DiNapoli in the crosshairs »

By Ken Lovett

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office confirmed this morning its pension fund investigation now includes at least one deal under current Controller Thomas DiNapoli.

Cuomo's office settled this morning with Global Strategies Group, a political consulting firm that worked for Cuomo during his run for AG in 2006.

In the paperwork, Cuomo's office cites an April 5, 2007 meeting that a Global Strategies executive had with Intermedia, a Mirram executive, and DiNapoli at his New York City office.
Nearly two weeks later, the pension fund approved an additional $15 million capital commitment to Intermedia.

The Daily News reported on Feb. 27, 2009 that Mirram executive, former Bronx Democratic Chairman Roberto Ramirez, represented InterMedia Partners, a firm created by former YES president Leo Hindery Jr. Ramirez sat in on a meeting with Hindery, DiNapoli and his staff when they discussed adding $15 million to a previous $50 million deal.

Though the deal went through, Ramirez' involvement was never reported. Aides to DiNapoli last year said regulations at the time did not require reporting the involvement of all intermediaries.

Cuomo investigator Linda Lacewell said "as a matter of logic," the inclusion of the meeting in today's paperwork is proof the probe has expanded into the current comptroller's office.

She wouldn't say whether DiNapoli has been interviewed.

According to Cuomo, the investigation "is about situations. In this case, it’s about participants in a meeting and what happened in that situation. From the (Global Strategies) matter, it takes you to that meeting, and that meeting is one of the situations being looked at."

Cuomo, whose office has had a tense relationship with DiNapoli's for the past several years, wouldn't comment on whether he supports DiNapoli run for election to a full four--year term this year.

"Politics and the work of this office do no mix well. This is one of those situations that again makes the point...The politics we will deal with at a time down the road."

The Daily News also reported last year that among the others who shepherded clients to DiNapoli's office are former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer and lobbyist Patricia Lynch, a former top aide to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan).

No pension investments were made in those cases. Lynch has denied doing any business with the comptroller's office.