Disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) accused the state’s attorney general of improperly rejecting his request for legal aid during his sexual misconduct suit.

According to The Hill:

The lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday in the New York State Supreme Court, alleges state Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) denial of taxpayer funds to pay for Cuomo’s counsel was arbitrary, capricious and contrary to New York law.

State law provides that the governor is entitled to defense in any civil action alleged while he was acting “within the scope of his public employment or duties,” and Cuomo argued the suit is covered under the statute. 

James’s office had led a months-long inquiry into allegations against Cuomo, releasing a report in August 2021 stating the former governor had sexually harassed at least 11 women. 

Cuomo resigned a week later but has maintained his innocence, saying he left office to avoid becoming a “distraction.” The women detailed in James’s report include the unnamed state trooper, who was on Cuomo’s protective detail and filed the lawsuit in question in February.

“The report has been reviewed by five separate district attorneys and every single one has declined to move forward based on it — it was nothing more than a political document and holds no legal weight. Their political games continue,” said Rich Azzopardi, spokesman for Cuomo.

Read more at The Hill.

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