26 August 2021: Cuomo's Legal Defense Contracts Under Review

Hochul Reviewing Legal Bills Racked Up by Cuomo’s Office in Harassment and Nursing Home Probes

New York's new governor is reviewing the legal contracts that Andrew M. Cuomo hired to defend himself at New York taxpayer expense against state and federal investigations of his sexual harassment and COVID nursing home deaths scandals.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is examining some $5 million in pending taxpayer-funded contracts with the law firms and public relations outfit her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, hired to represent his office and staff before stepping down, THE CITY has learned.

“We will be reviewing all legal contracts and making appropriate decisions on the need for legal representation and whether to continue any contracts,” a spokesperson for the governor told THE CITY in response to questions about the outstanding bills.

All told, between lawyers representing Cuomo’s office and outside counsel brought in to investigate him, taxpayers face a potential total bill of $8.78 million based on contracts already signed by Cuomo, Attorney General Letitia James’ office and the state Assembly.

As of this week, one of two prominent Manhattan law firms and a public relations company Cuomo hired several months back had submitted bills to the executive chamber. Before he left office Cuomo signed off on about $785,000 in payments for one of the law firms and the p.r. concern, records show.

That leaves another $4.2 million in potential bills under the contracts inked by Cuomo. Hochul — who in her first day in office pledged a new transparency for state government — will now decide what the firms will be paid going forward.

The two law firms referenced in this excerpt are Walden Macht & Haran and Morvillo Abramowitz. The public relations firm is Innovative Discovery Holdings. A third firm hired by Cuomo, Arnold & Porter, has not submitted any bills and no contract is yet on file with the state comptroller's office.