"Hypocrisy, thy name is Andrew."
Andrew Cuomo's very busy just as he's leaving office and is seeking to end pay to play.
The law firm Manatt Phelps & Phillips agreed to a five-year ban from appearing before public pension funds in New York State.
Here's Cuomo's agreement with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips about accepting money required for the NY Comptroller's Office
Excerpt from above agreement: WHEREAS: the Attorney General finds that persons and entities doing business before the State Comptroller's Office are frequently solicited for and in fact make political contributions to the Comptroller's Office before, during, and after they seek and obtain business from the Comptroller's Office
WHEREAS, The Attorney General is the legal adviser of the Common Retirement Fund
Manatt agreed to comply with the Attorney General’s Public Pension Fund Reform Code of Conduct, which, among other things, bans the use of placement agents to solicit investments from public pension funds and prohibits investments within two years of any campaign contribution from the investment firm to the Comptroller or other elected trustee.
It all sounds wonderful until you realize, Cuomo's rules for the NY Comptroller's Office don't apply to the Retirement Fund's legal adviser, Cuomo, nor to Cuomo's Attorney General's Office. No need to wait two years or two minutes to contribute (to pay up), Andrew has his own rules for the Attorney General's office on his donation forms, where "contributors [are asked] to sign a statement saying they have no “matter” pending with him. That rule “does not extend to attorneys representing persons or entities with matters before the NYS Attorney General’s office.”
Did Manatt, Phelps & Phillips fail to first give to Andrew's campaign fund, since he was the retirement fund's legal advisor? Maybe, they would have obtained a indulgence from Andrew and avoided all these problems. Maybe they didn't read the earlier blog post here: "Two faces as Cuomo changes pay to play to indirect payment"
Hypocrisy doesn't apply Andrew, who follows the Special Rules for Anointed Legacy Governors in waiting.
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