ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo has lawyered up in response to the growing scandal over the way he handled his anti-corruption commission, the Daily News has learned.
Cuomo hired prominent white-collar criminal defense lawyer Elkan Abramowitz in May to represent the governor’s office in U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s probe into the administration’s dealings with the Moreland Commission, sources told The News.
Cuomo’s top aides, Secretary to the Governor Larry Schwartz and counsel Mylan Denerstein, have also hired their own personal attorneys, the sources said. Cuomo separately has sought advice from several lawyers, the sources said.
Abramowitz confirmed to The News, which first broke the story on nydailynews.com, that he was hired to represent the executive chamber. He said he is serving in much the same role Denerstein might have filled if she wasn’t a potential witness in Bharara’s probe. Denerstein, who is leaving the administration soon, is scheduled to meet with Bharara’s investigators sometime this month.
Cuomo said Thursday he is done talking about the Moreland Commission scandal while Bharara is investigating. His office had no comment on the hiring of Abramowitz, who also reps filmmaker Woody Allen.
The governor apparently irked Bharara with what appeared to be a coordinated effort Monday to beat back criticism that Cuomo and his aides meddled with the panel. On a day Cuomo was set to face the press for the first time since the controversy reignited last week, four commission members released statements defending the governor’s actions.
That led Bharara to send an ominous letter Wednesday night to the lawyer representing the panel, warning that he might investigate whether the Cuomo administration engaged in obstruction of justice or witness tampering.
The letter was first reported by The New York Times.
Cuomo responded with a statement Thursday that said he was merely seeking to address “numerous inaccuracies.” Cuomo also said he’s now done talking.
“As I believe the U.S. attorney has made it clear that ongoing public dialogue is not helpful to his investigation, we will have no additional comment on the matter,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Some commission members were shocked that the governor’s desire for control — which put him in hot water in the first place — got the best of him again.
“I believe he p—– off the U.S. attorney and something that might have gone away is not going to go away so easily,” said one commissioner. “Never pick a fight with a U.S. attorney.”
