ALBANY — Upstate GOP Congressman Tom Reed blasted Gov. Andrew Cuomo, calling for the Democratic pol to be investigated by the US Department of Justice for his failure to fix a crumbling section of the New York State Thruway.

In a seething letter addressed to US Attorney General Bill Barr, Reed slammed Cuomo for his alleged failure to fix a stretch of Interstate 90 that runs through the Seneca Nation in western New York.

“I am concerned for the safety of the traveling public along the stretch of Interstate 90 which runs through the Seneca Nation,” Reed wrote on Tuesday, addressing concerns that the road has fallen into a state of disrepair and is dangerous for travelers.

“From the public’s view, this appears to be nothing more than the Governor exacting political revenge on the Seneca Nation at the peril of public safety. The federal funds have been delivered to repair the road, and it is time to fix the road before someone dies. Given this information, I kindly request the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Governor and his office for the misuse of federal funds, the abuse of power and any and all other federal crimes, related or unrelated, uncovered in this investigation.”

Reed claims local motorists have reached out overwhelmingly lately, concerned with driving conditions.

During an upstate tourism event in Wilson, NY, last week, Cuomo told reporters it’s all tied to a larger issue and the state won’t budge until an ongoing casino revenue dispute with the Seneca Nation is resolved.

“The issue with the Senecas is larger than I-90, right? The Senecas, we are in a legal dispute with … we’re talking about tens of millions of dollars and not just for the state but for local governments that are truly hard-pressed because of this,” he said.

The sovereign nation announced in 2017 it would halt making payments to the state based off casino slot revenues, arguing its original 2002 gaming compact does not require payments after 2016.



The issue went on to be decided in January 2019 by an arbitration board, which said the state is owed $255 million by the tribe.

The Senecas then took the issue to federal court, and the matter has yet to be resolved.

“On I-90, which then is part of this disagreement, we’ve said to them two years ago we will come in, we will fix I-90, we will do it tomorrow. The road is in disrepair, we will do it. They are being, I believe, holding I-90 and the repair of I-90 as part of the larger dispute, which is the revenue that’s on the table.”

“I don’t want to give them a reason to say New York breached the agreement by coming onto I-90 when they had no right to come onto I-90. That could actually jeopardize our position on the revenues,” he added.

“Weaponizing law enforcement to score dumb political points may be what the congressman’s buddy the president does, but it doesn’t mean it’s right. He should stop with the cheap stunts, do his job, represent his constituents and demand that the Senecas pay their fair share under the arbitration they agreed to,” Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi bit back.

A representative from the Seneca Nation could not be reached immediately.