Bharara’s corruption probe, which led to the indictment of two legislative leaders this year, has also “seriously impacted” the governor’s fund-raising ability by making potential contributors with issues before Cuomo’s office wary that they could be accused of seeking a quid pro quo, the fund-raiser said.
Solicitors working for Cuomo’s campaign committee, responding to the Bharara probe, have also apparently put the brakes on what had once been “a frantic, high-pressure” effort to raise funds for the governor.
“It used to be horrible, the Cuomo people were always pushing, pushing, pushing for money, more money, like crazy men,” said the fund-raiser. “But now they’ve backed off and I think that has a lot to do with Bharara’s investigation.”
How does a sitting governor get a $45 million dollar warchest to dispatch an underfunded opponent in a re-election campaign?
By having his people "always pushing, pushing, pushing for money, more money, like crazy men."
Perhaps all that pushing for money has raised the interest of the US attorney and scared off the governor's money people?
Perhaps the governor's donors are afraid to give money for fear of attracting said US attorney's interest?
Perhaps the governor's donors are starting to see the governor as less relevant and useful, since the corruption probes that took down Silver and Skelos and may yet take down Cuomo have weakened the governor's ability to impose his will (i.e., his donor's interests) on the state?
Perhaps it's a combination of all three?
Cuomo will release his updates campaign numbers in mid-July, so we'll get a better sense then.
Eh...with all this.
ReplyDeleteSometimes this pining for a Cuomo indictment is alot like sitting on the toilet when constipated. Alot of hope. Alot of false starts. Alot of focused attention. Alot of rallying the troops. Maybe some laughs, maybe some tears. And yet, no joy.
Sure its slowed his money train down. (He is obviously wildly guilty of being shady and most likely breaking the law, and it was all done via his money-raising). But come on. Bharara is only going to pull the trigger if he has serious goods on him.
As of today's NYTimes, even indicted Shelly Silver isn't in hiding.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/nyregion/sheldon-silvers-life-after-the-speakership.html?gwh=03A12F375C534B92A8BF5BEAE75BBF50&gwt=pay
It seems to me that if Silver were giving up the goods on Cuomo, singing like a caged bird, well, he'd at least be in complete hiding and in full seclusion.
Anyway, as always...hope I'm wrong....but every day that goes by, I feel like a Cuomo indictment is not coming.
I think it best to mentally prepare for a 3rd Cuomo run and win.
The universe DOES NOT bend towards justice. It generally bends towards assholes.
FWIW, in my opinion, our Reptilian Governor neither runs fr re-election, nor is indicted.
ReplyDeleteI'll take that.
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