Astorino Slams Cuomo for Airbrushing Family Photo

ALBANY (AP) —

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his Republican opponent, Rob Astorino, traded barbs Monday over tax returns, tax assessments and family photos.

Cuomo’s campaign began the back-and-forth with a demand that Astorino release his last five tax returns, saying the financial disclosures Astorino files as the Westchester County executive don’t give enough detail about his outside employment with a national radio company.

Astorino’s campaign agreed to release his latest return, though not the four previous returns as requested by Cuomo’s campaign. Astorino has previously reported making about $30,000 a year advising Townsquare Media on radio programming. Astorino is a former radio producer and has said that he does the consulting work in his spare time and always reported it on his disclosures.

The Republican’s campaign also went after Cuomo, demanding that he allow a tax assessor to see recent interior renovations to his Westchester home. A town official has said he was late in getting building permits for outdoor improvements and that any interior structural work would also require permits.

Astorino then criticized an ad that aired in western New York on Sunday, paid for by the Erie County Democratic Party, which included a photo of Astorino.

Astorino said it was wrong of the ad’s creators to digitally remove his son from the picture.

“To erase my son from a cherished family photo is wrong and personally hurtful,” Astorino said in a statement.  “If Governor Cuomo wants to keep running false ads against me with his pay-to-play millions that’s his business, but doctoring my family photos is beyond the pale.”

Monday’s exchanges come as the fall campaign season intensifies following last week’s party primaries.

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