Lancman, in blasting Wal-Mart, indirectly calls for probe into Cuomo, Silver [UPDATED]

At a press conference yesterday, Democratic Assemblyman Rory Lancman, who is running for Congress in Queens, called on the Justice Department to “examine” politicians in New York “very, very closely” that have accepted donations from Wal-Mart.

“We know they know of price of buying government favors in Mexico, and I think all of us are deeply concerned that they may know the price of buying government favors in the United States, and possibly New York,” Lancman said. “I think that the Justice Department should examine very, very closely those who have accepted contributions from Wal-Mart.”

As it turns out, some of the state’s top Democrats, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have accepted money from the Arkansas retail giant, in turmoil over charges that it bribed Mexican officials and then covered its actions up.

A quick look at state Board of Elections filings shows that Cuomo has taken $1,000, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver $1,500 and the State Democratic Party $15,000 from Wal-Mart. A slew of others have also taken Wal-Mart donations, including Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos. In other words, the three most powerful people in state government have taken money from the company.

In  a follow-up statement provided to City & State, Lancman said he was simply calling for a broader investigation into Wal-Mart’s actions in New York — and not calling into question the motives of those individuals who accepted the company’s donations.

“What I’m saying is that the Department of Justice should look at the totality of what Wal-Mart is doing here, and where their money is being directed, to see if Wal-Mart is engaging in practices that improperly influence politicians here, in the same way it was done in Mexico,” Lancman said.

UPDATE: A reader also notes that Cuomo ended up returning his Wal-Mart donation in July, 2009, three months after accepting it.

Lancman is a proponent of reducing corporate influence in elections, and has sponsored a bill with State Sen. Daniel Squadron to combat the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

Wal-Mart has become somewhat of an issue in his northeast Queens congressional race, with Lancman surrogates noting that Assemblywoman Grace Meng did not immediately denounce the company for its Mexican bribery scandal — though Meng has since done so.

The  Democratic Senate Campaign Committee also took $15,000 from Wal-Mart in 2010, but returned it after RWDSU President Stuart Appelbuam raised a furor.The union, a strong opponent of Wal-Mart, is strongly backing Lancman’s campaign.

Last Monday, Cuomo declined to take a position on whether Wal-Mart should move into New York City.