16 December 2022: Judge Suggests New Yorkers Should Pay Cuomo Legal Bills for Sexual Harassment Charges

Judge leans toward Andrew Cuomo’s claim that NY should fund defense in harass case

The state government of New York's strange history of paying for the legal defenses of state government employees involved in sexual misconduct may come back to bite New Yorkers, who may be forced to pay for the resigned-in-disgrace Andrew M. Cuomo's legal bills associated with the allegations that prompted his resignation. Here's the introduction to this report:

A Manhattan judge Thursday appeared to side with Andrew Cuomo in the disgraced ex-governor’s bid to have New York taxpayers fund his legal defense in a lawsuit accusing him of sexually harassing a female state trooper.

During over two hours of oral arguments, lawyers for Cuomo and for state Attorney General Letitia James’ office argued over whether Cuomo was acting within his duty as governor when the alleged harassment occurred — which would entitle him to a free defense.

“Conduct that underlies a sexual harassment claim is conduct that is based on personal motivations and does not serve the employer,” AG lawyer Andrew Amer said, arguing that Cuomo was not acting as governor at the time.

But Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Shlomo Hagler countered: “I have seen in cases of touching and hugging and unfortunate comments and jokes — there has been a [legal] defense in 99% of those cases.”

Funny how the laws politicians pass seem designed to either not apply to them or to give them special benefits above and beyond what ordinary people can get.