ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo on Tuesday called on fellow Democrats eager to get their hands on President Trump’s tax returns to release their own.
“You want to talk about transparency and disclosure? You want to take office in New York, you release your tax returns,” Cuomo said in a WAMC radio interview.
“If you want Donald Trump’s tax returns why don’t you release your own? It would set a heck of a precedent for the entire country.”
Democrats have introduced several bills to get the president’s returns, an effort Cuomo said he supports.
But what’s good for Trump, should be good for them, he argued.
“In next year’s elections in the Assembly and the Senate, I’m sure they will say you were right to ask for Trump’s tax returns, I’m your primary opponent, why didn’t you release your own, what are you hiding?” he said.
The governor also had other advice for Democrats thinking of taking on other Democrats.
Last week, freshman state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) emailed supporters threatening primary challenges to legislators who don’t support progressive policies.
“What we’re seeing in this state, I think it is destructive, it’s also an aberrational political moment. You normally don’t have members attacking any members I don’t think it’s productive I also think it’s dangerous,” Cuomo said of the Democrat-vs-Democrat strategy.
“This is the proverbial circular firing squad,” he added, echoing President Obama’s condemnation of inner-party warfare. “Today’s reformer is tomorrow’s establishment. In this system it is very hard to be a purist and people are living in glass houses so be careful of how many stones you throw.”