On my radio show tonight, New York’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino told me that his opponent, Andrew Cuomo, “should be in jail.”
Alan asks New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino about controversial past, his anger at the media and his war with Andrew Cuomo
PALADINO: I’m pointing out crimes by my opponent. I didn’t commit any crimes. I’m pointing out crimes.
COLMES: You think Andrew Cuomo…
PALADINO: I’m pointing out Andrew Cuomo giving, giving Steve Rattner a pass. A guy gives a $88,000 bribe to the brother-in-law of a state worker.
COLMES: Should Andrew Cuomo be in jail?
PALADINO: Andrew, Andrew – he should be in jail, because he allowed Rattner to walk.
I then asked Paladino if he would have Cuomo prosecuted if he were governor.
COLMES: If you were governor, would you have him prosecuted?
PALADINO: For – for crimes?
COLMES: Yeah. Would you go – would you go after Andrew Cuomo? Would you have him prosecuted?
PALADINO: Absolutely.
As I pressed Paladino he walked it back:
COLMES: Not – but specifically Andrew Cuomo. Will you, will you seek to prosecute…
PALADINO: I don’t know. If you’ve got a crime to tell me about.
COLMES: No, you – you just said he committed a crime.
PALADINO: No, that was at HUD.
COLMES: Right.
PALADINO: That was at HUD twelve years ago, OK? That was at HUD twelve years ago.
COLMES: So you would not have the authority as governor to go after that.
But as it turns out, the matter for which Paladino thinks Cuomo “should be in jail” happenedmuch more recently than “twelve years ago.” Rattner’s immunity deal was reached during Cuomo’s tenure as New York’s attorney general, which did not begin until 2007. No word on how that might impact Paladino’s authority to prosecute Cuomo, if Paladino were to be elected governor.
