Edited by: TJVNews.com

Facebook is being more than bit circumspect these days. It would appear that they decided to “Zip Their Lips” about a certain employee that offered advice to former NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo on how to handle sexual misconduct claims, as was reported by the New York Post. Legal experts have told the Post that Facebook’s lack of action on this explosive case may end up sucking them in  like a whirlwind and that they could be on the wrong side of the state lobbying laws,

The detailed report that was recently revealed by US Attorney Letitia Jones on this very topic said that Dani Lever was part of Cuomo’s “inner circle” of confidantes who helped plan the then-governor’s response to allegations of sexual. Ms. Lever first worked in Cuomo’s press office in 2014 and rejoined Facebook in August of 2020.

She had worked in the governor’s press office since 2014. Legal experts tell The Post that Lever’s role advising Cuomo likely put Facebook in violation of New York state’s lobbying law.

Not quite a year ago, the three-term governor was at the height of his popularity during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. He held widely watched daily briefings where he implored people to take the virus seriously, as was reported by AP.

AP reported that in recent months, however, criticism about the work culture around Cuomo and how he wields his power has mounted, while his support had eroded over his imperious style and revelations that his administration withheld details from the public about the pandemic’s death toll in nursing homes. Cuomo subsequently resigned in disgrace.

The law bans registered lobbyists from giving gifts worth more than $15 to public officials — and Facebook has been a registered lobbyist in New York state since at least 2019, according to a New York Post account.

Speaking to the Post, David Grandeau, the former top ethics watchdog in New York state told the Post:  “Using your professional services and providing them to a public official for free of charge is a gift. It’s a misdemeanor for her and it’s a misdemeanor for Facebook. It is a clear violation.”

Also speaking to the Post was Steven Leventhal, the co-chair of the ethics and professionalism committee of the municipal law section of the New York State Bar Association. He confirmed to the Post that services like public relations advice can violate the state’s lobbying law. He said he saw a “potential application” of the state’s lobbying law in the case of Facebook, Lever and Cuomo.

In an e-mail sent to the NY Post by Walter McClure, a spokesman for the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics, also known as JCOPE, he said: “each situation has its own set of facts and circumstances” but didn’t answer specific questions about Facebook or say whether the organization planned to open an investigation.

Lever allegedly distributed the personnel file of Lindsey Boylan (the first woman to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment) in a bid to discredit and disparage her, according to the Post report.

In February of 2021, it was reported that Lindsey Boylan said that during her more than three years in the Democrat’s administration, Cuomo “would go out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs,” compared her to one of his rumored ex-girlfriends and once remarked they should play strip poker, as was reported by the Associated Press.

Boylan, a Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for Manhattan borough president, made the allegations more than two months after she first spoke up about alleged mistreatment by Cuomo. At the time, she hadn’t provided details, saying she had “no interest in speaking to journalists,” as was reported by AP.

Lever was not alone in helping the governor to strategize on how to deal with the sexual misconduct allegations. Others who were on the Cuomo protection team included Alphonso David, the head of the Human Rights Campaign, a group known for fighting for legislation that will protect the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, etc.

Former Obama advisor and currently Time’s Up executive Tina Tchen and Roberta Kaplan, as well as a duo of managing directors at public relations firm Kivvit — have also played a role in forming strategy for Cuomo. They have all since quit their jobs or been fired, according to the Post report.