Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that voters don't blame him for the scandals sweeping Albany, joking that nobody could have expected him to ban sex.

Speaking during an appearance on WCNY's "Capitol Pressroom" earlier today, Mr. Cuomo was asked about a new poll that shows that, despite the recent scandals--including Assemblyman Vito Lopez's resignation following sexual harassment allegations--his numbers have ticked slightly up.

Mr. Cuomo explained that voters see "the government’s working better" despite the "corruption and scandal and politicians doing bad things."

Host Susan Arbetter asked why he shouldn't shoulder some of the blame.

“No, because look, well why should … Is the governor to blame for Vito Lopez’s sexual [harassment]? No,” he said, dismissing the premise. “When a congressman is doing sexual bad behavior, do we blame the president for a congressman’s sexual exploits? Ah, no."

Instead, he said that voters are "very good at making those kinds of separations.”

"Is the governor responsible when an assemblyman is bribed or when a legislator violates an escrow account or sexually harasses a staff ... No, of course not. It’s silly," he said. “We may postulate that theory well, the governor’s supposed to clean up everything, meaning, no sex," he said, joking.

“That would not be popular,” noted Ms. Arbetter.

“That’s right,” Cuomo said with a laugh.

Mr. Cuomo explained he thinks that voters see that he's doing everything he can to try to pass reforms to cut down on corruption.

“We don’t hold him responsible for the bad acts. But we believe he’s doing everything he can," he said. "Which is true. I am doing everything that I can do. I’m glad they see it that way."

And Mr. Cuomo threatened once again that, if his ethic reform plan fails to make it through by the end of the legislative session, he'll call for the special investigative panel called a Moreland Commission.

“At the end of the day, one way or the other, there will be a reform in place," he said.

Still, Mr. Cuomo refused to call for action again Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver and said that what is happening in Albany is reflective of society as a whole.

“Will you ever stop people from doing venial, stupid criminal, illegal acts?"he asked. "Not in government, not in politics, not in the militarily," he said. ”This is prevalent through society."

New York Post.

Headline of the Day: "Sheldon-come-lately"

Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver‘s late-night call to expel disgraced Assemblymen Vito Lopez from office hasn't helped to temper calls for his head. But most Democratic leaders seem unlikely to push for disciplinary action against the speaker. Gov. Andrew Cu0mo told reporters yesterday he didn't think it was his place "to say who the speaker is and who the speaker should be." He added: “I don’t see any comparison between what Vito Lopez and what Shelly Silver did ... There is a magnitude of difference.”

On an unrelated note, the governor seems to be raking in the green. His most recent finance disclosure statement, made public Thursday, shows he made between $1.75 million and $2 million. The bulk of his assets are reportedly managed by a blind trust at AMG National Trust Bank.

NBC 4 New York spotted Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin filming what appeared to be a campaign-style video yesterday on the stoop of Mr. Weiner’s childhood Park Slope home--the same place he kicked off his 2005 campaign. Sources told the Daily News Mr.Weiner is planning to launch his candidacy in a video instead of in person to avoid the potential embarrassment of hecklers. "A video is an easy, focused and safe option, opposed to an event rollout where not every single thing can be controlled," said one former aide.

Meanwhile, the Weiners' finances are coming under added scrutiny. Politico reported that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton created a special arrangement for Ms. Abedin that allowed her to do private consulting work for clients while serving as a top adviser to the State Department—an arrangement that Ms. Abedin failed to report in disclosure statements.

Endorsement season is underway, but some are choosing to sit out the game. Manhattan Democratic Party leaders decided last night not to endorse any candidate in the race to succeed Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to the Daily News. Party Chair Keith Wright told the paper the move was not intended as a slight against either City Council Speaker Christie Quinn or former Comptroller Bill Thompson, who both live in the borough. "We thought it wise that we do not endorse as a county because a lot of our clubs throughout the borough have already decided to endorse candidates," he reportedly said. The group is also choosing to stay out of the public advocate and borough president races.

If you're one of those people still lamenting the mayoral choices: Take solace. It could be worse. Gawker reported last night that it had viewed a video allegedly showing Toronto's Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine. The video is being shopped around by a group of Somali drug dealers looking for a six figure payout, according to the Toronto Star.

Meanwhile, State Senator Eric Adams, one of the lawmakers secretly recorded by ex-State Sen. Shirley Huntley, is trying to clear his name as he soldiers on with his campaign for Brooklyn borough president. “There’s nothing on those tapes that’s detrimental to me. Nothing. Nothing,” he told the Brooklyn Young Democrats earlier this week, warning scheming colleagues to steer clear. “If you come and talk to me about breaking the law, you’re gonna find my handcuffs," he said. "I’m not here to break the law. I’m here to serve the people of the state and I’m consistent about that.” See the rest of his remarks here:

Former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey today at City Hall. (Photo: Jill Colvin)

The nanny state is creeping across the border.

New Jersey lawmakers traveled all the way to New York City Hall Thursday to announce their plans to introduce legislation boosting the tobacco purchase age in the Garden State to 21. The announcement comes less than a month after City Council Speaker Christine Quinn unveiled similar plans for the city, which were quickly followed by lawmakers in Albany.

“Less than a month after our initial announcement, our great neighboring state of New Jersey is planning to introduce legislation to do exactly the same thing: raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21,” Ms. Quinn said at a press conference, where she was joined by ex-New Jersey Gov. Richard Codey, who is now a state senator, and New Jersey Assemblyman Ruben Ramos. “This has now truly become a regional, if not national, effort,” added Ms. Quinn.

Mr. Codey, who plans to introduce the legislation next Monday, acknowledged it was rather unusual for lawmakers from his state to travel to Manhattan to make announcements about their plans.

“I said that to my staff,” he told reporters when asked about the decision and how New Jersey residents might react to the news. But, he explained that, while he’d been sitting on the legislation for a while, the latest push was inspired by Ms. Quinn.

“You know what? It’s about doing the right thing,” he said.

Ms. Quinn, who has a vacation home in Jersey, also promised that next time they worked on something together, she'd be the one to travel--prompting an exchange that made it clear that Ms. Quinn's mayoral campaign is always on her colleagues' minds.

“The next piece of legislation that we do together, we will go to Trenton or whatever,” she said.

“Hopefully you’ll come as the mayor,” Mr. Codey said.

“From New Jersey’s lips to God’s ears!" said Ms. Quinn.

Asked if that counted as an endorsement, Mr. Codey was coy.

“She hasn’t asked me yet. I like a lady to ask! What’s wrong with that?” he said, prompting a big hug between the two as Ms. Quinn laughed.

State Senator Diane Savino also took the chance to try to stir up cross-border competition, issuing a challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey’s Chris Christie, who just might end up facing each other in the presidential election in 2016.

“We have a governor--you may have heard of him--Andrew Cuomo. He’s got a little bit of healthy competition with your governor, Gov. Christie. So this is a challenge to see which state can be the leader, who can pass it first, and which governor could put their signature on it,"she said.

Ms. Quinn welcomed the competition. “If anything will light a little bit of fire under the you-know-what’s in Albany or Trenton," she said.

Mr. Christie's office did not immediately respond to a call for comment on whether he supports the 21 push.

Maria Cuomo Cole and Kenneth Cole. (Photo: Patrick McMullan)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo may have his eye on the White House, but it looks his sister may be gunning for the opposite team.

Mr. Cuomo’s sister, film producer Maria Cuomo-Cole, took to Twitter Friday morning to publicly support an EMILY’s List campaign to put a woman in the White House—a campaign that isn't shy about its support for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, widely considered Mr. Cuomo's biggest barrier to the Democratic nomination.

“In honor of my daughters, I'm supporting #MPOTUS. Help all of our daughters realize there is no limit to their dreams,” Ms. Cuomo-Cole tweeted, with a link to the group’s “Madam President” campaign.

“The 2012 election was a mandate for women's leadership. The country is ready for a woman president. And Madam President is ready to harness that energy to put the first woman in the White House. It's our time. And we're ready,” the group's website reads.

While the campaign is dedicating to electing female candidates generally, EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock has made clear that Ms. Clinton is the obvious choice.

“I have to say, there is one name that seems to be getting mentioned more than others,” she told Politico.“We do not know if Hillary is going to run, but we are hopeful that she may.”

The group’s first ad also includes a scene featuring a woman who looks uncannily like Ms. Clinton being sworn into office.

It has long been speculated that Mr. Cuomo has been eyeing a run for the White House, but has been cautious about discussing his plans. This week he shot down a report that he has been telling confidants he is resigned to the fact that there's no way he can run if Ms. Clinton does.

“There is no truth to the assertion that I’m talking presidential politics and strategy and what Hillary Clinton should do or shouldn’t do or what I’m doing presidentially,” he said during a radio appearance.

“As you know, I go to great lengths not to engage in politics writ large, but especially not presidential politics,” he added. “Hillary Clinton is gonna do whatever Hillary Clinton’s going to do and I’m doing what I’m doing and I’m focusing on running this state and doing it the best I can. And that’s all there is to that."

Ms. Cuomo-Cole did not immediately respond to calls for comment.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is writing a book about himself. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

It's become standard practice for presidential candidates to release personal memoirs outlining their governmental philosophy, and although Governor Andrew Cuomo insists he's focused on New York, he's soon to follow down that well-tread electoral path. The book, like Hillary Clinton's--another prominent potential White House contender--is slated to emerge next year.

“This is a private book. It’s not a government book," he told reporters during an unrelated press conference in Albany. It doesn't yet have a name, but as Mr. Cuomo described it, the memoir will be sure to address how he approaches government and tout his accomplishments.

"It's going to be a book about my experiences, my thoughts, my thoughts about government and the role of government," he added, explaining that it would also include some of the lessons he’s learned leading the state. "Some of the things that we've worked on.”

Mr. Cuomo had previously been cooperating on a separate book by Albany radio host and New York Post writer Fred Dicker, who was once seen as a mouthpiece for the governor. But their relationship has soured in recent months as Mr. Cuomo’s agenda has shifted to the left.

A HarperCollins spokeswoman said the host is still under contract for his book, but its status and the question of Mr. Cu0mo's participation remain unclear.

On his radio show Tuesday, Mr. Dicker insisted their fallout had nothing to do with the Governor's decision to choose to write a book himself.

"In fact, as I’m sure the governor would concede if he talks about it at all, it had nothing at all to do with the things that have transpired,” he said. “Completely separate and not even relevant in discussion of it. At some point, maybe I’ll say more, but right now that’s all I can say.”

He will receive an advance from the publisher, but said the amount has not yet been set.

“We’re working through some of the details of the contract still,” he said.

Here's more from Harper Collins:

Governor Cuomo’s book will be a full and frank look at his public and private life—from his formative years in Queens, New York, his long record of fighting for justice and championing government reform, his commitment to public service, and his election and service as the 56th Governor of New York State.  He will reveal the story of his history and will share personal and private moments that shaped his life: his father’s legacy, his personal trials and tribulations, and his role as a father to his three girls, twins Mariah and Cara and his youngest Michaela.

Prior to his election as Governor, Andrew Cuomo served four years as New York’s Attorney General. As the state’s top legal officer, he brought national reform to the student loan industry, uncovered fraud within the largest health insurers in the country, protected investors from abuses on Wall Street, and made the Internet safer for children nationwide. His groundbreaking investigations into the state pension system ended decades of government corruption in New York and set a model for public pension funds across the country.

Governor Cuomo’s book will also chronicle his years as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Clinton where he brought dramatic reforms to make government efficient and competent while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

In addition, Cuomo established Housing Enterprise for Less Privileged (HELP) in 1986, which became the nation’s largest private provider of transitional housing for the homeless. Based on his pioneering work through HELP, Cuomo was appointed by New York City Mayor David Dinkins in 1991 to lead the New York City Commission on the Homeless.

Governor Cuomo will discuss the many profound moments in his first term as governor—from signing same-sex marriage legislation to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy and his subsequent work with President Obama to help those who were ravaged by the storm.   Most recently, in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, Governor Cuomo signed a groundbreaking gun control policy called the NY SAFE Act into law.

The deal was negotiated by Senior Vice President and Publisher, Jonathan Burnham and Robert B. Barnett of Williams & Connolly. Claire Wachtel Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, Harper, will edit the book, which is scheduled to be published in 2014.

(Photo: Getty)

Former Governor Eliot Spitzer, never a fan of the current governor, yesterday blasted his hiring and spending practices at the Empire State Development Corporation. A recent front-page New York Times story suggested Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration prefers politically connected hires, an implication Mr. Spitzer wholly agreed with.

"There has been a problem at ESDC," Mr. Spitzer told Road to City Hall host Errol Louis during last night's program. "I think that The New York Times article was very clear in that is merely the top layer of the onion in terms of politics being pervasive in hiring, leaving and pushing substance to the side."

Mr. Spitzer also tore into the agency's ad campaign promoting the state's economic growth, arguing that it amounted to "fluff."

"There has not been coherence at ESDC. They have spent who knows how much money on TV ads that are fluff and a waste of taxpayer money," Mr. Spitzer said. "When I talk to people upstate about where the funds are going, they are not being spent wisely, there is not creative thinking about it. And I'm deeply troubled by this and I think that what we saw in that little window into ESDC is problematic and I think that raises issues that really need to be pursued."

Mr. Louis pushed back, asking Mr. Spitzer, who resigned as governor in 2008, whether the officials should be judged by whether economic growth is actually achieved, rather than by the process of their hiring practices.

"When you look at ESDC hiring, I remember we would hire people with a deep, extensive background in economic development and knowing how to negotiate with companies to leverage limited dollars into more hiring. Those are the things---the metrics--you use and want to look at, not people who happen to be the sons, daughters, colleagues of people who make big contributions," Mr. Spitzer replied.

Mr. Cuomo's office, which denied politics factor into their hiring practices, did not immediately return a request for comment.

However, a Cuomo spokesman has previously said, “The Governor’s office has no comment on anything Spitzer says.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo shot down a report Monday that he's been telling confidantes he knows he can’t run for president in 2016 if Hillary Clinton enters the race.

“There is no truth to the assertion that I’m talking presidential politics and strategy and what Hillary Clinton should do or shouldn’t do or what I’m doing presidentially," Mr. Cuomo told WCNY's Susan Arbetter this morning.

"The only discussions I’m having are about how to help the state, how to get the state running, how to make the government a better government," he added. "And to the extend I’m focusing on politics, it’s my race next year."

The remarks came in response to a story by the New York Post's Fred Dicker, whose once-cozy relationship with the Governor has grown increasingly chilly in recent month. Mr. Dicker claimed that Mr. Cuomo is now resigned to the fact that there's no chance he can mount a run for the White House if Ms. Clinton  decides to enter the race--an assertion Mr. Cuomo dismissed as "Monday rumors" without referencing Mr. Dicker by name.

“As you know, I go to great lengths not to engage in politics writ large, but especially not presidential politics,” he maintained. “Hillary Clinton is gonna do whatever Hillary Clinton’s gonna do and I’m doing what I’m doing and I’m focusing on running this state and doing it the best I can and that’s all there is to that,” he said.

“I understand the press appeal of presidential politics,” he said. “But no, I’m doing what I’m doing.”

Mr. Cuomo also insisted that there’s been no change to his approach to governing—despite Mr. Dicker’s lamentations that he's swung to the left this year in an attempt to court Democratic Party Party brass, with major pushes for gun control legislation and a new women’s equality bill.

And he rejected speculation that his agenda will have to change because of his sliding poll numbers, which, Ms. Arbetter noted, could make his 2014 re-election bid substantially more difficult.

“I think the agenda that I laid out in the State of the State is the same agenda we’ve been pursuing. So we started this in January. It is an agenda that is socially progressive and fiscally responsible. I’ve been doing the same thing since the day I was elected,” he said.

“It’s been about getting the state’s economy running and measures to create and incentivize job creation all across the state—but especially upstate--and how does New York regain its mantle as being socially progressive,” he said, pointing to marriage equality as an example of  left-leaning legislation passed early on in his term.

“The duality of the agenda that I started is what we’re going to continue on,” he said.

He also rejected the idea that his ability to move his agenda forward has been hampered by his sliding poll numbers, which nonetheless remain strong.

“I don’t think the legislature passes a bill because of a governor’s popularity," he argued. "It tends to be the popularity of the issue and their stance on their issues, which is what it should be,” he said, arguing that helping fiscally distressed upstate cities, women’s equality and legalizing casinos were all “very popular issues."

"I don’t think legislators are going to want to go home to their districts saying, you know, 'I voted against cleaning up Albany, I voted against helping upstate cities, I voted against women’s equality,'” he said.

Cambridge, Massachusetts earlier today. (Photo: Getty)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg may have canceled his morning radio appearance today in response to the ongoing manhunt for a suspect involved in Monday's deadly bombing attack on the Boston Marathon, but another top New York official, Governor Andrew Cuomo, scheduled his own radio interview on The Capitol Pressroom soon after. Mr. Cuomo directly addressed the high-profile situation in the Bay State by employing a phrase he previously used to describe climate change in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy: "the new normal."

"It's a terrible situation in Boston. And, unfortunately, ... one gets the sense that this is more reflective of the 'new normal,' if you will," he explained. "So much of society is changing so rapidly. We talk about a 'new normal' when it comes t0 climate change and adjusting to a change in the weather patterns. 'New normal' when it comes to public security in a post-9/11 world. Where these random acts of violence, which at one time were implausible, now seem all-too-frequent."

Additionally, Mr. Cuomo said New York police units are on stand-by and assisting authorities in Boston. The governor further noted that he worked with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick during their shared time in former President Bill Clinton's administration some years ago.

"I have been in contact. Our offices have been in contact and our respective officials have been talking," he said. "I'm wanted him to know that we're here for him. The authorities have been cooperating. We have a very good relationship with Massachusetts. They've been very kind to us in many circumstances ... I'm a big fan of Deval's. We were together in the Clinton administration so I know him personally and he's doing a very good job."

(Photo: Getty)

Two weeks ago, Democratic State Sen. Malcolm Smith was arrested and charged with trying to bribe his way into the Republican mayoral primary, prompting cries for reform from both ends of the political spectrum. Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo rolled out a series of proposals that he hopes will address many of these concerns.

"You've heard the expression pay to play, this is pay to run," Mr. Cuomo said at a press conference announcing the measures. "The allegations that the minor parties basically, on occasion, have used campaign contributions to determine who gets the line and it's almost that the line goes to the highest bidder."

Specifically, Mr. Cuomo proposed an end to the Wilson-Pakula Act, a 1947 law which mandates that a candidate must obtain the permission of party leaders to compete in that party's primary if he or she is currently enrolled in a different party. Instead, Mr. Cuomo said candidates would simply collect signatures to petition for a ballot line regardless of their enrollment.

In another attempt to reduce the power of the political parties, Mr. Cuomo said he wants to alter enrollment deadlines to make it easier for candidates to change their affiliation. Currently, if a voter or candidate currently decides to change their affiliation, it's is not valid until the next general election year. Under Mr. Cuomo's proposal, a voter’s party registration change would take effect in just three months, perhaps eliminating the need for Mr. Smith to deal with allegedly corrupt party bosses to begin with.

Echoing others who have called the State Board of Elections a "toothless tiger," Mr. Cuomo also said he would seek to create an independent enforcement unit at the B.O.E. that would be authorized to investigate possible violations of election laws.

Last week Mr. Cuomo additionally proposed a number of other legislative changes to toughen the state's bribery laws and make it easier for district attorneys to prosecute political corruption.

(Photo: Getty)

The State Legislature is set to look at tightening New York's infamously loose campaign finance rules in the wake of a recent slate of corruption scandals, but State Sen. Rubén Díaz believes legislative attention should instead be focused on Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"I would like to recommend that ethics reform in New York State begin in the Governor's mansion," Mr. Díaz declared today in one of his regular "What You Should Know" statements. "While we consider how to restrict Senate campaign donations that are used to pay for meals, I would like my readers to know that many of my colleagues are routinely invited to the Governor's mansion to eat his food and drink his wine with no oversight to who pays those bills."

This is not the first time Mr. Díaz has deflected the news of State Senator Malcolm Smith's arrest--along with other officials in the State Assembly and City Council--to other topics. Indeed, earlier this month, he reminded his readers that both Mr. Cuomo Mayor Michael Bloomberg have also used money in pursuit of their various legislative and electoral goals, although through legal channels.

Today, Mr. Díaz, an outspoken reverend and constant critic of Mr. Cuomo's, paid particular attention to the Committee to Save New York, an organization that has spent millions supporting Mr. Cuomo's policy agenda.

"We should be more concerned with stopping big money influence of corporations, groups and people that are getting access to meetings with Governors and others by contributing big donations," the senator continued. "Amen."

View Mr. Díaz's full missive below:

You should know that today the New York State Senate will begin a public push to limit how Senate campaign funds can be spent. These campaign funds are donations from individuals and organizations given with the understanding that the candidate will use them as they see fit - like renting a car and paying for meals.

You should also know that while this effort to turn up the heat on Senators has begun, there is still no effort underway to restrict what Governor Cuomo does with resources he raises, and no demand for a complete disclosure of the names of the donors from the Committee to Save New York - his ally - a private lobbying committee not subject to state campaign finance law. The names of many of their donors remain in the shadows.

The Committee to Save New York has been lockstep with Governor Cuomo's agenda and has spent more money on lobbying activities in 2012 than any other group.

You should know that the billionaires and business leaders who support Governor Cuomo's Committee to Save New York have won billions in government bailouts. Now they insists upon “fiscal responsibility” for the rest of New York.

I would like to recommend to my colleagues that instead of going after each other and restricting how much money we spend from our donors to rent cars and pay for dinners for our campaigns, that we focus our attention on reviewing policy payoffs that impact our ability to legislate on behalf of our constituents - instead of on behalf of the groups who lobby and profit from their participation of the Committee to Save New York.

I would like to recommend that ethics reform in New York State begin in the Governor's mansion.

While we consider how to restrict Senate campaign donations that are used to pay for meals, I would like my readers to know that many of my colleagues are routinely invited to the Governor's mansion to eat his food and drink his wine with no oversight to who pays those bills.

While we consider how to restrict Senate campaign donations that are used to rent cars, I would like my readers to know that this past Thursday JCOPE quietly posted on their website on state ethics ruling that Governor Cuomo can bring Sandra Lee, his girlfriend and Food Network star who lives with him in Westchester County, along with his daughters on the state aircraft with him when he's on official business.

While we consider how to restrict Senate campaign donations that are used for our cell phones, You should know that the millions of dollars raised by the Committee to Save New York to expand casino gambling needs should be investigated.

You should know that corruption in New York State needs to be thoroughly investigated, and is far more important that the way we spend money donated to us from our supporters - who donate with the full knowledge that we decide how to spend it.

We should be more concerned with stopping big money influence of corporations, groups and people that are getting access to meetings with Governors and others by contributing big donations and by the conflict of interest of legislators serving as of-counsels and those that are board members of institutions whose leaders contribute big money. Amen.

This is Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.