Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s political enemies are launching an all-out, online blitz as the corruption trial of a former top aide heats up this week with testimony from the prosecution’s star witness.
An anti-Democrat political action committee on Tuesday unveiled a Web site attacking Cuomo over the “pay-to-play” allegations against Joseph Percoco, who’s accused of pocketing more than $300,000 in bribes from companies doing business with the state.
The America Rising PAC named its site thirdcuomoson.com, in reference to Cuomo’s likening of Percoco to a brother during his 2015 eulogy for his dad, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo.
The home page features a gloomy, black-and-white image of Cuomo scowling in profile, along with links to news reports about the Percoco case.
“America Rising PAC’s Andrew Cuomo Initiative will ensure that all New Yorkers are kept up-to-date on this ‘dark cloud looming’ over Governor Cuomo’s administration and political future,” the site says.
America Rising, founded in 2013 by Mitt Romney’s former presidential campaign manager, has received funding from billionaire hedge funder Paul Singer and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, now the head of the US Small Business Administration.
On Monday, the New York Republican Party also released a 25-second Web ad that shows Cuomo, a Democrat seeking re-election in November, standing next to Percoco and blasts him as “the most corrupt governor in 100 years.
“Pay-to-play contracts and favors for his wealthy donors. His closest aide is now on federal trial for selling his office for in exchange bribes and kickbacks,” the narrator says.
“But the verdict on Andrew Cuomo is already in: guilty.”
Geoff Berman, executive director of the state Democratic Committee, called the GOP attacks an example of how “New York’s Republican Party and their deep pocketed beltway allies have been taken over by their party’s most extreme elements.”
“This is yet one more sad attempt to distract from the four major Republican corruption trials this year and from [President] Trump’s disastrous polices that are threatening New Yorkers and raising their taxes,” Berman said.
“New Yorkers aren’t stupid and know that Democrats are the ones fighting to protect them while the Republicans are dug in trying to defend the indefensible.”