Governor Andrew Cuomo is continuing to talk up his economic development program for the city of Buffalo, which is currently the subject of an investigation by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Zack Fink filed the following report.
It's a fine line for the governor to walk. While he has sought to distance himself from certain people being probed in connection with the "Buffalo Billion" economic development program, he also continues to defend it because it's a centerpiece of his upstate agenda.
Cuomo spoke to reporters in Rochester.
"Also remember, it is a vitally important program," the governor said. "It's doing great work in upstate New York. Buffalo has turned around dramatically. Job growth is way way up. Dr. Alain Kaloyeros' work has been extraordinary."
Kaloyeros helped develop the nanotechnology industry in upstate New York. He is currently under investigation, along with former lobbyist Todd Howe and former longtime Cuomo aide Joe Percoco, for possible bid rigging and inappropriate lobbying. No one has been charged.
But recognizing there are questions about their conduct, the governor has ordered his own internal investigation.
"These are questions at this point," Cuomo said. "I am the former attorney general. I got a lot of "tips," quote unquote, and I did a lot of investigations. Frankly, most investigations turned out to be nothing."
Meantime, longtime Capitol observers and some critics of the governor maintain that Cuomo pushed hard to get the Buffalo Billion program up and running. And some have asked whether the proper processes and protocols were followed.
"Governor Cuomo, to his credit, has been able to get a lot of legislation passed that other governors have not been able to achieve," said Blair Horner, legislative director of NYPIRG. "That said, you always have to be sensitive to the downside, and that downside is excessive secrecy."
The state is set to infuse another $485 million into the Buffalo Billion next week, but Cuomo says any more money that gets approved will first be subject to review by the monitor he had appointed to investigate the Buffalo Billion program.