Andrew Cuomo pay-to-play pension probe nails Hevesi pal Patricia Lynch

 NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Andrew is still on the job..............

BY Kenneth Lovett
DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF

Thursday, December 9th 2010, 4:00 AM

Harbus for News

Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo is still keeping his eye on the ball as attorney general.

ALBANY - Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's pay-to-play pension fund probe has snared another big name: top lobbyist Patricia Lynch.
Lynch's firm on Wednesday settled its role in the scandal, agreeing to pay the state $500,000.
Lynch, a former top aide to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), will be banned from doing any business with the state controller for five years.
Darren Dopp, a spokesman and partner at Patricia Lynch Associates, said only, "We're pleased to put the matter behind us."
The Daily News reported last year that Cuomo was targeting Lynch.
He discovered Lynch tried to curry favor by arranging big campaign donations to disgraced ex-Controller Alan Hevesi, who has pleaded guilty for his role in the kickback scandal. Hevesi faces four years in prison.
In 2004, Lynch, at the request of then-Hevesi chief of staff Jack Chartier, helped arrange a $12,000-a-month consulting contract with the Walt Disney Co. for the daughter of Chartier's girlfriend, the probe found.
Chartier's girlfriend has been identified as former "Mod Squad" actress Peggy Lipton. The daughter, sources say, is Kidada Jones, one of two girls Lipton had with her ex, record producer Quincy Jones.
In 2006, Lynch notified Disney that the controller's office was concerned that Kidada Jones' contract had not been renewed - and she was quickly re-upped, according to the Cuomo investigation.
Cuomo also found that Lynch had "preferred access" to the controller and high-level staff, and twice tried to get the state pension fund to approve investments proposed by her lobbying clients.
"Gifts, favors and campaign contributions are not a legitimate basis for government contracts or special treatment," Cuomo said.
"Lobbyists whose stock in trade is pay to play have no business appearing before government agencies that safeguard taxpayer dollars."
Lynch's firm pulled in $8.4 million last year.