Two Manhattan lawmakers are advancing laws to attempt to block mayoral front-runner Andrew Cuomo from utilizing taxpayer {dollars} to convey one other lawsuit in opposition to his longtime political nemesis, New York Lawyer Common 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 Krueger, 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.
Krueger has endorsed considered one of Cuomo’s opponents, Brad Lander, in June’s Democratic mayoral main, Lee hasn’t supplied an endorsement within the mayoral race but.
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Downtown Manhattan Assemblywoman Grace Lee and Higher East Facet state Sen. Liz Krueger. (Getty)
Wealthy Azzopardi, Cuomo’s mayoral marketing campaign spokesman, blasted their new invoice as “a pathetic attempt at constitutionally dubious lawfare.”
“The city is in crisis and these two New York City legislators have done nothing over the past three years to help it,” Azzopardi mentioned. “The city is in crisis and Sen. Krueger and Assembly member Lee have done absolutely nothing over the last three years to improve affordability, public safety or quality of life in New York. By the way, they leave out that when these matters go to court we win.’
Cuomo, a favorite to win June’s mayoral primary, has denied engaging in sexual harassment, but he apologized upon his resignation for making “people feel uncomfortable.”
Phrase of the brand new invoice in Albany comes after state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s workplace revealed in March that New York taxpayers have spent practically $60 million on attorneys for Cuomo and his high aides as a part of the varied 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 in opposition to civil sexual harassment instances introduced in opposition to them by the 11 ladies accusing the ex-gov of sexual misconduct, DiNapoli’s staff discovered. Azzopardi famous taxpayer cash was additionally spent on James’ investigation into Cuomo, together with $6.6 million to the Cleary Gottlieb regulation agency, which her workplace retained to assist in the probe.
DiNapoli’s auditors recognized greater than a dozen regulation companies they are saying bought taxpayer {dollars} to work on Cuomo-related controversies.
In a transfer that might add to the hefty authorized payments, Cuomo is suing DiNapoli to attempt to get the state to additionally cowl his legal professional charges as a part of a case he’s bringing in opposition to James to acquire movies and unredacted transcripts of interviews performed by the AG’s staff as a part of the sexual harassment probe. Cuomo alleges state regulation mandates he be entitled to authorized illustration in instances involving points concerning 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-Krueger invoice seeks to upend Cuomo’s bid to get extra taxpayer-funded illustration in his authorized battle in opposition to James by stipulating 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 workers can not get taxpayer funds to rent a number of regulation companies to work on the identical case except there’s a documented motive for why that’s vital, one other provision motivated by Cuomo’s authorized techniques, Lee mentioned.
Moreover, the measure would empower the state comptroller to dam any state funds for authorized charges “deemed unreasonable.”
The invoice would wish Gov. Hochul’s help to change into regulation. Lee mentioned she hasn’t spoken with Hochul in regards to the matter but, and a spokesman for the governor 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 child-care vouchers for some 2,600 toddlers.
Initially Revealed: March 31, 2025 at 11:59 AM EDT
