26 January 2022: Cuomo Crony Exits from Cushy Patronage Job

Cuomo Crony Larry Schwartz Departs MTA Board

The Metropolitan Transit Agency (MTA) is maybe best described as a patronage scandal wrapped up as a transportation agency. That's why its no surprise back in 2015 when Andrew M. Cuomo appointed his crony, Lawrence Schwartz to the MTA's board. It was an extremely cushy assignment with a large paycheck for a loyal ally, who had preceded Melissa DeRosa in serving as Secretary to the Governor.

It was more surprising when Cuomo appointed Schwartz to be his COVID vaccine czar in New York. Less surprising was when he used his role to determine how much political support Cuomo had among the state's county executives after the COVID nursing home deaths scandals broke and as Cuomo started to face allegations of sexual harassment advanced by multiple women, which came with the implication of the counties' access to COVID vaccines being conditioned on their political support for Cuomo. Touched by Cuomo's scandals, Schwartz resigned as vaccine czar shortly after Cuomo's resignation took place.

This report confirms that Schwartz has now resigned from his cushy seat on MTA's board, marking the latest departure for a close Cuomo crony from a position to which they were appointed by Cuomo.

One of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s controversial top advisors has finally quit the MTA board.

Larry Schwartz officially resigned from the transit board on Dec. 31, after announcing his imminent departure in October, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Tuesday....

The longtime Cuomo confidante was mentioned 29 times in the state Attorney General Letitia James’ probe of the ex-governor’s alleged harassment of multiple women while in office. Schwartz’s official resignation was first reported by amNew York.

He was specifically accused of using his role as state COVID-19 vaccine czar to run cover for Cuomo amid investigations into sexual-harassment allegations against him.

For a report that Andrew M. Cuomo's personal attorney contends is misleading and incomplete, it's amazing how many Cuomo appointees named in it have been forced out of the positions Cuomo appointed them to fill.