Cuomo watch: Under fire on campaign finance

A minor party that has been an ally of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo now wonders if he wants to back away from his commitment to public financing of elections.

The Working Families Party, a liberal group, says just when other Democrats have built momentum for public financing, Cuomo is trying to change the subject -- pushing for "open primaries" as a way to take cross-endorsements out of the hands of political party bosses.

"At the moment of truth, when it finally looks like the time for action, it seems as though Gov. Cuomo is focusing on the wrong thing," WFP executive director Dan Cantor said in an email to party members.

The WFP endorsed Cuomo in 2010.

-- Yancey Roy