Joe DioGuardi in The New York Post


On Principles & Values: Accused of making deals in a $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme

DioGuardi accused Gillibrand of shilling for Big Tobacco, while Gillibrand expressed "serious questions" over reports that federal regulators were investigating his ties to a business deal.

"This is a complete fabrication & a misrepresentation of who I am," DioGuardi said. DioGuardi insisted he was merely a bit player in the deal described by a Gillibrand ad as a "Madoff-style $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme."

He returned fire by highlighting defense work Gillibrand did as an attorney for tobacco giant Philip Morris in the 1990s. "She was actually the architect of everything that company did to try to hide the fact that cigarettes cause cancer," he said.

"Your arguments are absolutely fantasy," Gillibrand scoffed. The senator characterized her tobacc work as something she got stuck with when she was "a junior associate in a big firm."

She pointed out that DioGuardi, too, had represented Big Tobacco, as an accountant. DioGuardi objected, and she shot back: "Oh, so you didn't choose your clients?"

Source: New York Post coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 16, 2010

The above quotations are from Media coverage of New York political races in The New York Post.
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