The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has ordered former Governor Andrew Cuomo to return the money he made from his book deal to the state Attorney General’s office.
WTEN in Albany reports the Attorney General’s office will decide what to do with the money. In November, JCOPE withdrew the prior approval it had given for Cuomo’s book “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The former Governor was paid $5.1 million to write the book, but an investigation found at least parts of it was written by state employees while on the job.
Jim McGuire, a lawyer Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi says represents Cuomo on matters related to the book, call’s the ruling unconstitutional, saying “Should they seek to enforce this motion, we’ll see them in court.”
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