Cuomo: Me, Trump and Adams are the same.

Dec 03, 2024

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Governor Cuomo Holds Press Conference with then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he, Mayor Eric Adams and President-elect Trump are three birds of a feather. | Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

BROTHERS IN VICTIMHOOD: Federally indicted Mayor Eric Adams.

Convicted felon Donald Trump.

Criminally investigated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden — and his admission that the Department of Justice has been beset by “raw politics” and “selective prosecution” — is breathing new life into the claims from Trump, Adams and Cuomo that they are targets of a weaponized justice system.

And according to Cuomo, the three men are alike — all victims of a system confirmed by the president to be rotten with political bias.

During a Monday evening interview with political donor and radio host John Catsimatidis, Cuomo for the first time said the federal corruption case against Adams — a potential primary opponent should Cuomo run for mayor — is the result of a weaponized justice system.

And this afternoon, Adams implied he agrees.

At his weekly City Hall press conference, the mayor held up a print copy of The New York Times and read aloud a sentence from a story about Hunter’s pardon: “President Biden and President-elect Donald J. Trump now agree on one thing: The Biden Justice Department has been politicized,” the story said.

“Does that sound familiar?” the mayor said, laughing, after he read the sentence. “Rest my case,” he added.

The comments from the two men come after Biden issued a Sunday statement saying his son was targeted by “raw politics” and “selective prosecution” from his own Department of Justice, and that he hoped Americans would understand his decision to pardon him.

“We just went through a campaign where we saw Donald Trump saying the same thing, and here in New York we saw the trials that were brought, and many New Yorkers were saying, ‘This is pure politics,’” Cuomo said.

“Especially what happened in New York state… What happened to you, what happened to Eric Adams. What happened, you know?” Catsmatidis said.

“Yes,” Cuomo responded. “I used to say when I was attorney general, if you give me someone's tax returns, I'll find a way to indict them. If you target a person as a prosecutor, yes, you can get an indictment. And when you start to play politics with the justice system, that's the final straw.”

While those close to Cuomo have previously said he'd be unlikely to run in a mayoral primary next year if Adams did, Jewish Insider reported last week the former governor’s team is setting up an independent expenditure group and that he will run for mayor. Adams has continued to say he will run for reelection.

“As the governor has previously said, he believes the mayor deserves his day in court,” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said when asked about Cuomo’s Monday comments.

Three years ago, Cuomo said the investigation from Attorney Leticia James’ office that found Cuomo had sexually harassed multiple women was politically motivated. But prior to the investigation’s release, Cuomo had encouraged the public to “let the attorney general do her job,” saying, “She's very good, she's very competent, and that will be due process.”

Cuomo also echoed previous claims Monday that the cases against Trump from James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg — both Democrats — were “politically motivated.” James brought a civil fraud case and Bragg prosecuted a felony case that resulted in a 34-count conviction.

“I believe that office has been used to play politics,” Cuomo said, “and I know that better than most.” — Jason Beeferman

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FROM THE DELEGATION

Ritchie Torres

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration's handling of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. | Emily Ngo/POLITICO

TORRES TARGETS HOCHUL: Rep. Ritchie Torres, weighing a primary challenge to Gov. Kathy Hochul, excoriated her for allegedly rigging the contracting process for a $9 billion home health care program. He accused her of creating a “state-sanctioned monopoly” that will raise costs.

Today’s comments were the latest salvo in the Bronx Democrat’s barrage on a political target he all but says needs to step down for the good of their party.

Torres gathered disabled New Yorkers reliant on the Medicaid program to press his case after sending a letter to state and federal investigators urging a probe into the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, or CDPAP.

“The governor is in the process of replacing a competitive market of 700 fiscal intermediaries with a single statewide fiscal intermediary,” Torres told reporters gathered in Manhattan. “The governor is not reforming CDPAP; she is deforming it.”

Hochul spokesperson Sam Spokony responded that Torres seeks to protect the “status quo of runaway spending and fraud.” He added, “That doesn’t seem like a great use of time, and his letter is full of false claims anyway — so we'll stay focused on delivering a stronger and more effective CDPAP as part of the transition that will take effect by April 2025.”

Upstate Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican and another vocal Hochul critic, applauded Torres on Tuesday and spotlighted his own scrutiny of the governor’s handling of CDPAP.

Asked why Torres hasn’t spoken directly to Hochul, his fellow Democrat, the House member said she has not been receptive to him or any “constructive criticism.” By contrast, Torres said, Mayor Eric Adams keeps an open line.

Torres did acknowledge concerns about funding for Medicaid more broadly with incoming President Donald Trump’s plans for funding entitlement programs up in the air. — Emily Ngo

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FROM THE CAPITOL

A woman in a blue jacket stands at a podium

Gov. Kathy Hochul omitted specific mention of transgender issues in her remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the LGBTQ+ museum. | Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

LGB…T?: Hochul walks a delicate line when it comes to trans issues. The Democratic governor has celebrated Trans Day of Remembrance, ordered flags be flown at half-mast to honor victims of anti-trans violence and designated November as transgender remembrance month.

But Hochul has been more circumspect with her language around transgender youth. Moderate Democrats frustrated with what they describe as a disproportionate prioritization of trans youth issues may have an ally in Hochul — or at least a non-enemy.

The governor did not offer explicit support for transgender issues in her address at the New York Historical Society today to commemorate the construction of the LGBTQ+ Museum, instead couching her language in generalities about the entire LGBTQ+ movement.

“Yes, this is New York. You can forget how tough it is in some of the rest of our country and what's going to be happening in Washington, D.C. in a few months, but we will not forget,” Hochul said, alluding to non-specific threats she thinks the Trump administration poses. “Because we have within our own DNA that sense of righteousness, that we will stand up, not just in our own state, but fight for our brothers and sisters all across America to make sure that their rights are protected as well.”

She did not vocally support trans youth playing on the sports teams that correspond with their gender identities — an issue Republicans capitalized on this election cycle. In New York, the GOP used the issue to gin up opposition to a ballot proposal that was meant to focus on abortion.

During election season, Hochul balked when asked about Republicans using trans youth issues to oppose that measure, the Equal Rights Amendment, calling the GOP ads and rhetoric “flat out lies” and admonishing the party’s “slurring of transgender children.”

Hochul’s team noted her celebration of Trans Day of Remembrance and referred Playbook to comments she made in Puerto Rico last month, when she was asked about Rep. Tom Suozzi calling out Democrats for not opposing trans youth playing on the sports team of their identity.

“New York has always had strong protections for the LGBTQ+ community. That is not changing. But I also say, this election gave us a reminder that people are focused on economic issues,” Hochul said at the time.

Just yesterday, Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs said, “When we try to fashion terminology or mandate people to use pronouns, I think it’s well intentioned, but it just doesn’t resonate with voters; It does turn some off.” — Timmy Facciola

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GOP CLOTHES: Battleground Democrats largely ran on a Republican-inspired platform of curbing crime and addressing the migrant crisis, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay told Playbook.

Voters handed Republicans key victories and the party next year will control every branch of government at the federal level.

But the GOP did not get the same kind of sweeping victories in New York: Democrats flipped three House seats and the status quo was maintained in Democratic-dominated Albany.

Barclay, who was reelected the Assembly Republican leader recently, said he took some solace in Democrats largely running on issues in which the GOP outperforms.

“It’s nice to see Democrats run on Republican issues,” he said. “I didn’t see any Dems run on, ‘Let’s increase the migrants in New York, let’s continue to do what we’re doing on crime, let’s continue to tax and spend.’ I get some affirmation from that.”

Democratic candidates predominantly backed a platform of abortion rights and warning of the consequences of a Trump presidency. But the co-opting of issues favorable to Republican or independent voters — and GOP frustration — is a recurring theme.

GOP Chair Ed Cox a decade ago was fond of saying Cuomo wore “Republican clothes” when the Democratic governor pushed for centrist fiscal measures during his first term.

Republicans have not wielded majority control of the 150-member Assembly since the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. Still, they believe they can make strides in New York, especially as the number of voters registered as political independents grows.

And as Democrats fret about the next statewide election in 2026, Barclay believes a strong Republican gubernatorial candidate can give GOP candidates running down ballot a boost.

“I do think there’s potential,” he said. — Nick Reisman

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IN OTHER NEWS

— SCHOOL CELL PHONE BAN: Gov. Kathy Hochul is planning to restrict student cell phone usage in New York schools next school year. (Newsday)

— DANIEL PENNY TRIAL: The jury in the manslaughter trial of Daniel Penny for his fatal chokehold of homeless man and street artist Jordan Neely has begun deliberations. (CNN)

— SCHUMER REELECTED: Sen. Chuck Schumer will continue to lead Democrats in the Senate when the GOP takes the majority of both chambers next year.(Spectrum News)

Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.

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