Category Archives: Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo Press Q&A: The Bus Edition



Governor Andrew Cuomo emerged today after days out of the public eye, taking questions from the press at a Manhattan bus garage.  Cuomo’s appearance focused on the introduction of 75 newly designed buses, beginning today, on MTA routes in Queens and the MTA’s ongoing development of an app allowing LIRR and Metro North customers to purchase train tickets on mobile devices.

Cuomo spoke with the press afterwards, taking over a dozen questions with many focused on the investigations and controversy swirling around his “Buffalo Billion” program.  Among the Buffalo Billion related questions were the review of Joe Percoco’s disclosure form revealing outside income from Buffalo Billion vendors, details of Cuomo’s last conversation with Percoco, the recent disclosure by Solar City of a reduction in the expected number of jobs, why the Public Authorities Control Board delayed a decision of funding certain payments related to Solar City and whether public money funding the Buffalo Billion was treated “as sacred” and if so, why an investigation is occurring.  Other question topics included how Cuomo’s love of cars and motorcycles affects his actions on mass transit, the ongoing investigations of Mayor de Blasio’s fundraising efforts in the 2014 senate elections and  whether Cuomo has been questioned in those investigations, current legislative efforts at retroactively extending the statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases, the developing troubles of Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota and whether Cuomo will act to remove Spota, the likelihood of “ethics reform” passing in this legislative session, the timing of an inspector general’s report on the 2015 Dannemora prison escape and Cuomo’s planned trip to Italy.

Here’s the full Q&A:

Cuomo Lets Loose On Immigration



National Immigrant Integration Conference 12-14-15Governor Andrew Cuomo today emotionally supported the continuing importance and value of immigration, harshly attacking those would want to severely limit it.  Speaking at the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Downtown Brooklyn, Cuomo cast this presidential campaign season as a “critical time” that will “shape the soul … and the character of this country.”

While expressing some empathy for Americans’ economic and security fears, he harshly criticized politicians who respond to those fears by seeking to exclude entire nationalities from the U.S.  While that most notably is Donald Trump, it also covers much of the Republican presidential field.

National Immigrant Integration Conference 12-14-15

 

Continue reading Cuomo Lets Loose On Immigration

Cuomo Press Q&A: The Turkey Edition



Cuomo Javits Center 11-23-15Governor Andrew Cuomo visited a Thanksgiving food distribution operation Monday, lauding the businesses that contributed substantial amounts of food for distribution and the people working to pack and ship it.  Held in a cavernous exhibition space at the Javits Center, the operation included volunteers (many of whom appeared to be New York State government workers), a National Guard unit and the New York Guard.  (The New York Guard is a state militia operated by New York State separately from New York units of the National Guard.)

Cuomo took press questions following his remarks.  It was a somewhat out-of-character Cuomo press interaction, however, with a limited number of reporters present.  His preferred method is a post-presentation gaggle with reporters off to the side or in a separate room, with Cuomo and the reporters gathered around him standing in a tight semi-circle.  At the Javits Center Cuomo spoke at a lectern with a few reporters mixed in among the seated audience.  Cuomo also invited “on topic” questions first.  Receiving none, he quickly moved to “off topic” questions.  Cuomo does not typically separate the questions.

Questions for Cuomo included the “see something send something” app, the simultaneous criminal trials of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and former State Senate Temporary President Dean Skelos, whether Cuomo will continue to accept contributions from Glenwood Management, ensnared in the Skelos charges, and a limitation by New York State on tax credits available for affordable housing in New York City.

(Video and photos after the page break.) Continue reading Cuomo Press Q&A: The Turkey Edition

Cuomo Press Q&A: The Chelsea Piers Edition



Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke with the press this afternoon at Chelsea Piers, the Manhattan athletic complex built on Hudson River piers.  Cuomo announced that Novo Foundation, in partnership with the Goren Group, will develop the former Bayview Correctional Facility into “a new global hub for the girls’ and women’s rights movement.”

Question topics during a post-announcement Q&A included the surprise resignation of Joe Percoco, the extensive list released today of New York endorsers of Hillary Clinton and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s absence from that list, whether he supports de Blasio’s call for changes to bail in light of the killing of Police Officer Randolph Holder, “felony drug dealers” being offered treatment instead of jail time, dealing with homeless people in the subway and rail systems, details of his executive order extending anti-discrimination laws to transgender people, Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch’s departure and rules and laws around criminal defendant drug diversion programs.

Here’s Cuomo’s full Q&A:

Cuomo On Tisch Departure



Governor Andrew Cuomo responded to the news that Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch will step down at the end of her current term with polite praise, but no substantive comment on her tenure.  Tisch, appointed by the Board of Regents with little gubernatorial input, has had friction with Cuomo and his administration.  Speaking after an unrelated event in Manhattan this afternoon Cuomo called her an “extraordinary citizen”, adding “I thank her very much for her service”.

Photo Gallery: Columbus Day Parade



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As has become standard, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio appeared separately at this morning’s Columbus Day Parade.  Governor/mayor tensions seem somewhat lower, at least momentarily, as both seem satisfied with their recent agreement on funding the MTA capital plan.  Continuing tensions on a variety of other issues is a virtual certainty, however, and neither appeared eager to discuss the other in their respective press Q&As.  As Governor Cuomo was ending his Q&A a reporter asked whether he had given “any thoughts about marching with the Mayor?”  “I normally march alone” Cuomo replied.

We caught up with both, however, and have photos from each appearance.

Our full photo gallery from this morning’s Columbus Day Parade is here.

Cuomo Press Q&A: The Columbus Day Parade Edition



Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke with the press this morning just before the start of the Columbus Day Parade.  Appearing a few minutes and a few blocks ahead of Mayor de Blasio, Cuomo began with a long statement on the parade, Columbus Day, Italian-Americans and his own family.  He then answered questions on the recently announced agreement with the City on funding the MTA’s capital plan, including how an apparent logjam was broken, what it will mean for subway and bus riders and how he and Mayor de Blasio personally interacted in reaching this agreement.  When asked whether he had considered marching with Mayor de Blasio, Governor Cuomo replied “you know, I normally march alone.”

de Blasio Press Q&A:  Mayor de Blasio’s pre-parade press Q&A is here.

Photo Gallery:  Our parade photo gallery is here.

The Grocery Governor (Updated*)



He went from prayers to produce in a Bed-Stuy flash.

Just minutes after a closing prayer at a political event Thursday night Governor Andrew Cuomo made a quick visit to a Bed-Stuy grocery store, greeting shoppers and staff and joining a grand reopening ribbon cutting.

Governor Cuomo attended a political event hosted by City Council Member Robert Cornegy in Bed-Stuy’s Restoration Plaza, receiving an award for “outstanding leadership and courage.”  Cornegy was joined by other Democratic Brooklyn elected officials, including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Assembly Members Annette Robinson, Latrice Walker and Diana Richardson and Brooklyn Democratic County Chair Frank Seddio.

The event wrapped up with a prayer, introduced by Cornegy saying “Governor Cuomo, we know that prayer has been taken out of the schools but it hasn’t been taken out of Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights.”  As the minister leading the prayer asked that “everyone hold hands”, Cornegy chimed in “except the photographers.”  Cuomo joined the audience in clasping hands with his neighbors and bowing his head as the minister led a prayer in appreciation of Cuomo’s attending the event and praying for Cuomo’s safe travel home.

Governor Cuomo and others join hands during a concluding prayer at a Bed-Stuy event.
Governor Cuomo and others join hands during a concluding prayer at a Bed-Stuy event.

As Cornegy concluded he invited the audience, including the Governor, to join him at a grand reopening of an adjacent grocery store.  “Let’s go!” replied Cuomo.  The press, the elected officials and Cuomo and his staff then headed to Super Foodtown, about 100 yards away via an interior courtyard. Continue reading The Grocery Governor (Updated*)

Cuomo & Jeffries



The Cuomo-Jeffries lovefest continued last night, with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries lauding each other in back to back speeches.  Jeffries gave a warm introduction of Cuomo at an event in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy hosted by City Council Member Robert Cornegy, presenting Cuomo with an award for “outstanding leadership and courage in addressing the issues so vital to our Brooklyn communities.”  Recent news reports say that Cuomo has encouraged Jeffries to consider running for mayor against Bill de Blasio.

Cuomo:

Governor Cuomo reciprocated Jeffries’ warm introduction with kind words of his own.  Here’s an excerpt from his speech in which he talks about Jeffries:

Jeffries:

Here is Jeffries’ full speech, praising Cuomo generally as a “man of action”, and specifically on his executive order appointing the attorney general as a special prosecutor to investigate deaths of unarmed civilians killed by police.  Jeffries recounted several recent notorious cases, including Eric Garner, noting that “those officers weren’t even charged with a misdemeanor count of assault” as Cuomo listened and nodded.

Cuomo Press Q&A: The Bed-Stuy Edition



Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke this evening at a ceremony in Bedford-Stuyvesant hosted by New York City Council Member Robert Cornegy.  Cornegy was joined by other Democratic Brooklyn elected officials, including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Assembly Members Annette Robinson, Latrice Walker and Diana Richardson.  Jeffries presented Cuomo with an award marking Cuomo’s Executive Order 147, which appointed the attorney general as a special prosecutor in all cases of police killing unarmed civilians.

Afterwards Governor Cuomo and the other elected officials walked to a nearby Foodtown which was holding a grand re-opening.  After a brief walkthrough and a ribbon-cutting ceremony Governor Cuomo spoke with the press just outside of Foodtown.

Cuomo began with a brief description of meeting the owner of this Foodtown at another store he owns located in Margaretville, New York during the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene and a question on Cuomo does his own grocery shopping.  Other question topics included whether the issuance of addenda to his Executive Order 147 signals a modification of how the cases will be reviewed and addressed, the status of an expected executive order mandating that 16 and 17 year olds held in New York State prisons be moved out of adult prisons, the latest on Hurricane Joaquin preparations, whether he’s yet selected races to focus on in the 2016 elections, whether he intends to declare a state of emergency related to Hurricane Joaquin and whether any arrests have been made in the killing Carey Gabay.

Here’s his full Q&A: