Friday, April 09, 2021

9 April 2021: Cuomo Staffers Not Volunteers in Governor's Book Project

Some Cuomo staff dispute work on book was 'voluntary'

Along with the New York Post, the Albany Times-Union has been among the leaders in the media covering Governor Cuomo's multiple scandals.

This Times-Union report detailing Governor Cuomo's misuse of state resources (employees) to work on his pandemic "leadership" book project that gave him a $4 million payday broke on Thursday, 8 April 2021. We're catching up to it today. Here's an excerpt:

When news broke that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo used government staff to help produce a for-profit book, his spokesman asserted that the arrangement was legal: The work was performed voluntarily, he said, and was not a misuse of taxpayer-funded resources.

But several current and former Cuomo staffers, or people speaking on their behalf, disputed that their work on “American Crisis” last year was truly voluntary. Instead, they told the Times Union the work was expected within the culture of Cuomo’s office, and that book-related assignments were made in the context of normal, daily duties.

One former staffer, who was among those asked to perform tasks related to Cuomo’s book, said there was a “clear expectation that we would do political work to help with his campaign and run the governor’s personal errands in the Executive Chamber.”

“It was not optional,” said the former staffer, who spoke on condition of not being identified. “It was considered a part of your job. Everyone knew that you did what was asked of you and opting-out was never really an option.”

State law prohibits a state employee, including Cuomo, from using governmental resources to forward private business interests. The assertion from Cuomo's office – that staff was volunteering to help on “American Crisis,” even as the COVID-19 pandemic raged – is central to any claim that the work was legal.

"As is permissible and consistent with ethical requirements, people who volunteered on this project did so on their own time," Cuomo senior advisor Richard Azzopardi said last week.

It's not in dispute that two of Cuomo's closest advisors – Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa and Director of Governor's Offices Stephanie Benton – did extensive work on the book. But both are well-paid, salaried employees. More junior staffers also did work on the book. In those instances, the work was assigned by supervisors.

A second person, who has direct knowledge of a more junior Cuomo staffer’s work, called it “patently ridiculous” that the staffer had volunteered on the book. The work on “American Crisis” was done during the regular course of daily government duties, the person said.

The descriptions in the article suggest Governor Cuomo has once again tripped over New York State Public Officers Law Part 74, which bans officials from using government resources, such as the labor of public employees, to enrich themselves or their associates.

Other Cuomo book deal scandal items from the timeline:

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