Cuomo is out. Hochul is in.
Andrew Cuomo has resigned in disgrace after an AG report discovered 11 instances of sexual harassment by the soon-to-be ex-governor. Cuomo claims the investigation was “politically motivated,” adding that he was resigning because he didn’t want to be “unhelpful in any way.”
Sure, Andy. Let’s go with that.
Cuomo’s time in office was rife with scandals, cronyism, and controversy – and his replacement might not be much better. Soon-to-be Governor Kathy Hochul has a few conflicts of interest waiting for her when she officially takes over in Albany on August 23rd.
For starters, Hochul’s husband Bill is the general counsel for entertainment and food management company Delaware North. Seemingly innocuous, unless you know that the state of New York currently has $50 million in contracts with Delaware North, including a contract to manage refreshments at all Thruway stops. Delaware North also operates two upstate casinos: Finger Lakes Gambling and Hamburg Gaming.
And guess who’s found herself in charge of the New York State Gaming Commission.
Hochul’s husband Bill isn’t the only family member creating conflicts. Her daughter-in-law Christina is the Director of Federal Policy at Biogen, a $50 billion dollar pharmaceutical company which recently received FDA approval for an Alzheimer’s drug. Her other daughter, Caitlin, is a communications director at a PR firm whose client list includes the DoD, DoJ, EPA.
Then there’s Hochul’s son, William Hochul III. He’s a lawyer at the Washington D.C. firm Sidley Austin; he’s worked pro-bono for migrant families separated at the border.
Will Hochul be able to gracefully navigate the ethical boundaries that come with such a prestigious office?
We’ll know soon enough.
[h/t to the Daily Mail]
