Attorney General Candidate Vows To Investigate Cuomo Administration If Elected

Zephyr Teachout, a former challenger to Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle, said she would probe whether the Democratic governor has used state resources for campaign purposes, according to multiple news reports.

Teachout told reporters in Albany that whoever wins the attorney general's race must be independent enough to investigate the governor's office. She also said she's the only state candidate for Attorney General not accepting corporate campaign contributions.

Teachout, a Fordham University law professor, faces U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of Cold Spring and New York City Public Advocate Letitia "Tish" James, who was endorsed by Cuomo, in Thursday's primary.  A poll earlier this week found the race a virtual three-way tie, as reported here by Daily Voice. Leecia Eve, a former Clinton Administration aide, is the fourth Democratic candidate for Attorney General.

“I’m independent of the political bosses and independent of Andrew Cuomo,” said Teachout, who lost a 2014 primary challenge to Cuomo.

James‘ campaign said their candidate will investigate all levels of government corruption, although it did not mention Cuomo by name.

Teachout raised concerns about Cuomo's extensive use of state helicopters, as reported by The New York Times, as well as former top Cuomo aide Joe Percoco’s use of state offices and resources after he had left his job to lead Cuomo’s 2014 re-election bid. Percoco of South Salem was later convicted on unrelated corruption charges, as reported here by Daily Voice.

Teachout also questioned Cuomo’s decision to rush the opening of the second span of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Cuomo held a grand opening ceremony for the bridge on Friday but had to close the span to traffic on Saturday after crews disassembling the old Tappan Zee Bridge discovered that it had destabilized and could fall, potentially hitting the new span, as reported here by Daily Voice. 

Critics accused Cuomo of rushing the opening to score political points in his primary matchup with activist and former “Sex and the City” TV star Cynthia Nixon.

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