National watchdog group files ethics complaint against Cuomo as impeachment hotline launches
ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo’s woes worsened Thursday as a national government watchdog group filed an ethics complaint against him, alleging his campaign illegally promoted his COVID-themed memoir.
Citizens for Responsibility in Washington, known as CREW, filed a complaint with the state Board of Elections seeking an “immediate investigation” into allegations that the governor violated election laws by including a link to purchase “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic” in campaign emails.
“The law is clear that you cannot spend campaign funds for your own personal benefit,” CREW president Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. “The law only works when it applies to everyone, regardless of power or party.”
The complaint, which alleges Cuomo likely earned a “significant income” from book sales, also points to social media posts made by the campaign featuring links to buy the book.
Cuomo’s deepening troubles come in the wake of reports that the governor enlisted staffers to assist him with the tome as well as an early manuscript.
He allegedly involved senior aides including Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, who helped pitch and edit the book, according to The New York Times.
Cuomo officials contend that no state resources were used in connection with the book, which has seen sales plummet amid the multiple scandals engulfing the governor.
Calls for the state’s top Democrat to resign have swelled in recent weeks in the wake of multiple sexual harassment allegations, which are being probed by outside investigators working under Attorney General James.
The governor has denied claims that he sexually harassed or behaved inappropriately toward several women, including two current staffers.
The assembly has launched an impeachment investigation into the allegations and is also looking at several other topics including the administration’s handling of COVID deaths in nursing homes and issues with the bridge replacing the Tappan Zee span that Cuomo named for his father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) publicly called on the governor to step down weeks ago, further complicating ongoing budget negotiations.
Cuomo is also taking heat over donations he received from the health care industry last year as a provision granting legal immunity to hospital and nursing home executives was added to the budget at the 11th hour.
Federal investigators, already investigating the administration for obfuscating the true death toll in nursing homes at the height of the pandemic, are reportedly looking into how the legal protection provision came about.
The committee running the Assembly impeachment inquiry, meanwhile, launched a hotline Wednesday seeking information from the public about the governor’s various misdeeds.
Lawmakers have said the investigation will also cover the administration’s decision to withhold information about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and reports that Cuomo’s family and friends received VIP treatment and access to scarce coronavirus tests early on during the pandemic.
Anyone wanting to offer tips or evidence can call (212) 450-3600, which is a contact number for Davis Polk & Wardwell, the law firm enlisted by lawmakers to lead the inquiry into the governor’s conduct.
