Cuomo’s office terrorized me for doing my job as a journalist

[mountaineer]

Cuomo’s office terrorized me for doing my job as a journalist
New York Post
Feb. 22, 2021
Morgan Pehme

It was 4:30 a.m., so I pulled the bathroom door shut in my one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment to answer the phone without waking my then-5-year-old. On the line was Melissa DeRosa, Gov. Cuomo’s then-communications director, now his second-in-command. She was threatening to destroy me.

By now, thanks to Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim blowing the whistle on the threats he received in a call from Cuomo, the public has a glimpse of the bullying practiced by the governor and his top brass. ...

While the April 2014 call I received from DeRosa didn’t come directly from the governor, I knew it bore the full weight of his power. City & State, the New York politics magazine I edited at the time, was about to publish a story exposing Cuomo’s machinations to distort the final report issued by the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption. ...

In a barrage of calls, his media handlers pushed me to spike the article, alternately approaching me with carrot (a hot exclusive to be named later) and stick. By 4:30 a.m. — our piece was scheduled to publish at 5 — I was only getting the stick.

Seven years later, I don’t recall precisely everything DeRosa hurled at me, though I’m positive she vowed to “destroy” my career and take revenge on my publication. I remember vividly how I felt: scared.

I had no reason to think these were idle threats. I was fully aware of the governor’s volcanic temper and track record of vindictiveness. If he wanted to crush me, he could and likely would. ...

full story at NY Post

[Cyber Liberty]

This was 7 years ago, and she's just now complaining about it?

[PeteS in CA]

This was 7 years ago, and she's just now complaining about it?

She wrote it as supportive of that legislator's story about Cuomo threatening him. The points are that threats are part of Cuomo's MO and Albany's swamp - Dems and Rs AFAIK -  have known about and tolerated it for many years.

[mystery-ak]

Journalist Claims Andrew Cuomo’s Office ‘Terrorized’ Him; ‘Editors Kill Stories Because of His Threats’

Hannah Bleau 24 Feb 2021

Journalist Morgan Pehme alleged Governor Andrew Cuomo’s (D-NY) office “terrorized” him for investigating his administration, according to an op-ed published Monday.

Pehme — a documentary producer known for co-directing Netflix’s Get Me Roger Stone — said he received a threatening call from Cuomo deputy Melissa DeRosa at 4:30 AM:

While the April 2014 call I received from DeRosa didn’t come directly from the governor, I knew it bore the full weight of his power. City & State, the New York politics magazine I edited at the time, was about to publish a story exposing Cuomo’s machinations to distort the final report issued by the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption.

Pehme said he received a “barrage of calls” as Cuomo’s media handlers” who vigorously “pushed me to spike the article, alternately approaching me with carrot (a hot exclusive to be named later) and stick.”

“Seven years later, I don’t recall precisely everything DeRosa hurled at me, though I’m positive she vowed to ‘destroy’ my career and take revenge on my publication. I remember vividly how I felt: scared,” Pehme said, adding that he had “no reason to think these were idle threats” as he was aware of Cuomo’s infamous “volcanic temper and track record of vindictiveness.”

He described the situation as a “gut check,” as he feared he could lose everything — but pressed on and published the piece. He said that is not always the case with other journalists and media outlets that see “editors kill legitimate stories because of his threats.”

“Reporters shy away from promising tips; sources stay silent,” he said, contending that members of the media are aware of Cuomo’s bullying tactics but shy away from exposing hit for a number of reasons — from fear to dismissal.

“Until last week, most New Yorkers didn’t know about Cuomo’s despicable ways. But they should have,” he concluded, calling on journalists to expose Cuomo and tell their stories.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2021/02/24/journalist-recalls-how-cuomos-office-terrorized-him-editors-kill-stories-because-of-his-threats/

[PeteS in CA]

The election is over, so letting some truth dribble out is OK.

Cuomo has been doing this for years, so the timing of this and similar stories reflect MSM political purposes.