SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
New York's Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a bill signing event at John Jay College, May 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Slammed for 'Groveling at the Feet' of Billionaire Bezos in Effort to Revive Amazon HQ2
"Start listening to our communities, who overwhelmingly reject this deal," Make the Road New York said in response to the governor's efforts.
Feb 28, 2019
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was accused of "groveling at the feet" of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Thursday following reports that Cuomo has been pleading directly with the billionaire to revive plans for the HQ2 site in Long Island City.
"Our members continue to stand firmly against this terrible deal that puts their livelihoods and neighborhoods at risk. We and our fierce partners are ready to ensure this zombie does not come back to life."
--Make the Road New York
"The governor has had multiple phone conversations with Amazon executives, including Mr. Bezos, over the past two weeks," the New York Times reported, citing two people with knowledge of the discussions. "In those calls, Mr. Cuomo said he would navigate the company through the byzantine governmental process."
News of Cuomo's behind-the-scenes talks with Amazon comes just over two weeks after the company decided to cancel plans to build a second headquarters in New York--a project for which it would have received more than $3 billion in taxpayer subsidies.
The Amazon deal was strongly opposed by local progressive advocacy groups, major unions, and a number of New York politicians, who argued that the proposed HQ2 would contribute to already soaring housing prices and staggering income inequality in the state.
Despite widespread grassroots opposition to the deal, Cuomo plans to "take over the process and can comfortably assure Amazon the approval will get done," Dani Lever, the governor's communications director, told the Times.
In a statement responding to Cuomo's efforts to lure Amazon back to Long Island City, Deborah Axt--co-executive director of the community advocacy group Make the Road New York--said the governor needs to stop trying to flatter the world's richest man and "start listening to our communities, who overwhelmingly reject this deal."
Cuomo is hardly alone in his attempt to bring Amazon back to New York over the protests of state politicians, members of Congress like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and progressive advocacy groups.
In an open letter (pdf) published as a full-page ad in the Times on Friday, a coalition of Wall Street CEOs, more than 70 labor unions, and prominent New York Democrats including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will apologize to Amazon for being "rough and not very welcoming" and beg the online retail behemoth to "reconsider" its decision to cancel the second headquarters project.
"Opinions are strong in New York--sometimes strident. We consider it part of the New York charm!" the letter reads. "But when we commit to a project as important as this, we figure out how to get it done in a way that works for everyone."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
andrew cuomocorporate powerdemocratic partyjeff bezoslabornew yorknew york citywashington postamazon
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was accused of "groveling at the feet" of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Thursday following reports that Cuomo has been pleading directly with the billionaire to revive plans for the HQ2 site in Long Island City.
"Our members continue to stand firmly against this terrible deal that puts their livelihoods and neighborhoods at risk. We and our fierce partners are ready to ensure this zombie does not come back to life."
--Make the Road New York
"The governor has had multiple phone conversations with Amazon executives, including Mr. Bezos, over the past two weeks," the New York Times reported, citing two people with knowledge of the discussions. "In those calls, Mr. Cuomo said he would navigate the company through the byzantine governmental process."
News of Cuomo's behind-the-scenes talks with Amazon comes just over two weeks after the company decided to cancel plans to build a second headquarters in New York--a project for which it would have received more than $3 billion in taxpayer subsidies.
The Amazon deal was strongly opposed by local progressive advocacy groups, major unions, and a number of New York politicians, who argued that the proposed HQ2 would contribute to already soaring housing prices and staggering income inequality in the state.
Despite widespread grassroots opposition to the deal, Cuomo plans to "take over the process and can comfortably assure Amazon the approval will get done," Dani Lever, the governor's communications director, told the Times.
In a statement responding to Cuomo's efforts to lure Amazon back to Long Island City, Deborah Axt--co-executive director of the community advocacy group Make the Road New York--said the governor needs to stop trying to flatter the world's richest man and "start listening to our communities, who overwhelmingly reject this deal."
Cuomo is hardly alone in his attempt to bring Amazon back to New York over the protests of state politicians, members of Congress like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and progressive advocacy groups.
In an open letter (pdf) published as a full-page ad in the Times on Friday, a coalition of Wall Street CEOs, more than 70 labor unions, and prominent New York Democrats including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will apologize to Amazon for being "rough and not very welcoming" and beg the online retail behemoth to "reconsider" its decision to cancel the second headquarters project.
"Opinions are strong in New York--sometimes strident. We consider it part of the New York charm!" the letter reads. "But when we commit to a project as important as this, we figure out how to get it done in a way that works for everyone."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was accused of "groveling at the feet" of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Thursday following reports that Cuomo has been pleading directly with the billionaire to revive plans for the HQ2 site in Long Island City.
"Our members continue to stand firmly against this terrible deal that puts their livelihoods and neighborhoods at risk. We and our fierce partners are ready to ensure this zombie does not come back to life."
--Make the Road New York
"The governor has had multiple phone conversations with Amazon executives, including Mr. Bezos, over the past two weeks," the New York Times reported, citing two people with knowledge of the discussions. "In those calls, Mr. Cuomo said he would navigate the company through the byzantine governmental process."
News of Cuomo's behind-the-scenes talks with Amazon comes just over two weeks after the company decided to cancel plans to build a second headquarters in New York--a project for which it would have received more than $3 billion in taxpayer subsidies.
The Amazon deal was strongly opposed by local progressive advocacy groups, major unions, and a number of New York politicians, who argued that the proposed HQ2 would contribute to already soaring housing prices and staggering income inequality in the state.
Despite widespread grassroots opposition to the deal, Cuomo plans to "take over the process and can comfortably assure Amazon the approval will get done," Dani Lever, the governor's communications director, told the Times.
In a statement responding to Cuomo's efforts to lure Amazon back to Long Island City, Deborah Axt--co-executive director of the community advocacy group Make the Road New York--said the governor needs to stop trying to flatter the world's richest man and "start listening to our communities, who overwhelmingly reject this deal."
Cuomo is hardly alone in his attempt to bring Amazon back to New York over the protests of state politicians, members of Congress like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and progressive advocacy groups.
In an open letter (pdf) published as a full-page ad in the Times on Friday, a coalition of Wall Street CEOs, more than 70 labor unions, and prominent New York Democrats including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will apologize to Amazon for being "rough and not very welcoming" and beg the online retail behemoth to "reconsider" its decision to cancel the second headquarters project.
"Opinions are strong in New York--sometimes strident. We consider it part of the New York charm!" the letter reads. "But when we commit to a project as important as this, we figure out how to get it done in a way that works for everyone."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy