Preet Bharara Appears To Have His Sights Set On Albany Pols And Cuomo Too

From Ken Lovett at the Daily News:

ALBANY - Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has asked the state Senate and Assembly to preserve all documents related to Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission, the Daily News has learned.

It’s the latest sign of an investigation by Bharara’s office in the aftermath of Cuomo’s decision in March to disband the now-defunct Moreland Commission.

At the time it was terminated, the commission had been looking into the outside income of lawmakers and how legislators spent their campaign cash.

Bharara previously took control of the panel’s files and was said to be following up on its unresolved leads.

The prosecutor is also said to be looking into whether Cuomo interfered with the panel’s work and if an improper deal was cut in which the governor pulled the plug on the panel in exchange for the Legislature approving an ethics reform package.

In his new request, Bharara asked lawmakers and staff to save all documents and records relating to actual or potential investigations by the commission, Joanne Barker, a counsel to the Assembly majority, wrote in a memo obtained by The News.

Offering further proof that it is still looking into Cuomo's handling of the commission, the memo also asked that all records pertaining to the commission's funding, formation, operation, management and dissolution be retained.

Officials in both houses said they are cooperating.

A Cuomo spokesman wouldn't say if the administration received a document retention request, but added that the "the governor has previously said, any state agencies should be fully cooperative" with the investigation.

On Friday, the commission itself hired a criminal defense lawyer to handle inquiries by Bharara's office.

Two things to note here - the Moreland Commission announced they were lawyering up on a Friday right before a holiday weekend, always a great time to hide news you don't want noticed.

And Cuomo's office won't say if they have received a document retention request from Bharara.

Which means that they have.

Dunno if Bharara will find anything dirty on Cuomo over this or, if he does, if he'll use it on Sheriff Andy, but it seems pretty clear from the news we're getting that he means business.