When it rains, it pours for Gov. Cuomo.
For months, he’s had US Attorney Preet Bharara breathing down his neck, examining the governor’s abrupt shutdown of the Moreland Commission. Then news broke this month that subpoenas were issued to members of the Working Families Party — Cuomo’s new political bedfellow.
It’s a case involving Staten Island City Council member Debi Rose and the support she received from the WFP’s for-profit arm, Data and Field Services.
The WFP and the firm already lost a civil case, in which the party was charged with providing Rose with discount campaign services, an in-kind contribution that violates city campaign-finance law.
After the civil case, Staten Island DA Dan Donovan opened a criminal inquiry, but then abruptly recused himself.
In 2012, special prosecutor Roger Adler was appointed, and he’s now finally started issuing subpoenas: “This is not meant to be a fishing expedition,” Adler said. The subpoenas targeted “people who have relevant information.” Rose’s lawyer admits his client has been subpoenaed.
For Cuomo, it’s chickens coming home to roost: As a former attorney general, he had to see the various ethical clouds gathering over the WFP. Nonetheless, he jumped into bed with them this year — just to get an extra line on the ballot for his re-election.
And for Cuomo, there’s an added kicker: The city’s campaign-finance law, which the WFP seems to have violated, is very similar to the one Cuomo wants to impose statewide. It will be interesting to see how the governor plans to avoid bringing WFP-style violations statewide, too.