NYT: U.S. Attorney, Cuomo's Office at Odds Over Moreland Commission

The New York Times is reporting that United States Attorney Preet Bharara is warning Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office that he may investigate the administration for “possible obstruction of justice or witness tampering” in connection with the Moreland Commission.

Some members of the ethics commission, which was appointed by Cuomo and charged with rooting out corruption in state politics, allegedly were contacted “by the governor or his emissaries” prior to many of them releasing statements Monday, the same day Cuomo first publicly addressed the matter, according to the Times.

Federal prosecutors wrote to an attorney for the commission stating in part, “To the extent anyone attempts to influence or tamper with a witness’s recollection of events relevant to our investigation, including the recollection of a commissioner or one of the commission’s employees, we request that you advise our office immediately, as we must consider whether such actions constitute obstruction of justice or tampering with witnesses that violate federal law,” according to the Times.

The article goes into detail about the days leading up to Monday where Cuomo and others addressed the commission scandal, which centers on how the governor’s administration may have unduly influenced or compromised the commission’s work.

Click here to read the full story on The New York Times website.