Disgraced Ex-NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Ordered To Return $5 Million Payday From Pandemic Book Amid Sexual Harassment Scandal
Andrew Cuomo has been ordered to pay back $5.1 million to the state of New York after collecting the huge payday from his pandemic book while serving as Governor. Cuomo has since lost his job after being hit with a massive sexual harassment scandal, and now he's "not legally entitled to retain compensation."
He doesn't have long to return the money either. The Joint Commission on Public Ethics voted and 12-1 ruled Cuomo must pay the money back by next month.
The 64-year-old politician was allowed to retain compensation for his book American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic while he was governor, but now that he's not representing the state, the decision has been revoked.
Cuomo “lacked the legal authority to engage in outside activity and receive compensation in regard to the book," according to commissioner David McNamara to announced the decision on Tuesday.
He added, "Gov. Cuomo is not legally entitled to retain compensation … for any form of outside activity related to the book."
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Cuomo's book money has been ordered to be turned over to Attorney General Letitia James — the very person whose report findings lost him his job as Governor.
"It is ordered that by no later than 30 days from the date of this resolution, Gov. Cuomo pay over to the attorney general of the State of New York an amount equal to the compensation paid to him for his outside activities related to the book,” the resolution states.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Cuomo resigned as NY Governor in August after James' report found he had sexually harassed 11 women, including former and current state employees.
He's not the only Cuomo sibling facing a scandal.
His little brother Chris Cuomo was fired from CNN this month after the network discovered he helped cover up Andrew's sexual harassment scandal more than he let on.
It was later discovered that days before CNN let their longtime host go, he was accused of sexual misconduct by a former female colleague.