Governor Kathy Hochul'sethical government approachis nothing subtle. She is against it.
However, Hochul's contempt for the practice of conflicting interests can be refreshing. Shepretends to care little, and how often does it happen?
It's unclear if this reflects arrogance or just evidence of the dim bulbism of the executive room. The coincidental governor wasn't long enough for the aide to go to jail — a feature of the previous administration — butHochul seems to be working on it
this Courtesy of JewelsOf Albany Times Union State Congressman Chris Bragg.
At the end of last year, Hochul's policy director, Micah Lasher, sent an email from Paul Milstein, a Zillionaire developer in Manhattan and a key contributor to the Hochul campaign, according to Bragg. received.
The State Liquor Department seems to have refused the liquor permit that Milstein was asking for, and the developers demanded that the decision be revoked.
And within 5 days — the speed of light according to Albany standards — that was the case. Milstein thanked Rusher and Kevin King, a staff member of the Ranking Executive Chamber.
"Thank you Mika and Kevin. You smashed it."
Responding King: "We are aiming to serve. Very happy. Worked fine. "
Good. "We aim to serve." For real.
Frankly acknowledges King's achievements, but politically speaking, the early administrations, of course, just dumped his bleeding body into the Hudson River because of such a crack. Let's go. But Hochul doesn't seem to care.
But there is one thing that is clear. Bragg of the Times Union reveals the selection of Albany's influence at the retail level and Kathy Hochul's tenure.
She was the second player in Western New York when Andrew Cuomo (Prince of Pay to Play) chose her as Deputy Governor of Albany in 2014. A former federal prosecutor with no apparent relevant experience has been appointed as a corporate lawyer for Delaware North, a buffalo-based casino entertainment giant. Delaware North has launched lobbying for the Vice-Governor's Office
Buffalo$ 850 million taxpayer funding for a professional football stadium By Cash Bus — Whether by chance or not, Delaware North stands to make a bundle as a stadium concession owner.
None of this seems illegal, so perhaps it's just further evidence that the Hochul administration aims to serve everyone.
But that's definitely Albany's way. Shenanigan is inevitable, as there is a lot of discretionary "economic development" money floating around the capital. The second most powerful man in the Andrew Cuomo administration was put in jail to receive development-related bribes. In addition, federal prosecutors spent much of the former governor's tenure on similar plans, fraudulently scamming the Mohawk and Hudson river corridors up and down.
Hochul has survived much of this, so you'll find it sensitive to ethical corner-cut optics, even if it's not a real entity.
One would be wrong.
Hokuru, who had a new oath last summer and needed a vice-governor, soon settled in Harlem's Brian Benjamin, then senator. .. -Tamanny-style beer brawlShortly after, Benjamin was charged with federal corruption — he is scheduled for trial inJanuary— and if Hokur was surprised by this. , She was a minority.
It's likely she didn't care. Benjamin was a Defund the Police type and was worried about his left flank as he entered the election year.
Besides, those who care about ethics when there is a business to do will be offered special benefits and the cash of the campaign will be deposited in the bank. Lots of cash. Hochul is a fundraiser, if nothing else.
She started in September andshed her tears and hid about $ 34 million by the end of last month. This has a reasonable outlook that it will double by election day. (Andrew Cuomo, who was able to squeeze blood out of the stone, looks like a pieker by comparison).
Liquor license supplicant Paul Milstein and his companions kicked tens of thousands into kittens. Of course, why did they do — and obviously had a positive effect as well.
This is the way it is done in New York. Writing a check is the default method. Therefore, the only real unknown at this point is who and how the Kathy Hochul administration is aiming to serve.
Email: bob@bobmcmanus.nyc
