After taking out a full-page ad in The New York Times on Friday asking Amazon to give New York a second look after walking away last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a radio interview that he's still holding out hope, but he's not optimistic.
"No, they have given no indication that they would reconsider," the governor said on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show. "I think the point was more not that Amazon is going to change its mind — I don't think that they do — but the truth should be known."
But it was Cuomo's comment about a community group opposed to Amazon that seemed to catch people off-guard. Cuomo said this about Make the Road, an immigrant rights organization:
Cuomo: Who is Make the Road, Brian?
Brian Lehrer: Who is Make the Road? I can't tell you exactly the individuals, but it's a prominent grassroots organization. Do you want to characterize it?
Cuomo: No. I don't know who they are.
But Cuomo has appeared at events with Make the Road officials, and thanked the group's leaders in speeches.
"I mean, it was hilarious, frankly," said Deborah Axt, the co-executive director of the advocacy group. "Clearly, he is trying to dismiss organizations based in communities of color who've been fighting back against his proposed Amazon HQ2 scam."
Cuomo also had choice words for Queens Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and Queens State Sen. Michael Gianaris, both of whom are prominent Amazon critics, and who Cuomo has blamed for the company leaving.
"At this point, they are irrelevant because there are other ways that the state can get it done," the governor said.
Senate Democrats seemed to have changed their tune a bit, as well. Members have made statements in recent days indicating they'd be open to working with Amazon. But, as Cuomo made clear Friday, it's all likely too little, too late to make the company reconsider.