Calling All Middle Men: Cuomo Subpoenas Lots of Pension Lobbyists

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has issued more than 100 subpoenas of placement agents doing business before public pension funds, part of his ongoing inquiry into the large pools of public money.

Those subpoenaed, as reported today, include some of Albany's most prominent lobbyists. Cuomo said he did not believe that any elected officials were among the placement agents being scrutinized. He said he expects State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to publicize a list of placement agents doing business before the fund soon.

 "What's the old saying, sunlight is the best disinfectant," Cuomo told reporters on a conference call. An analysis by Cuomo's office found that about half of all the placement agents were not licensed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cuomo iterated his belief that there needs to be much stricter regulation in this area, even though DiNapoli banned placement agents before the fund as Cuomo's investigation has unraveled.

"It's not enough to say, ‘no placement agents,'" Cuomo said. "We have to say, no placement agents, federally registered, no unregistered placement agents. I think all of these middle men who are fundamentally selling access, that's what they're doing."

"I think that area between a private company and a government official is fraught with peril," he said. "I think all of these middle men should be eliminated. I think whoever is in that space should be licensed and regulated."

Cuomo's investigation into the state pension fund under former Comptroller Alan Hevesi has already resulted in two indictments and several charges.

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