Now comes news that the feds — appropriately — are turning up the heat on city Comptroller John Liu’s campaign fund-raising machine.
They want to know if Liu got public cash for his campaigns through fraudulent means or committed related crimes.
New Yorkers need to know that, too — given that he’s the principal overseer of the city’s $100 billion pension funds and $65 billion annual budget.
Meanwhile, he shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near city money; he needs to step aside, at least until the probes are done.
Liu insists that he’s not a crook.
Pay no attention to the grand-jury subpoenas the feds issued last week, he says — the first evidence of a far-reaching probe into potentially illegal campaign contributions.
But already-public evidence from his campaign records suggests that he got money from people who don’t exist, and others who deny giving him a penny.
Notably, the feds — it turns out — began probing foreign donations to Liu’s 2009 race for comptroller, even before he took office. Every donation of $175 or less that Liu got back then earned him six times that amount in matching public funds. In all, Liu scooped up $1.35 million in taxpayer cash in 2009.
And if illegal donations led to fraudulently awarded public funds, then he is guilty of stealing from the public.
Given suspicions of that sort, how can Liu not step aside — at least temporarily?
Remember, he’s the city’s chief financial officer. Again, he oversees tens of billions in taxpayer money. The office requires someone above reproach — and Liu is anything but.
Under City Charter rules, Liu can swear off his duties “by reason of sickness or otherwise” — a tough decision, for sure.
But also, the right decision.
Do the right thing, John.