U.S. Attorney: No federal crime by Moreland Commission shutdown

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - U.S. Attorney Preet Bahara announced Monday that there was no evidence of a federal crime committed by the shudtown of the short-lived Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption.

“After a thorough investigation of interference with the operation of the Moreland Commission and its premature closing, this Office has concluded that, absent any additional proof that may develop, there is insufficient evidence to prove a federal crime. We continue to have active investigations related to substantive inquiries that were being conducted by the Moreland Commission at the time of its closure," said Bahara.

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed the Commission to Investigate Public Corruption under the Moreland Act on July 2, 2013, after a string of high-profile corruption cases among state legislators.

The commission was shut down in March 2014 by Cuomo after he agreed to a package of ethics reforms and after he had received subpoenas asking about lawmakers' sources of income and campaign spending.

Attorney Elkan Abramowitz, representing the governor's office, says they were confident there was no illegality and thanked Bharara "for clarifying the public record."

With the Associated Press