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Posted: 5/1/2016 11:30:47 AM EDT
http://nypost.com/2016/05/01/cuomo-has-reason-to-worry-as-bharara-zeroes-in-on-inner-circle/

Gov. Cuomo had seven days of smug last week, all at Mayor de Blasio’s expense — but that changed Friday when it developed that Andrew himself may be back in corruption-buster Preet Bharara’s cross hairs.

And if not the governor, then certainly his alter-ego-cum-enforcer Joseph Percoco — a smart fellow who’s been tight as a tick with the Cuomo family since Mario was calling the shots a generation ago.

Those were the days.

Cuomo the Elder was center-stage, with Andrew at his right hand and Percoco — whom the current governor once described as “my father’s third son” — ever-present in the shadows. Meanwhile, an ambitious entrepreneur/academic named Alain Kaloyeros was beginning to make his mark in Albany — as was a youngish assemblyman named Sheldon Silver.

Both Cuomos, Kaloyeros, Silver and Percoco — among others — would collaborate to create a $43 billion nanotechnology empire. It would eventually include the State University Polytechnic Institute in Albany and participation in the current governor’s premier economic development project, the taxpayer-fueled, embarrassingly underperforming Buffalo Billion.

Fast forward to Friday, when it developed that Preet had dropped subpoenas on Cuomo’s office in connection with a months-long probe of the Buffalo Billion.

Suddenly Bharara’s interest in Bill de Blasio’s campaign-contribution shenanigans — the subject of an apparently Cuomo-inspired bombshell on April 22 — was last week’s news.

But while the mayor can be forgiven a secret smile, it best be brief. It’s hard to get off Bharara’s hook.

As Team Cuomo is discovering.

“This office has concluded that, absent any additional proof that may develop, there is insufficient evidence to prove a federal crime,” Bharara said of the governor in January, while wrapping up investigations that produced corruption convictions against Silver and former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

So. Has additional proof developed?

It’s long been known that Bharara has been working on the Buffalo Billion — the number being the approximate number of taxpayer dollars Cuomo means to lavish on the city. It’s a complicated project, but — given Albany’s record — who would be surprised if a fat sack or two of cash had somehow fallen from the wagon?

Certainly not Bharara.

It seems that he’s particularly interested in Percoco, Kaloyeros, Buffalo developer (and big-bucks Cuomo contributor) Louis Ciminelli, lobbyist Todd Howe and a Buffalo-based construction company, based on last week’s reports.

Ominously for the governor, Bharara reportedly believes that Percoco — who resigned as Cuomo’s top aide in January — may not properly have reported tens of thousands of dollars in outside income that he and his wife received from companies doing business with the state.

Ominously, because while not a sparrow falls in Albany without Cuomo being aware of it, Percoco kept the sparrow census. That is, if Joe’s in trouble, no doubt Andrew is too.

Then toss Shelly Silver into the mix. At age 72, he’s looking at a minimum of 14 years in prison when he’s sentenced Tuesday — and he has every incentive to tell prosecutors everything he knows about a dubious project he helped create. Want to bet Bharara would listen?

The Buffalo Billion has always been more about politics than economics. The Queen City isn’t making a comeback absent fundamental, statewide tax and regulation reform — and even then the Albany Legislature would probably have to repeal winter. Who would want to live there?

But hundreds of millions of dollars have nevertheless been poured into — or committed to — the region. And there’s been very little meaningful oversight of the spending.

Until, maybe, now. Good hunting, Preet.
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Link Posted: 5/1/2016 12:01:48 PM EDT
[#1]
The Buffalo Billion has always been more about politics than economics. The Queen City isn’t making a comeback absent fundamental, statewide tax and regulation reform — and even then the Albany Legislature would probably have to repeal winter. Who would want to live there?

But hundreds of millions of dollars have nevertheless been poured into — or committed to — the region. And there’s been very little meaningful oversight of the spending  


I have been taking about this for months and this is not the only location. What do you make out of no toll at the Tappan Zee Bridge other then the electronic overhead gantry billing to your plate to whom ever. Do you think the state will be doing the billing or a 3rd party contract that you have not heard anything about? Three competitive bids or three men in a room.

The thruway Authority Just authorized the sale of bonds for the bridge to the tune of about $800 million ,I must confess I did say in the past the Thruway Authority was broke .  This is all very interesting to say the least.


Link Posted: 5/1/2016 5:08:45 PM EDT
[#2]
I am still the pessimist that thinks someone in the Obama administration (or possibly Hillary) is going to make Preet an offer he cannot refuse.  U.S. Attorney General or a federal judgeship.



It does sadden me though because Preet's office is so busy I doubt there will ever be a serious investigation into the goings on in Nassau County or Town of Oyster Bay which just had it credit rating reduced to junk status from AAA in five years.  Most of it due to malfeasance, collusion and no bid contracts but we are talking just under a billion dollars total so it probably will not register on the Feds RADAR scope.



It seems as if just about all politicians are on the take or look the other way when someone is.  I really see no hope for this country.  They talk about the corruption in foreign countries but we are just as bad if not worse.  Yes they do not solicit bribes most of the time but they rip off the taxpayers for a heck of a lot more money than any bureaucrat gets in bribes in a third-world country.
Link Posted: 5/1/2016 6:52:04 PM EDT
[#3]
Link Posted: 5/1/2016 7:03:55 PM EDT
[#4]
Link Posted: 5/1/2016 7:48:24 PM EDT
[#5]
Kalyeros is New Yorks highest paid civil servant. Or was. He is the head of the Nano Tech development. Many higher up civil service people are stepping down. Something is going to happen on the Nano Tech side to. The corruption on that clusterfuck is undeniable.  It wont just be the Buffalo billions. I hope it gets to Andy but Im not holding my breath.
Link Posted: 5/1/2016 7:55:35 PM EDT
[#6]
Link Posted: 5/2/2016 9:58:51 AM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You remind of that red headed girl in high school, winks in study hall, nowhere to be found on Friday night.
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
You remind of that red headed girl in high school, winks in study hall, nowhere to be found on Friday night.


Much like her I understand how to emotionally control flightless fowl, but in this case it really is chess.
Link Posted: 5/2/2016 12:52:48 PM EDT
[#8]
Link Posted: 5/2/2016 11:06:31 PM EDT
[#9]
I've heard this one before.  Not falling for it again.
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