Cuomo Legal Defense Fees



Governor Andrew Cuomo’s campaign committee revealed yesterday that it has paid an additional $100,000 to Cuomo’s criminal defense lawyers.  In a required semi-annual filing Cuomo’s campaign listed a June 10th $100,000 payment to Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello.  Cuomo was asked about that payment, and whether it means “the Executive Chamber is being targeted by the U.S. Attorney investigation” reported to be underway by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Cuomo replied that the payment was “just another installment in the legal fees that were for services last year, basically for document production.”  He did not provide any more description or detail, so it’s unclear what services his outside counsel have provided.  His reference to the payment being for “services last year” raises additional questions of what work those lawyers have performed in the past 6 1/2 months.  It also suggests an omission from Cuomo’s January campaign finance filing.  Campaigns are required to report, on Schedule N of their semi-annual reports, “outstanding liabilities for goods or services received.”  Cuomo’s January filing reported four items on it’s Schedule N, but none to Morvillo Abramowitz.  If the services covered by the June payment were in fact performed in 2014, and therefor prior to the January 2015 report, the Cuomo campaign’s debt should have been reported in January.

Here’s Cuomo’s full response:

Cuomo spoke during a Q&A at Hostos Community College – the full Q&A is here.