Lobbyist: I got Andy pal’s wife a cushy gig

THE FEDERAL government’s star witness against Gov. Cuomo’s longtime confidant testified that he bribed the former top government aide and found a job for his wife that would pay a lot of “ziti.”

Former lobbyist Todd Howe testified that Cuomo’s close friend Joseph Percoco asked him if he could get his schoolteacher wife a job in 2012. Howe and Percoco were tight as well.

Howe told jurors, “He was probably the closest thing to a brother that I ever had.” So when Percoco asked him for help, “I did whatever I could to help him.”

Howe said he reached out to Peter Galbraith Kelly of Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) for assistance. The firm was seeking a power purchase agreement from the state.

“Braith said he understood, and he wanted to be helpful,” Howe testified.

“My understanding was that (Kelly) wanted Joe to be an advocate, his eyes and ears in the governor’s office,” Howe added.

The former lobbyist said that Percoco labeled the dollars Percoco’s wife would be paid as “ziti” — a code word inspired by “The Sopranos.”

CPV established a bogus “education” platform for her to teach fourth-graders about power plants, according to prosecutors. But she was instructed to use only her first name in class and was kept out of pictures highlighting the program.

Prosecutors say Percoco took more than $300,000 in bribes from Howe clients seeking to curry favor with the Cuomo administration.

Howe, a former government lobbyist, once served as deputy chief of staff to Cuomo when he was President Bill Clinton’s housing secretary.

Howe said he knew Cuomo and Percoco were tight. “He certainly had the governor’s ear,” he told jurors.

Howe also testified about campaign contributions that were made in 2010 .

“In 2010, I set up a breakfast with then-Attorney General Cuomo and Kelly and some folks for CPV with the governor here in New York City, and I believe that was a contribution for 25,000,” Howe said.

“I believe there were subsequent campaign contributions in summer and fall of 2010.”

Howe also said there were other contributions.

“Joe had asked myself if CPV would be able to provide a plane, so the governor could travel the last few days of the campaign,” Howe said. Kelly obliged. “The governor did fly on it, I think, for 24 hours or a day,” Howe said.

Howe has pleaded guilty to eight felonies in connection with the bribery scheme, including extortion, wire fraud, bribery and fraud conspiracy in 2016.

Percoco — and three other men on trial — contend that Howe is a liar looking for the best deal for himself.

Howe, who spent 30 years in government affairs, said he now lives in Idaho and works as a groundskeeper for a golf course.