The 'Totally Weak,' 'Totally Pathetic' Tactics of Governor 1%

Cuomo (Jocelyn Augustino / FEMA),
Teachout (Cmte. on House Administration)

Gov. Andrew Coward-- I mean Cuomo (Tammany Hall Democrat-NY) has been long known for dirty tricks.  Now, his re-election operation confesses its interns, at appearances by Democratic gubernatorial primary candidate Zephyr Teachout, pretended to be average New Yorkers who were so angry about her former residency in Vermont as to protest independently. 

The planted demonstrators held signs that implied Teachout, who is a law professor at Fordham University, was dishonest to affirm she meets the residency requirement to be chief executive of the Empire State.  Such an argument was set forth in a lawsuit whose official plaintiffs were two interns of Cuomo's campaign.  The suit was dismissed in a decision that is under appeal although the Board of Elections of NY submitted the design of the primary ballot to print with Teachout's name on it.  The board had rejected a challenge, whose official complainants were two interns of Cuomo's campaign, to Teachout's petitions for nomination.

In reference to the Cuomo campaign's use of interns for the aforementioned tactics, Teachout campaign manager Mike Boland told Business Insider, "It's totally weak.  It's totally pathetic."

When credentialed reporters questioned one of the not-so-concerned citizens about why he protested against Teachout, he responded, "You're going to take out your phone and you're going to take my picture, I should break your f**king phone right here!  ...F**k you!  You are the worst member of society...  I don't need to speak to you...  Have a nice f**king life."

Cuomo's operation is awash in funds from the monied interests it serves.  Yet, it is incompetent enough to 1) employ sloppy tactics that make Cuomo look more like the bully he is, 2) generate publicity for an opponent who needs it, and 3) neglect to instruct its interns to refrain from comment -- or at least profane threats and insults -- to the media.  Thus, the Cuomo team should adopt a franker slogan.  Here is my proposal.

This piece originally appeared on punkpatriot.com.