Cuomo Decides Scalping World Series Tickets For Campaign Donations Not Such A Great Idea After All

From the Buffalo News:

ALBANY – Facing mounting criticism for mixing politics and the World Series, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo canceled plans Wednesday night to hold a $5,500 per person fundraiser during two games this weekend at Citi Field when the New York Mets return to Queens for the start of their home stand.

The governor, who took a private jet on a Long Island-based charter service with the owners of the Mets to the first game of the World Series Tuesday night in Kansas City, said he was canceling the Friday and Saturday night fundraisers because of an “overwhelming demand for tickets” to the games. His campaign on Monday sent email invitations to donors asking for contributions of $5,500 apiece to attend a pregame reception and seats for either Game Three or Four or the World Series when it returns to New York this weekend. 

Government reform groups this week criticized Cuomo for the timing of the events, saying they showed how deep-pocket contributors could gain access to New York government’s chief executive in ways ordinary New Yorkers could not. New York Post editorial writers Wednesday likened Cuomo to a ticket scalper.

As attorney general, Cuomo had gone after people who waited on line for Shakespeare in the Park tickets, then sold them on Craigslist.

But the only thing that stopped him from scalping World Series tickets for campaign dough was a public shaming.

Cuomo Scalps World Series Tickets For Campaign Donations After Going After Shakespeare In The Park Scalpers In 2010

The NY Post points out Cuomo's hypocrisy on his latest campaign donation scheme - scalping World Series tickets:

The Post reported Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo is using the Mets’ home games in the World Series to raise himself some campaign cash.

His staff picked up a “very limited number” of tickets to this week’s Games 3 and 4 at Citi Field — and is selling tickets to supporters for as much as $5,500.

...

Now, scalping is perfectly legal in New York; a whole secondary market exists for that purpose. But Cuomo’s charging a major markup: The average Series ticket at Citifield is going for about $1,600 on StubHub.

Worse is the unseemly air of insider access here. It’s far easier for a high-ranking official (or his flunkies) to score seats than it is for the average Joe. Did Cuomo forget the anger when Gov. David Paterson scored Yankees tickets?

And to then milk the prized passes for campaign cash . . .

It’s particularly tacky when Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was so tough on scalpers. Back in 2010, he went after folks who sat in line for free Shakespeare In The Park tickets, then resold them on Craigslist. Under Cuomo’s prodding, the site agreed to ban such ads.

And that was to stop some low-level types from earning a few extra bucks.

Now Cuomo is scalping to let a few fat-wallet friends catch the game with him and help out with his next re-election.

Frankly it's more than "tacky" that Cuomo's scalping Mets tickets after going after Shakespeare in the Park scalpers back in 2010.

It's hypocritical and he should be called to account for it.

Why is it not okay for people to wait on line all day for Shakespeare in the Park tickets, then resell them on Ebay, but it's okay for him to get special access to World Series tickets and then scalp them for campaign donations?