Is Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Career Melting Over Moreland Commission Interference, Disbanding ? Wizard of Oz Meme

PUBLISHED : TUES, 15 APR 2014, 07:59 PM
UPDATED : MON, 21 APR 2014, 02:00 PM

First, U.S. Attorney for Manhattan Preet Bharara said that he would not rule out an investigation into Gov. Andrew Cuomo's possible obstruction of the Moreland Commission's independent investigations, and now comes the press, in a feeding frenzy, documenting all the many ways that the Cuomo administration has thwarted, undermined, or watered-down the investigative and reporting work by the Moreland Commission.

In wake of more Moreland revelations, is @NYGovCuomo's political career over ? http://t.co/uhIN3iBeb6 #dingdong #ABC pic.twitter.com/W8fRtHKVVg

— Louis Flores (@maslowsneeds) April 13, 2014

Is Gov. Cuomo's political career over ?

• RELATED : The United States attorney for Manhattan, Preet Bharara, publicly rebuked Gov. Andrew Cuomo for disbanding the Moreland Commission. (U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Criticizes Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Closing of Moreland Commission Public Corruption Investigation Panel ; Doesn't Rule Out Possible Investigation into Cuomo Administration Obstructive Actions * The New York Times)
• RELATED : Members of Gov. Cuomo’s Anti-corruption Moreland Commission Detail Frustrating Environment Curbed by Cuomo Administration (The New York Daily News)
• RELATED : Moreland Commission Co-chairs' Pick to Write First Corruption Investigation Report Were Nixed for Gov. Andrew Cuomo Political Hack Insider [UPDATED] (City & State)

Is anybody noticing how two of former Sen. Hillary Clinton's likely challengers in the 2016 presidential campaign, namely, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and now New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have been sidelined by investigations ? No matter how overwhelming the merit that these investigations have, all of a sudden the political hacks behind Ready for Hillary must be feeling giddy -- as if they have been patiently waiting for this exact moment.

The New York Daily News spoke with close to 10 sources tied to the soon-to-be-defunct panel, and a number of them denounced what they said was interference from Cuomo's office.

Days after Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office took possession of the Moreland Commission's investigation files, The New York Daily News interviewed commission members about the Cuomo administration's interference with the panel's corruption investigations.

"There was no trust there," one Moreland Commission source told The New York Daily News.

In the article, The New York Daily News noted examples when potential investigation targets with close ties to the Cuomo administration received what appeared to be preferential treatment, to the detriment of the Moreland Commission members' efforts to investigate corruption. "The frustration mounted when subpoenas were held back from entities with ties to Cuomo, including the powerful Real Estate Board of New York."

• RELATED : Twin $50,000 donations were made to Andrew Cuomo’s campaign by two companies that have the same address as Extell Financial Services, which is part of Extell Development Co. — one of five developers to receive hefty tax relief thanks to a bill signed by the governor two days after the contributions. (Gov. Cuomo got $100,000 from developer, then signed law giving it big tax breaks * The New York Daily News)
• RELATED : Manhattan-based Extell Development was one of five firms subpoenaed by the Moreland Commission last week. Its affiliates donated $100,000 to Cuomo's campaign days before he signed a bill earlier this year that included tax breaks for one of its marquee projects. (Cuomo real estate donors among Moreland subpoena targets * Times Union)
• RELATED : Gov. Cuomo is doing damage-control over anti-corruption commission subpoenas. (Governor Andrew Cuomo Quashes Moreland Commission’s REBNY Subpoena and Other Follow-The-Money Subpoenas Hitting Too Close To Home * Noticing New York)
• RELATED : Some members of Gov. Andew Cuomo's short-lived anti-corruption Moreland Commission have told The New York Daily News that their time on the commission was riddled with interference from Cuomo's administration. (Members of Gov. Cuomo’s anti-corruption commission detail frustrating environment curbed by administration * The New York Daily News)
• RELATED : Were possible coordination of independent expenditures and free gifts of lobbying services between The Advance Group, NYCLASS, the de Blasio mayoral campaign, and Councilmember Mark-Viverito's speakership race violations of federal laws ? Will the Moreland Commission investigate possible campaign corruption ? (The Advance Group Federal Complaint Referred To Moreland Commission * NYC : News & Analysis)
• RELATED : The mayor and his Council speaker, who both reject checks-and-balances, oversee city campaign regulators nominally tasked to investigate campaign corruption of groups with close ties to the de Blasio-Mark-Viverito administration. (Scott Levenson, NY-CLASS, Citizens United Super PAC Investigation * NYC : News & Analysis)

Mr. Bharara has said that a "show me the money" culture pervades all of New York government, and many bloggers and government reform activists agree. Last year, the political blogger and YouTube producer Suzannah B. Troy confronted New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and she asked him, "Are you part of the corruption ?"

Although the Department of Justice has a shaky record of prosecuting controversial cases -- some make the observation that President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have politicized the DOJ -- some reform activists hold out hope that Mr. Bharara has the integrity to fully investigate public corruption from Albany to City Hall.

Will Betty White Speak at DNC ?

In response to Clint Eastwood's controversial appearance at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, somebody -- presumably a Democratic Party loyalist -- has created a Bring Betty White to the DNC group on Facebook. As of this posting, there was about 4,000 "likes."

There's also a Twitter hashtage : #BettyWhiteDNC and a Change.org petition.

Assassination of Salman Taseer

Militants Set The Agenda

Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province in Pakistan, was murdered earlier today by one of his police guards. The New York Times reported that today's killing has exposed that Pakistan is experiencing a political crisis.

In a past article, The Times reported that, ''officially,'' the U.S. did not want to be seen ''taking sides in Pakistan’s already chaotic internal politics.'' Yet, in the time leading up to Governor Taseer's assassination, The Times reported that the U.S. was having a greater public role in the affairs of Pakistan.

''Obama administration officials worry that even if Pakistan’s government survives the upheaval — which they believe it might, for a while — the turmoil could kill any chance for political and economic reforms. The assassination, one official said, leaves not only the repeal of the blasphemy laws in doubt, but also possible reforms to increase tax collection. Under pressure from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other American officials, the Pakistani government submitted a new tax law in Parliament. But it may abandon the push as a way to lure back coalition partners.''

At the end of the day, it's hard to tell if the U.S. is ''officially'' involved or uninvolved in the direction of Pakistan's government. And for the second time, since the spectacular security failure that lead to Benazir Bhutto's assassination, an investigation needs to be made to review those ''officially'' or ''unofficially'' responsible for providing security to key government leaders in Pakistan.