New York Ethics Board Issues Subpoena Regarding Buffalo Bills’ Luxury Suite (Report)

New York’s ethics watchdog has subpoenaed the state’s top economic development agency for records related to state officials’ use of a Buffalo Bills luxury suite , according to a report from New York Focus.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and 13 others gained exclusive access to the state-owned suite for a Dec. 17 game between the Bills and the Cowboys, according to New York Focus. The officials brought several guests.

The incident sparked a complaint to the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government by former lobbying regulator David Grandeau.

The complaint claimed that attendees got premium tickets at a bargain price because of their close relationships with politicians, according to New York Focus. The complaint also claimed that the politicians did not have valid government reasons for attending the game.

The commission is currently investigating and has subpoenaed records from Empire State Development, the state agency overseeing the matter. New York Focus reported that the box is supposed to be used for economic development purposes, such as bringing out-of-town businesses to the Buffalo area.

Avi Small, a spokesperson for Hochul, told New York Focus that neither the governor’s office nor Hochul personally had been subpoenaed in connection with the investigation.

A spokesperson for Heastie did not respond Thursday to a question about whether Assemblyman had been subpoenaed, New York Focus said.

“None of the participants had a valid governmental reason to attend the game,” Grandeau wrote in the complaint, according to New York Focus. “Instead, they clearly abused their power to generate a valuable advantage for themselves and their accompanying lobbyists that was not available to ordinary New York citizens and taxpayers.”

A spokesperson for Empire State Development argued that a photo Hochul tweeted from the suite on Dec. 17 — showing herself, Heastie and Peoples-Stokes — raised public awareness about the state and West New York, New York Focus said.

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