Two Manhattan lawmakers are advancing laws to attempt to block mayoral frontrunner Andrew Cuomo from utilizing taxpayer {dollars} to deliver one other lawsuit towards his longtime political nemesis, New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James.
The brand new invoice, dubbed the “State Taxpayer Oversight and Protection Act” or “STOP Act,” doesn’t point out Cuomo by title.
However the measure’s authors, downtown Manhattan Assemblywoman Grace Lee and Higher East Facet state Sen. Liz Kreuger, mentioned they’re particularly bringing it in hopes of thwarting Cuomo’s effort to spend taxpayer {dollars} on attorneys to sue James over her investigation into the sexual misconduct accusations that led to his resignation as governor in 2021.
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Downtown Manhattan Assemblywoman Grace Lee and Higher East Facet state Sen. Liz Kreuger. (Getty)
Wealthy Azzopardi, Cuomo’s mayoral marketing campaign spokesman, didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
Cuomo, a favourite to win this June’s Democratic mayoral main, has denied participating in sexual harassment, however apologized upon his resignation for making “people feel uncomfortable.”
Phrase of the brand new invoice in Albany comes after State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s workplace revealed this month that New York taxpayers have spent practically $60 million on attorneys for Cuomo and his high aides as a part of the assorted scandals that led to his 2021 political downfall.
A major chunk, about $18 million, has been spent on non-public attorneys to defend Cuomo and his high aides towards civil sexual harassment circumstances introduced towards them by the 11 ladies accusing the ex-gov of sexual misconduct. DiNapoli’s auditors recognized greater than a dozen regulation corporations they are saying obtained taxpayer {dollars} to work on Cuomo-related controversies.
In a transfer that would add to the hefty authorized payments, Cuomo is suing DiNapoli to attempt to get the state to additionally cowl his lawyer charges as a part of a case he’s bringing towards James to acquire movies and unredacted transcripts of interviews carried out by the AG’s crew as a part of the sexual harassment probe. The ex-governor alleges state regulation mandates he be entitled to authorized illustration in circumstances involving points referring to his official actions as a state worker.
Cuomo already sued the AG in 2022, whereas alleging her probe into him was politically motivated.
The Lee-Kreuger invoice seeks to upend Cuomo’s bid to get extra taxpayer-funded illustration in his authorized battle towards James by stipulating into regulation that no authorized charges “shall be paid if incurred on behalf of an employee in any action brought by the employee against the state.”
The invoice would additionally make it so particular person state staff can not get taxpayer funds to rent a number of regulation corporations to work on the identical case except there’s a documented cause for why that’s obligatory, one other provision motivated by Cuomo’s authorized techniques, Lee mentioned.
Moreover, the measure would empower the state comptroller with authority to dam any state funds for authorized charges “deemed unreasonable.”
The invoice would want Gov. Hochul’s assist to develop into regulation. Lee mentioned she hasn’t spoken to Hochul in regards to the matter but, and a spokesman for her mentioned she’ll “review the legislation if it passes the Senate and Assembly.”
“I would love to see some of that money clawed back,” Lee mentioned, including that her workplace calculated $60 million might fund state childcare vouchers for some 2,600 toddlers.
Initially Printed: March 31, 2025 at 11:59 AM EDT
