Congressman Lee Zeldin, the NYS GOP’s endorsed candidate for Governor, is trying to dig out of his past associations with former NY Governor, democrat Andrew Cuomo. More than a decade ago, Zeldin was closely alligned with Cuomo, and his three republican opponents for Governor, Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani and Harry Wilson, have highlighted Zeldin’s comments from the past, most notable that
“Cuomo would make a great President.”
Instead of explaining his evolution as a moderate republican into the conservative republican he is today, Zeldin has attacked his opponents for bringing up the legitimate issue of his past public comments.
Zeldin’s explanation included the following, from his communications spokesperson Katie Vincentz, who told the NY Post, “Congressman Zeldin then endorsed and campaigned with the Republican candidates for Governor against Cuomo in 2014 and 2018.”
The republican candidate for NY Governor in 2014 was Rob Astorino. And Bill O’Reilly, who worked on the Astorino campaign then and today, said “Lee had no involvement in our 2014 campaign. To suggest otherwise is not truthful. I’m frankly surprised that they brought it up.”
The re-hashing of the 2014 campaign for NY Governor also brings up a sad time for the NYGOP, who was in bed with then Governor Andrew Cuomo, cutting deals to ensure easy re-election for Republican Long Island State Senators, including State Senator Lee Zeldin.
That is why Zeldin in photographed with Cuomo saying he would make a great president back then. This backroom Albany deal also extended to the national stage, where NJ Governor Chris Christie used his political friendship with NY Gov. Cuomo to put the screws to Astorino in his 2014 campaign.
Christie, who was head of the National Republican Governor’s Association, said in 2014, that he doesn’t invest in “lost causes,” when asked about Astorino’s NY campaign for Governor. Not only did Christie not endorse Astorino, but his comment hurt Astorino’s fundraising efforts and derailed his campaign before it could really take off.
In Albany in 2014, Governor Cuomo’s republican contact was Republican State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, from Long Island. Republican Assemblyman Michael Lawler, who represents Rockland County today, was the NY GOP Exec. Director in 2014, and said then, “Dean Skelos clearly was working against Rob’s campaign — he and the governor cut a deal,’’
That deal was to help Cuomo win re-election in exchange for Cuomo’s committment not to help State Senate democratic candidates in Long Island races. One of those races was Republican State Senator Lee Zeldin, who got a pass from Skelos and Cuomo.
Another apparent lie that the Zeldin campaign has to deal with came when the candidate claimed that he had nothing to do with petition challenges made against two of his fellow republicans; Astorino and Andrew Giuliani.
“Lee Zeldin needs to be truthful about who’s orchestrating these bogus and intricate petition challenges,” said Astorino last month. “He’s told numerous reporters that he has nothing to do with the challenges, and did it with a straight face, just like his mentor, Andrew Cuomo, used to do. Zeldin needs to say whether his campaign is directly or indirectly contributing to the legal challenge and whether he or any members of his campaign team have had any communications with the complainants or attorneys in the case. His answer will speak directly to his integrity.”
Giuliani claimed that republican political worker for hire John Haggerty, helped Zeldin to try and throw Giuliani and Astorino off the ballot. Haggery was convicted of stealing $750,000 in campaign funds from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg in one of his re-election campaigns.
Giuliani also went after Zeldin on his abortion stance. “Whether he’s claiming to be pro-election integrity while hiring felons to knock his opponents off the ballot, or giving a vague non-answer on abortion, Lyin’ Lee can’t be trusted,” Giuliani said. “I am not afraid to say I’m pro-life. As a father, I must protect all children, born and unborn.”
