Andrew Cuomo Secrecy Allegations: Governor's Aides Removed Troopergate Documents

Cuomo Removing Troopergate Docs From Public View

Following a report on Governor Cuomo's refusal to use state email to avoid a paper trail, The New York Times has yet another story of a not-so-transparent Cuomo. State officials, reports The Times, are removing crucial documents from the public.

The documents stem from Cuomo's tenure as attorney general, specifically from 2007's "Troopergate" investigation into claims that then governor Eliot Spitzer illegaly used state police forces for political purposes.

Since the Times story, Spitzer said he was "deeply troubled" by Cuomo's actions.

The governor's camp has defended the documents' removals because they were "work product" and have slammed Spitzer's criticism stating, "This is just Eliot and his minions still trying to vindicate Eliot. The governor’s office does not respond to Eliot Spitzer, but any first-year lawyer knows it is important to protect confidential informants and to preserve the attorney-client privilege.”

The back-and-forth retorts are just the latest in Cuomo and Spitzer's thorny relationship. In 2010, Spitzer deemed Cuomo the "dirtiest, nastiest political player out there."

Just last week, the governor's preferred usage of Blackberry's BBM messaging system (which is untraceable) was widely criticized as a cover up-tactic, bringing his touted levels of government transparency int question.

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