Posted on 11/23/2016 10:05:16 AM PST by SeekAndFind
We’ve discussed U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara here many times in the past. His pursuit of government corruption wherever it may be found and the prosecution of those who betray the trust of the public has become legendary. That’s why, when he told reporters earlier this year that he detected an “air of corruption” in the executive branch of New York’s state government people were rightly looking over their shoulders. Now his work in that area is moving into high gear. Bharara has made his case to a grand jury and been given the green light to take eight top aides and associates of Governor Andrew Cuomo to trial on charges of corruption. (New York Observer)
An array of figures from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s inner circle—including a confidante so close the governor called him “my father’s third son”—got slapped with a sweeping 14-count federal indictment today, which alleges they colluded in a pair of schemes to solicit bribes for state assistance and to rig economic development contracts for companies that gave to Cuomo’s campaigns.
A grand jury gave crusading U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara the go-ahead to prosecute his case against Joseph Percoco, the governor’s former campaign manager, deputy executive secretary, political fixer and body man, on charges he solicited bribes and a “low-show job” for his wife from two major Cuomo contributors. In return, the federal government alleges Percoco pressured executive agencies and entities to offer assistance and loosen regulations for the companies’ operations in New York State—and lied about the arrangement on disclosure forms.
There are more shady deals described in these charges than you can shake a stick at, but one of the biggest is Cuomo’s “Buffalo Billion” initiative, which Bharara described as little more than, “a cash cow for friends of the administration” who funneled money into the governor’s campaign war chest. Cuomo himself has somehow managed to avoid indictment thus far and still insists that he was utterly oblivious to any nefarious dealings allegedly going on in his administration. Pull the other one, Governor. It’s got bells on it.
As a side note, I find it interesting that when aides to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are charged or convicted on something related to Bridgegate it consumes the news cycle for days on end. When the same thing happens to Andrew Cuomo it’s apparently a “local news story.” Funny how that works, eh?
The Hillary Clinton Connection
There’s one last thing to consider which you’re going to want to keep your eye on. This investigation has been going on for well over a year without making very many headlines. That’s not how Bharara operates. His rare media statements are short and businesslike. But he promised action on this and after the long and challenging investigation was complete he delivered. Remember that Preet owes no loyalty to either party and is absolutely relentless. When he detected corruption in the state legislature in 2014, he launched a lengthy investigation which resulted in former Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver – arguably the most powerful Democrat in the state – being sent to prison. He followed that up by sending the state’s senior Republican to keep him company behind bars.
Bharara is the guy who is currently going after Anthony Weiner… an investigation which produced all sorts of interesting information. And in August he announced that he was investigating corruption at the New York offices of the Clinton Foundation.
As I said at the time, this isn’t the sort of investigation which was going to be wrapped up in a matter of weeks. These things take time. The FBI may have thrown in the towel on going after Hillary Clinton. Even Donald Trump may be making noises about not needing to “lock her up.” But out there in New York City Preet Bharara is still grinding away at his job. And if he has the Clintons in his sights, don’t expect him to simply go away because the election is over. Preet Bharara is the honey badger of corruption investigations and he is not afraid to do his job.
Cuomo may be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee. It may be a Cuomo/Murphy ticket. (Chris Murphy-gun control enthusiast).
I’ve been saying that DJT needs to fire every single US Attorney on day one. Maybe he should fire all but one...
I for one am certain that The Donald knows that Hellary will be handled. He figures that he’s got enough eggs in his basket, why go on a revenge appearing prosecuting spree which would surely bite him in the ass.
Yes Yes Yes!
Don’t forget that she and the foundation are also being investigated in Arkansas. She, Biil and,hopefully, Chelsea are not out of the woods.
The clintoon clause will be invoked. FOB=no prosecution.
Can we apply the same reasoning to Coumo that the Left is applying to Chris Christie on “bridgegate”? Coumo had to know didn’t he?
I thought that the custom was for all US Attorneys to submit resignation letters on the first day of a new administration.
In the interest of efficiency:
Let’s limit ourselves to those corrupt high officials who do NOT have a Clinton Connection.
(It is the very pervasiveness of this disease that guarantees she will never be tried, much less convicted: Too many other heads would roll first.)
No, no, no. Kellyanne has blown past equal justice for all.
Evidently Kellyanne believes dealing with anything Hillary is not expedient or convenient, and someone has brought TRUMP around to saying, “it isn’t something high on my priorities list”.
After all, justice meted out to the elite and politically powerful is simply not in vogue, can be inconvenient, bad for political appearances, a pain...
Justice is blind, or not? Law and order is for the little guys.
Well, he better beef up his security and get a food taster, to avoid Arkancide.
Sorry, Illinois, you’ve lost the title of Most Corrupt State Government. That honor now belongs to New York. New prisons will have to be built to house all the state officials who will be going to jail.
I think you are missing the larger picture re. Trump an the prosecution of the Clintoons.
For right now, this is not a productive line to head down.
As gratifying as it would be to begin the trials Jan 21st, the better way to go is let the investigations continue to their unassailable conclusion. If they jump the gun on this it gets turned into a show trial/circus reminiscent of Stalin. Remember what they did in 1999 during the impeachment. He should have been removed, but they turned it into a circus and conviction was not in the cards.
In the mean time, the investigations will keep the Clintons quiet while Trump implements his agenda.
Having spent a lat of my youth in bars playing pool, it trained you not to look at the easy shot first. You planned three to four shots down the line. I make X ball, I can leave the queue here, and make ball Y, english the queue and make ball Z. Properly planned you could run the table, over and over.
That’s how you have to look at this. I see Trump looking long term...several shots down the line, to run the table.
I agree, but he CAN’T, that is what got Bush Jr in trouble, but he could Hire him back immediately or promote him
So, what exactly is unproductive, or untrue, about what I said?
Did I miss a fact that dismisses what I said?
The redemption for this new turn of facts and opinion is that TRUMP no longer has to take up the case of Hillary Clinton.
He will have appointed those who will pursue justice in the matter of HRC and the Foundation. Or not.
I learned everything from my numbers running granny!
Oh Boy! This should be good. Hopefully, there will be no Arkanacide.
Corrupt Cuomo-crats?
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