Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s legal fight to preserve the proceeds of a $5.1 million book deal took a stunning turn on Monday when a state judge essentially invalidated New York’s new ethics commission, which was investigating the book deal.
Justice Thomas Marcelle of State Supreme Court in Albany agreed with Mr. Cuomo’s lawyers that the new Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government was created unconstitutionally, removing enforcement powers from the governor. The decision seemingly rendered the 11-member panel obsolete. Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to appeal the decision.
[This decision may not survive an appeal, which the state plans to file immediately. That may resolve the issue of the new state commission but probably not its attempts to force Cuomo to pay back the proceeds of the book deal. That was always a dodgy effort in service to a good cause. Like it or not, the state approved the deal up front, and they don’t have much authority over Cuomo now that he’s a private citizen; the new commission reversed the approval after he left office. — Ed]
Join the conversation as a VIP Member