Andrew Cuomo might not have read Wayne Barrett’s tome on Cuomo’ relationship with real estate magnate Andrew Farkas, but we were reminded that our own Anna Schneider-Mayerson spoke with both Cuomo and Farkas back in June.
The former HUD secretary sued Farkas for diverting federal funds to management instead of housing maintenance– and then went on to work for Farkas and accept campaign contributions from him. According to Barrett, Farkas still considers Cuomo’s suit a mistake. “Andrew was wrong,” Farkas claimed.
But according to the notes Anna kindly passed on, the two seem to hold each other in the highest regard. Cuomo explained their beginnings thusly:
“He’s (Farkas) just a good friend and he started a new company and I was doing the things that I was doing and he was …he said ‘do you want to come with me you know a little about real estate development.’”
Farkas, for his part, was sad to see Cuomo return to politics.
“I will miss him personally,” said Farkas, adding “He made tremendous contributions while he was here and they were all additive.”
– Jason Horowitz
