"It's The Cuomo Way": Former Staffers Describe Toxic Workplace Under Governor’s Relentless Thumb, Gwynne Hogan of WNYC reported 3/4/21 for Gothamist.
Moreover, the governor is a "micromanager to the 100th degree,” one former staffer said, demanding extremely specific requirements for, say, the room temperature at public appearances.
Three former staffers used the words “Stockholm syndrome,” to describe life in Cuomo’s office, while another called it as a textbook abusive relationship.
“Power was the number one goal," a former staffer said. "It wasn’t really about making things right or making things better for New Yorkers.”
The summary:
Nearly a dozen current and former staffers of Cuomo’s office who spoke to Gothamist/WNYC this week said Cuomo has cultivated an intense work culture that was brutal for some, traumatic for others. We are withholding all of their names, including Sarah's, because they fear professional or personal retaliation from the governor and his senior staff....That, as one former staffer said she was told, is "the Cuomo way," depending absolute loyalty. But working for Cuomo can be an important career boost, while falling out of favor could be harmful.
Their comments follow a tumultuous week for the governor, who is accused of sexual misconduct by three women, including two former staffers who said he harassed them at work, allegations he has denied and the Attorney General is investigating.
The former staffers said they weren’t surprised by the allegations, in part because they described a workplace where outdated gender binaries were the norm, bullying was constant, and where people worked non-stop, blurring the lines between personal and professional lives.
They said they were expected to answer texts and phone calls and attend meetings at all hours of the day and night, any day of the week. They faced personal attacks on their professional worth and competence for seemingly small mistakes. And loyalty, rather than creative thinking, problem-solving, or passion for public service, was valued above all else.
Moreover, the governor is a "micromanager to the 100th degree,” one former staffer said, demanding extremely specific requirements for, say, the room temperature at public appearances.
Three former staffers used the words “Stockholm syndrome,” to describe life in Cuomo’s office, while another called it as a textbook abusive relationship.
“Power was the number one goal," a former staffer said. "It wasn’t really about making things right or making things better for New Yorkers.”
Now Cuomo and his defenders would dispute this--the governor has many accomplishments, of course.
What it means
What does this mean for big real-estate projects like Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park?
Well, it means that Empire State Development, the state authority that oversees/shepherds the project, does more of the latter, as far as we can tell, for example, endorsing the misleading Construction Updates as accurate. (Who knows--is it resisting other requests?)
It also means that--as we can see with projects like Nassau Coliseum and the UBS Arena at Belmont Park--the governor likes to make good-news announcements and cut ribbons.
And he doesn't want bad publicity.
So what happens if/when Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park can't deliver the affordable housing required by the May 2025 deadline? Stay tuned.
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