NY Ethics Commission Rescinds Approval For Cuomo Book Deal

A state ethics commission in New York is rescinding its prior approval for former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s book deal.

The vote on Tuesday was 12-1.

The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) granted approval for Cuomo’s $5.1 million book deal in June.

At that time, the former Governor’s special counsel told the Ethics Commission that Cuomo would write the book, “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” entirely on his own.

Since then, Cuomo has acknowledged that state employees “volunteered” for tasks, including editing the manuscript.

Recent reports have emerged that say several state workers aided the governor as he authored the memoir.

Cuomo will have the chance to apply for a new approval and if one isn’t granted, the commission could then force him to repay millions in profits.

"These JCOPE members are acting outside the scope of their authority and are carrying the water of the politicians who appointed them,” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told Politico.com. “It is the height of hypocrisy for [Gov. Kathy] Hochul and the legislature's appointees to take this position, given that these elected officials routinely use their own staff for political and personal assistance on their own time.”

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics was created 2011 by Governor Cuomo to oversee and regulate lobbying in New York.

It has broad authority over Statewide elected officials, candidates for those offices, executive branch officers and employees, members of the Legislature and legislative branch employees and candidates, as well as certain political party chairs, and registered lobbyists and their clients.