19 April 2021: Who Is Paying for Governor Cuomo's Legal Help?

Who's paying Cuomo's lawyers? Some details are scarce

Have we mentioned that Governor Cuomo is looking for better PR people and more legal help?

That running gag aside, Governor Cuomo has indeed been hiring a lot of law firms to defend him from the multiple scandals. This report reveals just how many:

As Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo faces investigations on several fronts, four law firms have confirmed they’re doing legal work for Cuomo or his office.

The attorneys were retained in the wake of an investigation by the state attorney general's office, which is probing multiple sexual harassment and misconduct allegations against Cuomo, and a separate investigation by the FBI and U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn. The federal investigation is examining whether Cuomo's administration deliberately manipulated data on nursing home deaths during the coronavirus pandemic.

But as the work by the private attorneys has proceeded for nearly two months, details about the legal arrangements remain murky.

None of the contracts for legal services have been submitted for approval to Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office, potentially running afoul of state finance law.

Cuomo’s office also isn’t saying whether the governor will front the money for any attorneys representing him personally. In addition, it's unclear whether taxpayers will be on the hook for other state officials’ legal costs, including members of the governor's coronavirus task force.

New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is best known to Cuomo scandal watchers as the man who dragged his heels before ultimately choosing to pass the buck in making an official referral for New York's State Attorney General to launch a full criminal investigation of Governor Cuomo and his administration's officials.

As for evidence that Governor Cuomo is still looking for better PR people, the report contains this gem:

In a statement, Cuomo senior advisor Richard Azzopardi said none of the four law firms have been paid money.

“We are in the process of finalizing these contracts and related documents for review and approval by the comptroller’s office,” Azzopardi said. “We are abiding by all applicable rules and standards and in matters like this it is not uncommon for legal representation to begin while the contracts are simultaneously being drafted for submission. Doing it the other way could potentially leave the Chamber and its employees without representation.”

The article lists several of the attorneys willing to work for free while their contracts are being "negotiated", including Paul Fishman (Arnold & Porter), Mitra Hormozi (Walden Macht & Haran), and Rita Glavin (former U.S. attorney). It's a fair bet that none of the services by those listed above are inexpensive.

Exit question: If Governor Cuomo is successfully impeached and removed from office as a consequence of any misdeeds, are New York's taxpayers on the hook for his legal bills, or is he?