Cuomo watch: Backing state ethics panel

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo defended a decision by his state ethics panel that effectively shields a major Cuomo ally from disclosing its donors retroactively.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics decided a requirement that will force lobbying groups to reveal donors' names shouldn't apply to contributions before July 1. Some critics think the panel could have declared Jan. 1, 2012, the start date for reporting contributions under the 2011 law.

Now the Committee to Save New York, which spent at least $12 million promoting the governor's agenda, won't need to disclose donors during Cuomo's first two legislative sessions. "We tend to frown on retroactive laws because people operated under one set of laws and one set of expectations," Cuomo said, noting the state is the first to require such disclosure.-- Yancey Roy