The Department of Justice opened an investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his executive chamber right before he left office in August.
From The Wall Street Journal:
Lawyers working for the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York’s Civil Division sent a letter to state officials before Mr. Cuomo left office in August that said they were examining employment policies in the executive chamber, according to people who reviewed the letter. The executive chamber includes the governor and his or her top aides and advisers.A spokesman for the Eastern District declined to comment.The federal review came after an investigation by New York State Attorney General Letitia James concluded Mr. Cuomo inappropriately touched and made comments about 11 women, including current and former state employees.
An inquiry by New York State Attorney General Letitia James’s office found he “inappropriately touched and made comments about 11 women, including current and former state employees.”
Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, said that they knew about the investigation beginning in August “based upon the AG’s politically motivated sham report and we have heard nothing since.”
The Eastern District office already started investigating Cuomo’s memoir, American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic, and his policies that led to the deaths of elderly people in nursing homes.
James’s office also has an investigation into the memoir. Her investigation concentrates on the usage of state resources to produce it:
Ms. James’s office is also investigating the potential misuse of state resources to produce the book. A state ethics board approved Mr. Cuomo’s $5.1 million publishing contract with several conditions, including that, “No State property, personnel or other resources may be utilized for activities associated with the book.”A report released last week by a New York State Assembly committee conducting an impeachment investigation of Mr. Cuomo’s conduct found multiple instances where aides to the governor edited the volume and communicated with the publisher.Mr. Azzopardi has said any use of state resources for the book—like a printer—was incidental. He added that some public employees volunteered their time to help write and edit the memoir.
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