Eric Schneiderman wants to know more about Karl Rove's business
Briefing: Cuomo and Schneiderman. Cuomo via flickr
8:00 am Aug. 9, 2012
New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has requested financial information from tax-exempt organizations that appear to be vehicles for spending unlimited amounts of undisclosed donor money to influence this year's election. The request is part of Schneiderman's ongoing effort to expose the way these organizations work and how they're funded, if not actually to curtail their activities.
The groups, including one affiliated with Republican strategist Karl Rove and one run by supporters of President Obama, are making use of a wrinkle in election law that allows them to operate with almost no restrictions or transparency.
The move by a state official on a national issue like this also serves to underscore how much more could be done on campaign finance in New York, where campaign contribution limits barely exist, the governor has profited politically from an anonymously funded lobby and campaign money can be spent on things like golf club memberships and car leases.
Quote
"I have a problem with the smoking ban and the soda ban and now this!"--a woman responds to City Hall blocking the giveaway of free vibrators.
Events
Governor Andrew Cuomo is "in the New York City area."
10 a.m. Michael Bloomberg speaks the graduation of corrections officers at Brooklyn College.
11 a.m. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer devlivers remarks at Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez senior summit at Hunter College, 2180 Third Avenue in Manhattan.
Noon. Bloomberg donates blood at 120 Lawrence Street, in Brooklyn.
8 p.m. Stringer attends the opening night of Into the Woods at Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
2012
Mitt Romney should pick Paul Ryan as his V.P. because Democrats are already attacking the Republicans for his budget anyway. [Wall Street Journal]
Eric Schneiderman requested tax returns from "social welfare organizations" which appear mostly to spend money on politics, like Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, American Action Network, American Future Fund, and Priorities USA. [Nicholas Confessore]
Washington
Senator Chuck Schumer's plan to keep the Bills in Buffalo will work and Governor Andrew Cuomo should urge the NFL commissioner to adopt it, an upstate ed board says. [Democrat and Chronicle]
A Post columnist says "voter fraud is real." [Michael Walsh]
NY-13
More problems for Rep. Michael Grimm from not disclosing facts about his trip to Israel. [Alison Leigh Cowan and William Rashbaum]
Albany
Cuomo-scripted speeches -- delivered by other elected officials as their own remarks -- refer to the governor's achievements as "historic" and "bold." [Jacob Gershman]
Video of electeds delivering Cuomo-scripted praises of the governor. [Wall Street Journal]
2013
"[T]his is no time for compromise" on the Paid Sick legislation, a tabloid editorial page warns Council Speaker Christine Quinn. [New York Post]
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer: To fix NYCHA, change state law and basically make it a mayoral agency with the mayor appointing its seven-member board. [Daily News]
City Comptroller John Liu said he'll fight the six-figure fine he got for illegal postering in the 2009 race because the fines were issued two years later. But Liu admits his campiagn did put them up. [David Seifman]
Democratic state senator Malcolm Smith will meet the five Republican County Chairman on Monday about his mayoral idea. [Carl Campanile]
City Hall
The decrease in the number of stop-and-frisks doesn't address the issue of whether police are making good, legally sound and justified stops. [New York Times]
"It’s time for a complete update, Mr. Mayor" about the delay in the bike-share program. [Daily News]
The firm running the bike-share program in New York City, which is behind schedule, just announced they have to delay a similar program i Chicago until next year. [Matt Flegenheimer]
A Manhattan judge said the city isn't doing enough to help disabled voters. [Bruce Golding]
The Bloomberg administration blocked Torjan from giving away free vibrators because they said the company lacked proper permits. [Amber Sutherland, Jennifer Bain and Todd Venezia]
City Council
The city Board of Elections was grilled at a Council hearing over the vote-counting process following the June 26 primary. [Kate Taylor]
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