commission the preceding June. The investigative body was intended to look into the ways in which “housekeeping accounts,” which state legislators use for administrative expenses (and can accept unlimited donations), were being used. While it was active, the commission issued subpoenas to see how salaries were being paid at the law firms of both Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver, who constituted two-thirds of Albany's infamous troika. By October, Cuomo had been accused of killing a subpoena aimed at his own New York State Democratic Party. The following March, Cuomo suddenly disbanded the commission, saying that stricter anti-bribery laws would accomplish the ethics reform Albany required.

Cuomo’s legal counsel, Elkan Abramowitz, responded to Bharara’s findings: “We were always confident there was no illegality here, and we appreciate the U.S. attorney clarifying this for the public record.”

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Preet, you have failed us. Something sounds fishy about this.

Anonymous said...

Strike one!

They will find something eventually.

Anonymous said...

I guess Cuomo is not as stupid as he appears, he managed to get the 2 guys who could stand in his way knocked out and he comes out smelling like a rose. Puke.

Anonymous said...

Just like Andy to tread carefully enough so he won't leave any sufficient evidence behind.
And he probably has the book on Preet. If Preet wants to advance his career, do not cross the Cuomo mafia!
You see, my friends, politics DOES make strange bedfellows.
Remember , politics is a business and one of e dirtiest.
The big cheese never gets caught with underlings to toss under the bus in his place.

Anonymous said...

Just like Andy to tread carefully enough so he won't leave any sufficient evidence behind.
And he probably has the book on Preet. If Preet wants to advance his career, do not cross the Cuomo mafia!
You see, my friends, politics DOES make strange bedfellows.
Remember , politics is a business and one of e dirtiest.
The big cheese never gets caught with underlings to toss under the bus in his place.

(sarc) said...

Karma

Sometimes it just takes longer...

Anonymous said...

Cuomo likely got away for now because he's smarter than Skelos and not as brazenly arrogant as Silver, but he's not immune.

Anonymous said...

Smug, bombastic idiot. Like father, like son.

Anonymous said...

Preet Bharara is coming after you Mr. Cuomo. If i were you id buy a one way ticket to Switzerland to enjoy my $$$ tax free...

Anonymous said...

WHITE PRIVILEGE Tossed about like we all share in it
NOT AT ALL
WHITE PRIVILEGE is a Bennifit of a small group of rich,corrupt,White
LIBERAL WASP POLITICIAN'S
Whites struggle to make ends meet like everyone else
White Privilege belongs to Harvard,Yale,Prinston,Penn and so on
If you went to Community College You have Plastic Spoon Privilege
Never let them guilt you into thinking otherwise.

Anonymous said...

backroom deals here... they are both very ambitious so they will help each other out in their political careers... Just keep a eye on Preet you will see !!

Anonymous said...

Now it's up to the voters.

We can't expect the federal government to take out all the trash, some of it we have to clean up ourselves.

Anonymous said...

Just when you thought there was at least 1 honest guy out there...........

Anonymous said...

Does "'insufficient evidence' of illegality" mean no evidence, or does it really mean that there was a little bit of evidence of illegality?

Anonymous said...

He must be bored in Albany. He keeps coming downstate to shake things up as if he has nothing better to do. Just do us all a favor and step down. Let someone else do the driving. We need a real leader.

Anonymous said...

Preet is not saying that Cuomo is not guilty. There is just not enough evidence to make a case that will lock up the governor.
Andrew has covered his tracks well. Hmmmmm....maybe that's why he became the guv....by being crafty and careful.

JQ LLC said...

It looks like Mario's son didn't end Moreland because of obvious self-serving reasons, but to get rid of those two imbeciles in the room with him. Sheldon and Dean and his retarded son were too reckless in their crapulence for money and influence.

The biggest shame is that Glenwood Management is going to get away unscathed since with their demented lobbying for property tax breaks and enabling of these convicts.

I guess we are going to have to wait to see if the Buffalo Billion venture exposes some shady deal making with some electeds upstate.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Preet, look into Toby Stavisky's shady operations like the North Flushing Senior Center.

Anonymous said...

His own brother Chris Cuomo can't even fucking stand him. He's a loser !! He needs to go.

Anonymous said...

Seems to me the word came from upstairs, political favor so to speak.
Insufficient evidence actually is open ended wording for any future issues that might arise.
Is not possible that 2 top politicos are caught and the top guy doesn't know anything?
Makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

Is not possible that 2 top politicos are caught and the top guy doesn't know anything?
Makes no sense.


I am by no means defending Cuomo - but, remember, Skelos and Silver were corrupt long before Andy became Governor.

Anonymous said...

Skelos and Silver were corrupt long before Andy became Governor.

Now that's rich. Maybe his daddy knew.