By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-911918.mp3
Buffalo, NY – New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is still keeping candidate Cuomo in the background.
At an official AG news conference Thursday, Cuomo unveiled the results of his investigation into pension padding that showed widespread abuses. Cuomo then took questions from the podium. But questions only on pension padding. It wasn't until after the news conference, off to the side, that he agreed to take other questions.
And there were plenty of questions on the campaign. For starters, why hasn't he been here yet as candidate Cuomo, instead of only as AG Cuomo? Cuomo said he is doing what he is paid to do.
"Then if I didn't come, they'd say I'm not doing my job as Attorney General," said Cuomo.
Cuomo said he will begin campaigning when the Republicans settle on a candidate of their own. But GOP candidate, Rick Lazio, isn't letting Cuomo off the hook.
This week Lazio challenged Cuomo to respond to a controversy surrounding a planned Islamic community center to be built near ground zero in NYC. Lazio wants to know why Cuomo supports it. Cuomo said there is no legal reason not to.
"America's all about religious freedom and when we start to have the government step in to limit the exercise of religion then we are on very dangerous ground in my opinion," said Cuomo.
Cuomo also offered his opinion on the stalled budget. He said lawmakers need to just go in there and make the tough choices to get it done. Still, Cuomo said he does not fault New York State Senator William Stachowski for holding up the budget by holding out for the SUNY Empowerment Act that supports UB 2020.
"The UB 2020 project is very exciting and I think it should go forward," said Cuomo.
Cuomo said the state has long needed a number of reforms. And he says the current economic crisis is evidence that lawmakers should start making some of those changes now.