2014 New York Governor's race: on Government Reform
Andrew Cuomo:
Used campaign funds for defense lawyer, legally
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's use of his $35 million campaign war chest to represent his office in the ongoing Moreland Commission saga has drawn concern from at least one Democratic lawmaker in the state Senate as well as good-government groups."I would prefer
we had a different law on our books," said Manhattan Sen. Liz Krueger. "I would prefer we would establish some standard for creating defense funds with specific rules attached and people if they choose can contribute to those. That's the federal model.
Campaign funds should be spent on the electoral campaign."
Krueger is one of the co-sponsors of a measure that would restrict the use of campaign funds for spending on criminal defense attorneys. She added that Cuomo's use of his campaign account to
hire white-collar criminal lawyer Elkan Abramowitz is a legal avenue for the governor. "The governor does appear to be using some of his money for a lawyer. There's nothing illegal about it. It is the law of N.Y. state that he can do so," Kureger said.
Source: NY State of Politics OpEd: 2014 New York Governor race
Aug 5, 2014
Rob Astorino:
We desperately need term limits in Albany for all parties
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's use of his $35 million campaign war chest to represent his office in the ongoing Moreland Commission saga [is legal, but the state Senate now has pending legislation to outlaw the practice]. And the lawyer isn't just representing
Cuomo in the Moreland mess, but the entire governor's office while federal investigators look into whether top aides played a role in blocking or directing subpoenas.
As the Moreland controversy continued to swirl, Republican candidate for governor Rob Astorino released a video online reiterating his call for term limits. "It's why we desperately need term limits in Albany for all parties," said Astorino.
Republicans are targeting key districts upstate in the hopes of keeping power in the chamber, the last lever of power the GOP controls in the state.
Source: NY State of Politics OpEd: 2014 New York Governor race
Aug 5, 2014
Andrew Cuomo:
Committed to campaign finance reform
To secure the last-minute endorsement of the powerful progressive Working Family Party, which had previously favored Teachout, Cuomo was forced to make a series of pledges supported by progressives,
including commitments to support a higher minimum wage and campaign finance reform.
To secure the last-minute endorsement of the powerful progressive Working Family Party, which had previously favored Teachout, Cuomo was forced to make a series of pledges supported by progressives,
including commitments to support a higher minimum wage and campaign finance reform.
Source: Epoch Times on 2014 New York State Governor's race
Jul 8, 2014
Zephyr Teachout:
Build political system where wealthy donors aren't in charge
Reforming campaign finance laws would be her first priority in office, Teachout said: "We need to make sure we build a political system where wealthy donors aren't in charge."Catering to wealthy donors is exactly what the Cuomo administration is
guilty of, said Teachout, who thinks that Cuomo's "inconsistent" combination of progressive social policy and trickle-down economics is due to the sway of his donors.
"The only way to make sense of some of his policies--tax breaks for big banks that
aren't going anywhere--is to look at his donors," she said, adding that Cuomo's support for public financing of elections is "his favorite broken promise."
Teachout said she sees general political culture as the dog that wags the tail of
individual cases of corruption, which is why for her campaign finance reform is paramount. She testified before the anti-corruption Moreland Commission, "Historically, culture-changing rules have proven to be more powerful at eliminating corruption."
Source: Epoch Times on 2014 New York State Governor's race
Jul 8, 2014
Zephyr Teachout:
Political system is still corrupt and rigged for the wealthy
Teachout formally launched her Democratic primary campaign by attacking Cuomo as the benefactor and protector of a corrupt political system that favors only the wealthy and most powerful segments of society."Four years ago, Andrew Cuomo stood on the
steps of a courthouse named after Boss Tweed and promised to clean up corruption in New York State," Teachout said. "But he, as Governor Cuomo, has become the problem that candidate Cuomo promised to fix. The political system is still corrupt and rigged
and Andrew Cuomo is not only part of the broken system, he has made it worse."
Teachout repeatedly portrayed Cuomo as a politician who has failed to address the state's "equality crisis" and one who acted only to further his own political interests
and those of his financial donors. "He has never done anything that would irritate his wealthy donors," Teachout said. "What I see is somebody who serves himself and his donors. And that is the most basic Democratic crime in a sense."
Source: Daily News on 2014 New York State gubernatorial race
Jun 16, 2014
Page last updated: Aug 24, 2020
Beshear(D)
vs.