Cuomo versus Paladino. Welcome to New York, here's how we roll:
The NY Times put out their story last night on Paladino's colorful cast of campaign staff "Paladino Has Aides With Tainted Pasts".
Today the fur flew between the deputies.
From the Times:
As he mounts an outrage-filled campaign for governor of New York, Carl P. Paladino has vowed to forcibly rid Albany of the wayward officials and misbehaving bureaucrats who he says have demeaned state government, promising to "take out the trash.
But some of the people whom Mr. Paladino has recruited to run his campaign are plagued by brushes with the law and allegations of misconduct, an examination of public records shows.
Team Paladino:
Campaign Manager Michael Caputo "'This is a campaign of junkyard dogs, not pedigreed poodles.'" - Failed to pay $53,000 in Federal taxes over the past few years. His defense - he is just really bad at managing a business.
Driver (and Tea Party Organizer) Rus Thompson - served jail time in Arizona for charges related to an accident that included: DUI, damaging a vehicle in a hit-and-run, and driving with a suspended license.
Campaign chairwoman Nancy Naples - walked away from running again for Erie County comptroller when The Buffalo News reported that 80% of the county’s bond business, 1 billion worth, went at her direction to an investment manager who was her campaign donor.
Campaign political strategist John Haggerty, Jr - currently under indictment by the Manhattan DA for stealing $1.1 million from Michael Bloomberg's re-election campaign, using part of it to buy a house.
To add a little national context, the Times helpfully adds:
And the issue highlights a growing problem across the country for the Tea Party, which has backed Mr. Paladino: the outsider status and ragtag style that have fueled many of the movement’s best-known candidacies this election season often come with unexpected personal baggage.
Ya think?
Given the opportunity, the Cuomo campaign sent out Lt Gov candidate Robert Duffy, current Mayor & retired Police Chief of Rochester.
Duffy issued a statement this morning about this and otherstories on the Paladino aides. Who better to send out than a crime fighter?
That brought outGreg Edwards, Republican Lt Gov Candidate (who is Paladino's running mate despite having been Rick Lazio's race partner. Don't ask - NY has weird election rules), and Michael Caputo (he of the IRS troubles) to go after Duffy, with Caputo saying:
'Unproven allegations, twenty year old DUI’s and a tax debt that’s a tiny fraction of Mayor Robert Duffy’s own overtime padding and double-dipping won’t stir the voters. Come out of the closet and on to the issues in debate, Mr. Mayor, or pay the price on November 2nd.'
- from
LoHud.com
Here's the thing: Robert Duffy had a career as a police officer. Calling him a double-dipper and overtime padder may have seemed like a great "go get 'im!" attack maneuver. But New York kind of likes its cops.
That double-dipping? It's what you call it when a cop puts in 30 years from patrol up to Deputy Chief and finally Chief, retiring with a pension. When he runs for and is elected to a completely different job - Mayor of Rochester, he gets a paycheck. Duffy saysif he had delayed his pension (so that he didn't get payed for his police years until after he is no longer being paid for his mayor years) it would actually cost more to the taxpayers as the larger police pension built up.
The overtime? Sometimes, cops work overtime. Sometimes, we really, really want a cop working, even if it costs more. Duffy's overtime? 41,000 over 14 years. All taken before he made Deputy Chief. Here's a test -- go to a city and ask a cop if that's an unusual amount. Hint: The folks at LoHud.com used the word "only" to describe it.
So, Team Paladino = a list of things we like to jail people for.
Team Cuomo = a cop who worked TOO MUCH then decided to work some more.
Round 1 goes to Team Cuomo.
Oh, and Team Paladino? When you are traveling around the state, you may want to be extra nice to the officers providing security at your events.
They've earned it.