One among Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s sisters and a former head of the state Democratic celebration secretly raised cash to assist his former prime aide attraction a conviction for pocketing $300,000 in a pair of “pay-to-play” corruption scams, in accordance with a report Tuesday.
Madeline Cuomo and John Marino are amongst a gaggle of gubernatorial insiders who’ve been going to bat for Joseph Percoco, who additionally previously labored for the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, father to the Cuomos, the New York Instances mentioned.
In a February 2020 electronic mail, Madeline Cuomo sought donations from two dozen folks, together with a number of lobbyists and loyalists to Gov. Cuomo, the Instances mentioned.
“Joe and his household are grateful for all of your assist up to now,” she reportedly wrote within the Tremendous Bowl Sunday message.
“Sadly, his battle is much from over, and with a purpose to proceed his authorized battle he’ll want monetary sources.”
She added: “My household and I shall be taking part in that effort, and I hope we are able to rely on you to affix within the effort.”
A number of the individuals who bought the e-mail mentioned they have been additionally requested to fund to a belief for Percoco’s daughters that acquired greater than $75,000 in donations, the Instances mentioned.
Gov. Cuomo was unaware of both fundraising effort, a spokesman instructed The Instances.
Following Percoco’s 2016 arrest, Gov. Cuomo’s marketing campaign committee paid $80,000 towards his authorized charges, which totaled greater than $1 million, and he nonetheless owes his protection legal professionals from his trial, the Instances mentioned.
Percoco, 52, is serving a six-year jail time period on the federal medium-security lockup in Otisville and isn’t as a result of be freed till April 2024, in accordance with the Bureau of Prisons web site.
Final yr, Percoco sought to be launched to residence confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic, citing medical circumstances that embrace excessive ldl cholesterol and hypertension.
His attraction is pending earlier than the US 2nd Circuit Court docket of Appeals in Manhattan however has been inactive since July, in accordance with on-line court docket data.
At Mario Cuomo’s 2015 funeral, Andrew Cuomo likened Percoco to a brother, calling him “my father’s third son, who I generally assume he beloved essentially the most.”
Madeline Cuomo, a divorce lawyer who lives in Manhattan, instructed the Instances that she sought to assist Percoco pay his payments as a result of their longstanding friendship.
“I’ve recognized Joe most of my life, and I look after my good friend,” Madeline Cuomo mentioned.
“I did need to assist him, however as soon as the pandemic hit, everybody’s priorities shortly shifted. My brother Andrew was neither concerned with, nor aware of, my impartial effort. I nonetheless consider serving to a good friend is the morally proper factor to do.”
Madeline Cuomo, 56, is the youngest of three sisters to Gov. Cuomo, 63.
Marino didn’t reply to a request for remark, the Instances mentioned.
Marino, a former three-time marketing campaign supervisor for Mario Cuomo, is now managing director and managing associate of the New York Metropolis-based DKC public relations agency.
Others who the Instances mentioned both raised cash or have been requested to contribute embrace Gov. Cuomo’s former chief of employees, Steve Cohen; his former chief counsel, Mylan Denerstein; his longtime marketing campaign finance director, Jennifer Bayer Michaels; his ex-girlfriend and former fundraiser, Lucille Falcone; and Northwell Well being CEO Michael Dowling, who was the state director of Well being, Training and Human Providers below then-Gov. Mario Cuomo and is now a key adviser to his son.
These reportedly requested to contribute to the Percoco daughters’ belief fund embrace hedge fund supervisor Gregg Hymowitz, a longtime donor and good friend of Gov. Cuomo’s, and lobbyist David Weinraub, who was legislative director for then-Gov. Mario Cuomo.
Cohen and Hymowitz each mentioned they didn’t contribute — with Cohen saying, “I wasn’t able to assist” — whereas Weinraub mentioned, “I gave independently lengthy earlier than the e-mail,” the Instances mentioned.
Weinraub instructed The Submit that he gave a complete of about $10,000 to each Percoco’s authorized protection fund and his daughters’ belief “due to the connection we had” since turning into mates after they each labored for Mario Cuomo.
Weinraub additionally mentioned he periodically exchanges emails with Percoco.
A Northwell spokeswoman mentioned Dowling didn’t assist elevate any funds, whereas Denerstein declined to remark and Michaels — now a senior adviser to Democratic mayoral candidate Ray McGuire — and Falcone didn’t reply to calls looking for remark, the Instances mentioned.
