Cuomo: State paying lawyer bills to defend against investigations
ALBANY — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Wednesday that the state is paying the bills for law firms to defend his administration in several investigations, including into accusations of sexual harassment against him and his handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes.
He said he is following established practice in which the state has paid for outside counsel for other governors and legislative leaders in past scandals involving the performance of their jobs.
The executive chamber’s contract with Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello for outside counsel included a transaction amount of $2.5 million when the contract began in February, according to the State Comptroller’s Office. The contract extends to February 2023 and could grow in size, a comptroller's spokeswoman said.
"The way it works is the executive chamber has retained counsel and that is a state expense," Cuomo said Wednesday. "It has been in every investigation, so that’s where we are."
State Attorney General Letitia James and the State Assembly are investigating the sexual harassment accusations and whether Cuomo improperly used state staff and resources to edit his memoir released last year about his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the U.S. Justice Department is investigating the administration's delay in releasing data on nursing home deaths during the pandemic.
James and the Assembly have also hired top law firms at state taxpayer expense for their investigations into the accusations against the Cuomo administration.
Cuomo denies he sexually harassed any of the women who accuse him and says his top staffers used their free time to help him write his book. As for the nursing home investigation, Cuomo insists he delayed release of death totals because then-President Donald Trump initiated a politically motivated investigation. Cuomo said he had to be certain of the figures sought by federal investigators and it was difficult to account for the deaths of nursing home residents who died in hospitals.
State Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy said, "it's absolutely infuriating that taxpayers are being forced to shell out millions for his criminal defense" in the investigations.
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
