News Copy, New York

Faso Lobbying Revelations

News Copy has reported extensively on John Faso hiring Dennis Rivera's two lobbyists, 1199 stalwarts Susan Del Percio and Bill O'Reilly.

Now sources have stepped forward with a more disturbing linkage between John Faso and Assembly Democrats, including Cuomo Democrats.

The two fellow lobbying partners in question are former Cuomo administration counsel James W. Lytle and former counsel to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Karen Lipson.

First, John Faso is still listed as a Partner with Manatt, Phelps and Phillips. 

He's still a lobbyist and our sources tell us that he's still betting on both options; statewide race or a continued career as a lobbyist.  Repeated sources have also told us that prospective donors are being told that they will get their money back, if Mr. Faso does not run.

As Manatt's counsel on the healthcare industry, Karen Lipson is key state lobbyist and a close friend of Albany Democrats. 

From 1994 to 2000, Ms. Lipson served as an associate counsel on the staff of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The word we're hearing is that Lipson needs a good horse in the race, namely Faso, but that she will withdraw her help if Faso does not get a Republican endorsement soon.

Faso's lobbying partner is just as likely to back Andrew Cuomo, as is fellow partner James Lytle.

Mr. Lytle served as Assistant Counsel for Health and Human Services to Governor Mario M. Cuomo from 1983-86.

These aren't imagined allegations we're drawing here.  The following was in Lytle's lobbying firm's biography:

"Mr. Lytle’s practice focuses primarily on the highly regulated area of healthcare law and regulation and involves the representation of clients before the Legislature, the executive branch and the courts."

Faso's lobbying partner argues in court for the very entities trying to stop Medicaid reform -- or at least what liberal Democrats like Eliot Spitzer don't believe is reform.

News Copy admittedly had to read it a few times to get a sense of Lytle's hidden agenda but the Manatt lobbying firm had this opinion of a recent court decision on Medicaid payments to 1199-connected healthcare providers.

In Matter of Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home Care v. New York State Department of Health, New York’s Third Department Appellate Division upheld due process rights for a home health agency that challenged New York State’s recoupment of Medicaid payments, which the State contended should have been billed to Medicare.

The following statement written by Faso's lobbying partner makes New York State sound like the enemy.

"Faced with ever-escalating Medicaid expenditures and diminishing state resources, many states have embarked upon increasingly aggressive and creative auditing and recoupment strategies to reduce Medicaid expenditures.  While hospitals, nursing homes and physicians have long been targeted by these efforts, the growing share of Medicaid and Medicare funds devoted to community-based care, such as home healthcare services, has drawn increasing attention by healthcare auditors and enforcement agencies."

This additional statement penned by Lytle makes it very clear who he is working for -- and the kind of litigants Faso keeps company with:

"Characterized by the New York Law Journal as “a case of major importance to health care providers,: the case may provide health care entities with broader due process and hearing rights to protect themselves from overly aggressive Medicaid auditors."

Over the past few days, News Copy has watched while anonymous political entities (possibly someone's campaign or the State Republican Committee itself) have ripped into the campaign of Randy Daniels for supposedly circulating this information.

What we have posted today on News Copy -- for the first time -- are neither allegations nor a political effort by one of John Faso's opponents.

These are facts, folks.  None have been created or alleged.  They exist in the public domain and we have responsibly attributed every detail.

Bill Clinton Triangulates For Hillary

There always seems to be two Bill Clintons -- and he gets spun accordingly.

This gets like the many faces of Eve, for both Hillary and Bill.

The Journal News in Westchester had this headline on their front page, one day before Hillary did a tap dance on Iraq:

Bill Clinton says U.S. must stay in Iraq

Then he sharply criticized President Bush.

Dick Morris speculated this morning in the New York Post that the former President made a mistake -- and made his comments in a risky place:

"His denunciation of our war effort so close to the spots where our troops are fighting summons memories of Jane Fonda."

The comment by Morris is getting under the skin of Clinton's supporters, as this commentary by News Hounds observed:

I did a lengthy Google search on what Clinton actually said and I'm not sure he really called the invasion "one big mistake." Almost every newspaper online reprints the AP story, which includes the headline "U.S. Made a Big Mistake Invading Iraq." FOXNews.com also has that story posted. But a careful reading of the story indicates that Clinton may not have been saying the entire invasion was a mistake but that a big mistake was made in the course of the invasion.

BUBBA STEPS OVER THE LINE:  New York Post

Morris noted now Clinton blurs his roles as political advantage dictates:

"Is he the husband of the 2008 White House frontrunner, predicting that his wife would be a better president than he was? Sometimes. Is he the former president rising above party to join former President George H. W. Bush in appealing for aid for victims of tsunamis and hurricanes? Often. Is he the partisan critic, the nation's chief Democrat, slashing away at administration policy and rallying the faithful on the left? Increasingly."

Bill Clinton is the youngest former U.S. President our country has seen since Theodore Roosevelt -- and he's not likely to be quiet.

He's not likely to be play the fiddle -- or the sax -- as Rome burns either.

He's also not likely to hurt his spouse, though Morris pointed out, "Hillary Clinton has her own version of this blurring — alternately embracing and shunning her husband's record."

More self-loathing from Chappaqua's ice princess?

Morris explained on Bill O'Reilly that the "triangulation" is designed in a way to lend cover for Hillary's political drifting between the left and the right.

NewsMax.com covered that conversation on FOX:

"I'm particularly furious at my former boss," he told the Fox News Channel's "O'Reilly Factor."

Morris said it was all an artful game:

"It's designed for Bill to keep Hillary's place on the left," the top consultant said. "They've been playing a good cop-bad cop routine."

"When Hillary voted for the war," Morris recalled, "Bill began criticizing going to war without the United Nations. And throughout this entire process, Hillary has voted with the right and Bill has spoken with the left."

The dance continues...

Clinton Silent On Violent Sexual Offenders

Is Hillary Clinton afraid of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver?

As News Copy reported earlier, U.S. Senate hopeful Jeanine Pirro has called on Silver to pull a bill on civil confinement of violent sexual offender out of committee...

And the Westchester County District Attorney has "dug her heels in" on making sure Hillary Clinton doesn't remain mute on the issue either.

Pirro called on Clinton to take a stand on this issue and pressure Speaker Silver to pass such a law.

Could it be that Clinton is too wary of offending some of those "leftists" in the State Assembly Governor George Pataki described to Bill O'Reilly last week?

Pirro complained that Clinton should use her clout to lobby fellow Democrats in New York's notorious legislature -- rather than “adopting a do nothing attitude as violent and dangerous sexual predators are being released onto our streets and cities.”

The Mid-Hudson News Network had the coverage, as did Cablevision's News 12 in Westchester last night.

We applaud Pirro's gumption on this issue and hope she digs those heels in a lot more.

The autocratic ruler of the State Legislature should be taken to task for his parlimentary maneuevers.  Steven Malanga of the Manhattan Institute and Bill O'Reilly have both called Silver "the worst politician in America" in what the Brennan Center For Reform labeled "the most dysfunctional legislature in the nation."

Pataki Pushes For Civil Confinement Legislation

The man has been Governor of New York State since 1994 and he seemed powerless tonight on O'Reilly. 

He basically admitted to Bill O'Reilly that there is little anyone can do to stop Sheldon Silver.

To be fair, George Pataki was there rightfully there to discuss the need to confine violent sexual offenders and he did a good job.

PATAKI MUST FREE PERVS, JUDGE RULES:  New York Post

Courting Disaster With Dirty Dozen:  New York Daily News

There were glimpses of old Pataki swagger that won in 1994.  He wasn't motivated by politics.  The murder of a woman in Pataki's home county of Westchester by a violent Level 3 sexual offender -- who wasn't being properly monitored -- has prompted a public outcry for changes in the laws.

They have been waiting seven years for Sheldon Silver.

The State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver would not budge the bill out of committee.

Most of the state wants a strict Civil Confinement Law, except a powerful liberal bunch in Albany -- many based in New York City Pataki and a firm bi-partisan lobby in both legislative chambers have waited seven years for the legislation to come out on the floor for a vote.  It's already passed in the State Senate.

Pataki finally took the rational step and jailed 12 known violent sexual offenders (26 are now confined).

But this is New York -- and civil rights too often trump humanity or sanity.

Judge: Pataki Illegally Detaining Sex Offenders:    North Country Gazette

Judge: Sex offenders illegally confined:    Associated Press

Judge to Gov: Spring Sickos:    New York Daily News

Judge rules convicted sex criminals were illegally detained by New York governor: AP

A Manhattan judge on Tuesday ordered the release of 12 sex criminals she said were illegally detained when they were sent to a psychiatric hospital on Gov. George Pataki's orders after their prison sentences ended.

State Supreme Court Justice Jacqueline Silbermann directed the release of the 12 _ whose crimes include the rape and sodomy of boys and girls _ pending examinations of each prisoner by two court-appointed psychiatrists

Pataki is prepared to appeal the judge's ruling -- but the subject on O'Reilly kept steering back to the State Legislature... and Sheldon Silver.

Bill O'Reilly kept pumping Pataki for an answer.

"Why haven't you been been able to beat this guy, Governor?

Pataki's a former Assemblyman and State Senator.  He should know.

"The leadership determines what goes to the floor," Pataki explained.

But it wasn't an answer.

"Why haven't you been been able to beat him?" O'Reilly kept prodding. "You have to bring this to the people.  I dont understand it."

Pataki could have mentioned last year's Brennan Commission.  Pataki could have discussed the rules.  Pataki could have finally played hardball.  He had a national audience. 

"There are some very left wing legislators," mumbled Pataki.

At one point, Pataki seemed more focused on how Sheldon Silver must answer to the Assembly's liberal core.  Pataki then explained a lot of the problems getting anything past the Assembly and the Assembly Speaker.  Unfortunately, the Governor could not find Shelly's jugular and O'Reilly asked him a dozen different ways in a span of 5-10 minutes.

Finally, O'Reilly asked about a petition by the residents of New York State but what the television host wanted George Pataki to do was show some leadership.  Pataki pointed out that New York State does not have initiative an referenda, due again to the State Assembly, but it wasn't enough.

Pataki spoke about elections, voting lawmakers out if they don't pass such legislation, but the interview was over.