A New York judge recently slammed former Governor Andrew Cuomo for using nearly $20 million of taxpayer money to defend himself in court. Cuomo is trying to clean up his image as he runs for mayor of New York City. But instead of paying for his legal problems out of his own pocket, he used the hard-earned money of everyday New Yorkers.
This all started with serious claims made against Cuomo. One of his former aides, Brittany Commisso, said that Cuomo harassed her while she worked for him. She even claimed he groped her in the Governor’s Mansion. The state chose to settle her lawsuit for $450,000, meaning taxpayers footed the bill. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Judge Denise Hartman, who oversaw the case, didn’t hold back. She dismissed the lawsuit but called out Cuomo for using taxpayer money to fight off these claims. She said the former governor used the legal system not just to defend himself, but to try to fix his public image. In other words, he wasn’t just fighting to clear his name—he was trying to get back into politics, and he wanted the people to pay for it.
According to the court, Cuomo’s legal expenses have now cost taxpayers more than $60 million. That includes money spent defending him in multiple scandals—not just the harassment claims, but also his handling of the COVID-19 crisis and a questionable $5 million book deal he signed while still in office.
This kind of behavior is plain wrong. While law-abiding Americans are working hard to support their families, Cuomo has been using their money to dodge personal responsibility. It’s not the duty of taxpayers to pay for a former politician’s legal problems—especially when he’s accused of serious misconduct.
Cuomo and his team argue that the state should pay because he was governor at the time the events happened. But being governor doesn’t make you immune to the law. And it sure doesn’t give you the right to drain the public treasury to save your own skin.
Even worse, Cuomo tried to dig into Commisso’s private records—including her gynecological history. That’s an outrageous move and shows just how far he’s willing to go to protect his public image. Judge Hartman rightly shut that down, saying it had nothing to do with the case and seemed more like a political stunt than a legal necessity.
The judge also made it clear that Cuomo’s legal actions seemed tied to his campaign for mayor. He’s trying to look like a victim and clear his name in the public eye. But instead of facing the music like a man, he’s hiding behind taxpayer-funded lawyers.
This kind of corruption is exactly what Americans are sick of. We serve our country, we pay our taxes, and we follow the law. We expect our leaders to do the same. Cuomo resigned in disgrace back in 2021. Now he’s trying to make a comeback by pretending he did nothing wrong—and using your money to do it.
Let’s call this what it is: a betrayal of public trust. If Cuomo wants to prove his innocence, he should pay for it himself. He made millions off his book deal. He can afford it. Taxpayers should not be forced to cover the legal bills of a man who left office under a cloud of scandal.
This is a reminder that real leadership means taking responsibility. Cuomo failed that test. And now, as he tries to get back into power, we must remember what he did—and what it cost us. Americans deserve better than career politicians who treat public office like a personal ATM.
