Let us get tough on scum: Andy

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo on Thursday called on the Legislature to close a loophole that would make it difficult for the state to bring criminal charges against anyone issued a pardon by President Trump.

Cuomo said this week's conviction on eight counts of bank and tax fraud by former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty pleas from the President's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen “send a clear message that nobody is above the law, including the President and his acolytes.”

“But President Trump has shown that he is willing, if not eager, to abuse his executive authority, including pardon power, to protect himself,” Cuomo said.

Under current state law, the state cannot try someone for offenses committed in New York if they have already been prosecuted for the same act or criminal transactions by the federal government or another state, unless an exemption applies.

“This loophole must be closed to ensure that these politically motivated, self-serving actions are not sanctioned under law,” Cuomo said. “New York must have the ability to stand up against the abuse of power.”

In a rare moment of agreement, Cuomo's Democratic primary opponent, actress Cynthia Nixon, said she, too, supports closing the loophole.

“We're having a President who seems willing to pardon everyone, including potentially himself,” Nixon told reporters in Albany. “In New York, when we have a possibility to hold people accountable, we need to do it.”

Attorney General Barbara Underwood has pushed for the Legislature to act on a bill that exempt from the double jeopardy law the state prosecution of those who received presidential pardons, clemencies, or other reprieves.

Underwood publicly called on the Legislature to take up the measure in May after Trump's pardon of conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza, OP spokesman Scott Reif had no comment.