Hundreds of pages of emails obtained by The New York Times shows that Todd Howe, a lobbyist whose cooperation helped convict two former aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on corruption charges, had access to the top levels of his administration, the newspaper reported on Monday.
The nearly 350 pages of emails, which the Times obtained as part of a Freedom of Information request, demonstrated that Howe corresponded with and gave suggestions to top Cuomo officials.
The Cuomo Administration spent more than $200,000 on outside counsel trying to fight against the release of the emails.
The Democratic governor, who is running for a third term in November, has repeatedly downplayed his ties with Howe, who became a central figure in two federal corruption cases after pleading guilty and reaching a cooperation deal with prosecutors.
A Cuomo spokesman said it was unknown at the time of the emails that Howe was a criminal and an admitted liar.
The emails showed how Howe used his access to gain help for clients. He communicated with several top officials through their personal email accounts, which violates a state policy forbidding official business being done using private email.
Cuomo, however, has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and the governor’s office has described Howe as "a felon, liar and discredited manipulator" who made up "stories invoking both Mario and Andrew Cuomo to make himself seem more important."