Cuomo Issues Statement On Espada (Updated)
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- August
- 13
While confirming yesterday that they were looking into the hiring by the Senate of Sen. Pedro Espada’s son, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo released his first public statement on the issue this afternoon.
Cuomo aides said that Espada had contacted their office yesterday after Cuomo’s office began investigating whether the senator played a role in his son’s hiring, which Espada has denied. Nonetheless, after Espada was informed that even if he wasn’t involved, it wouldn’t look good, Espada’s son agreed to resign from the $120,000 a year Senate position, which he was hired to on Aug. 6.
Here’s Cuomo’s statement:
“Since Monday, we have been reviewing the matter of the hiring of Pedro G. Espada. Yesterday, conversations took place between senior members of this Office and members of the Senate and its staff, including Senator Espada, regarding the legality of the hiring and the relevant provisions of the Public Officers Law.
“While in the past there may have been similar hires, that does not make such practices acceptable. Last night, Senator Espada and his son announced that the younger Mr. Espada would not continue as a Senate employee. We believe the Espadas have made a legally correct and appropriate decision.”
Updated: Potential GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio, who called on Cuomo yesterday to investigate the hiring of Espada’s son said the probe shouldn’t stop there.
“The resignation of Pedro G. Espada does absolutely nothing to change the Attorney General’s responsibility to investigate this matter. Attorney General Cuomo must continue his probe. Cronyism and corruption can not go unchallanged,” he said.
“We need to set higher standards of conduct for the people we entrust with the future of our state. We must get to the bottom of this issue and work to fundamentally change business as usual in Albany. Without sweeping change and a constitutional convention to create a unicameral legislature, I believe that New Yorkers will never get the government they want or they deserve.”
This entry was posted
on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 at 12:29 pm by Joseph Spector.
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