Former assemblyman michael cohen isn’t being charged with wrongdoing by Andrew Cuomo’s office, but his role in the alleged scandal outlined today is, obviously, not a boost to Cohen’s current campaign for City Council.
I just got off the phone with one of his opponents, Mel Gagarin. I asked him if he’d work in any way to bring this storyline to the attention of voters.
Gagarin repeatedly declined to say yes or no, preferring to talk about the more general issue of “transparency and honesty between elected officials.”
“People really care about the topic overall," he said. "Are we going to be having a negative campaign? Absolutely not. I think the story is out there and will have a life of its own.”
Then, minutes later, Gagarin emailed campaign supporters to alert them that Cohen is named in the allegations from Cuomo’s office. (Cohen, as I mentioned, is not a target.) The email also includes links to stories about the allegations, and solicits donations to Gagarin’s campaign.
Here’s what Gagarin emailed:
"In light of today's news regarding allegations of pay-to-play, Michael Cohen will have to make a decision that is best for himself and his neighbors in the 29th district, and I hope he makes the right decision. I wanted to take this opportunity to remind people that from day one, my candidacy has stood to reform how business is done. I am running for City Council to be an advocate for the community and to not let politics interfere with being a dedicated public servant. The real news today is not about individuals, but about the need for real reform in our local political system."
Also running are former City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, Heidi Chain, Lynn Schulmann, and Joseph Nocerino.
