×

Andrew Cuomo pushes fight against New York attorney general to airwaves

With millions left in his campaign coffer, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has returned to airwaves as he continues his fight against state Attorney General Letitia James and the sexual harassment report that led to his downfall last August.

On Monday, Team Cuomo unveiled a commercial it will air statewide and online that highlights the fact that five prosecutors declined to press or proceed with charges against him that were tied to allegations of harassment or inappropriate touching documented in the report.

According to AdImpact, the Cuomo campaign has already spent about $370,000 on the 30-second spot. In January, the New York State Board of Elections reported that he had more than $16.4 million remaining in his campaign account.

“We will not rest until all the facts are out and New Yorkers understand the full scope of the craven politics and prosecutorial misconduct that permeated this process,” Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said in a statement.

Cuomo announced his resignation a week after the independent investigators’ report was released by James, whose office oversaw the five-month inquiry. At the time, he said he did not want to be a distraction as the state continued its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially since it seemed certain that lawmakers would consider impeaching him.

However, Cuomo, his campaign and his attorneys have continued to criticize the report, arguing that James withheld vital information from the public regarding accusers.

While none of the prosecutors in the five counties where harassment was alleged to have happened took action against the former governor, several noted his behavior was concerning and could lead to civil cases. One has already been filed by a former state trooper who served on the governor’s security detail.

The return of Cuomo to the airwaves could prove problematic for Democrats in New York looking to move on from Cuomo, especially since voters will go to the polls later this year to vote for the state’s next top executive.

The harassment allegations were just part of the clouds hanging over Cuomo as he left office. He faced an impeachment inquiry in the state Assembly. That panel looked at the harassment cases, his handling of nursing homes during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and a $5 million deal he received to write a book on his handling of the COVID crisis.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s former lieutenant governor and successor, has pledged to make several reforms. That includes eliminating what some have called a toxic environment in the executive chamber. She removed several Cuomo appointees from their positions and has made reforming the state’s public ethics watchdog agency a top priority.

However, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the likely Republican nominee for November’s gubernatorial election, has made Cuomo a significant part of his campaign, too.

“No ad buy is big enough to erase the pain, suffering & damage Andrew Cuomo wreaked on NY,” the Long Island congressman tweeted on Friday as initial reports of the Cuomo ad campaign emerged.

Starting at $3.50/week.

Subscribe Today