Gov. Kathy Hochul is cutting off all taxpayer funding for legal bills racked up by aides to disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo as several investigations continue, according to a new report.
Hochul’s top lawyer — Elizabeth Fine — emailed several law firms representing the ex-staffers on Sept. 2, telling them that from that day forward the state will no longer foot the bill for any new attorneys fees accumulated, Spectrum News reported and independently confirmed by The Post.
Fine also wrote the state is in the process of reviewing whether or not the state can go back on approvals for past bills associated with multiple probes.
Cuomo formerly argued that lawyers retained by the Executive Chamber — including his own expenses and that of former aides — to defend staffers tied to the investigations is a “state expense.”
The ex-governor has also retained his own private attorney, Rita Glavin, who is being paid out of his massive $18 million campaign account.
Cuomo resigned last month following the release of a bombshell sexual harassment report by independent probers through state Attorney General Letitia James’ Office, concluding he harassed at least 11 women including current and former staffers.
Several district attorneys across the state opened their own probes into the governor’s conduct following the report’s findings, as well as criminal complaint filed with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and the Albany County District Attorneys Office by Cuomo-accuser and current Hochul staffer, Brittany Commisso.
James is also leading a criminal investigation into the ex-governor’s alleged misuse of state resources tied to his $5.1 million book deal.
The Brooklyn federal prosecutor and FBI are also investigating the nursing home data and book deal.
Meanwhile, the Assembly Judiciary Committee is wrapping up its own now-defunct impeachment inquiry into the former governor’s pandemic-related nursing home policy and the release of data, the book deal and sexual harassment allegations. The panel is expected to release their own report on the findings within the coming weeks, sources say.
A former Cuomo staffer confirmed the Fine letter was sent to attorneys representing former staffers.
“We are evaluating and reviewing invoices for legal services rendered on or before September 2nd to determine whether there is a legal basis for the State to make these payments. Relevant law firms were all advised that payment of invoices for any services rendered after September 2nd will be the sole responsibility of the represented individual employee, unless authorization is provided by the Attorney General pursuant to the Public Officers Law,” said Hochul spokeswoman Haley Viccaro.
A request for comment from Attorney General Letitia James as to what jurisdiction her office has in the matter was not immediately returned to The Post.