GOV’S ‘NEEDLE’ POINT
CUOMO TELLS THE NEWS IT’S HIS JOB TO RAZZ BLAZ
ALBANY – Gov. Cuomo on Thursday said his war with Mayor de Blasio is business, not personal.
But he also told the Daily News Editorial Board during a 90-minute meeting that he sees it as his job to needle the mayor on key issues on which they disagree.
“I don’t believe I needle him unnecessarily,” Cuomo said.
Despite years of contentiousness, Cuomo said his relationship with de Blasio “is not as bad as you would believe.”
Like he did in Wednesday night’s Democratic gubernatorial debate with challenger Cynthia Nixon, Cuomo noted that he and the mayor go back three decades.
“We have a candor that is unusual,” he said. “That is more a function of the personal knowledge. Governors and mayors often have tension. But we know each other so well, we tend to be more open about it.”
He also said the situation is exacerbated in the age of social media.
He said the two do work together, most recently in coming up with a solution to turn back on the speed cameras in school zones before the start of classes next week.
But when told it seems he takes delight in going after the mayor, Cuomo said: “Needling can be necessary.”
He said it’s his job to push de Blasio on issues such as the need for more city funding to help repair the subway system, the ongoing problems with the New York Housing Authority and the need to close Rikers Island sooner than the city’s 10-year plan.
“I believe it’s my job to needle, but I don’t believe it’s personal,” Cuomo said.
De Blasio separately said he respects Cuomo despite having “real philosophical differences.”
“Obviously we’ve had times when we were closer and times when we had differences, but I respect him,” the mayor said.
Cuomo, during his 90-minute Editorial Board meeting, highlighted his record that he says merits a third term while touching on a range of issues and plans for the future.
Cuomo argued that he reined in late budgets, controlled spending, oversaw a record number of private-sector job creation and enacted a host of progressive social policies.
He didn’t mention Nixon by name but alluded to her lack of governmental experience.
“I am confident in my record,” he said. “I believe New Yorkers care about results. I think they understand that governor is a job that requires experience, and I think my record speaks for itself in terms of experience and results.”
Looking forward, Cuomo said he wants to enact criminal justice, ethics and voting
reforms while finishing major construction projects—“especially the New York City subway system.”
“The subway system will be a determiner of the city's longterm economic future,” he said while continuing to call on de Blasio to fund half of the proposed $33 billion in repairs.
In the wake of a rash of state government scandals, including some involving his administration, Cuomo promised to push for more ethics reforms like outlawing outside income for lawmakers, which he has proposed in the past.
He said he'd also like to follow California and do away with cash bail completely. Until now, Cuomo pushed a plan that would end bail for those charged with nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors. Nixon and other critics have accused the governor of not pushing hard enough for passage of needed criminal justice, ethics or campaign finance reforms.
Cuomo said he has a group reviewing the much-maligned state ethics commission that critics say is too close to him and legislative leaders “to see if we can make more improvements to make it more independent.”
He also said he'd support a public database that would list details about every state economic development deal even after he was accused in June of pushing the Assembly Democrats this year to block such legislation that passed the Senate.
Cuomo again attacked the city for its 10-year plan to close Rikers' jail, saying he doesn't buy the argument that small replacement jails can't be built more quickly to accommodate the current inmate population.
Even while suggesting he would seek campaign finance reforms, Cuomo downplayed the fact that many companies with state business have donated to his campaign. “If you can be bought, you can be bought for that bottle of water or $100,000,” he said. “If you are corrupt in your soul, then you are corrupt, and then you better not be in this business.”
Cuomo dismissed criticism that he directed the state attorney general's office to suspend for six months an investigation into Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr.'s handling of a Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse case six days after a lawyer that had represented the disgraced Hollywood mogul donated $25,000 to Cuomo's campaign.
Cuomo said he suspended the probe so as not to interfere with an ongoing criminal case Vance ultimately brought against Weinstein.
He noted that the firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner no longer represents Weinstein. He questioned why the former producer would care if the attorney general's office is looking into Vance, suggesting an embarrassing finding about the DA could actually help Weinstein.