Cuomo’s taxpayer-funded lawyers bankroll his mayoral campaign with fundraiser
Lawyers who’ve pocketed millions in taxpayer cash by defending ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his associates against COVID-related and sexual harassment claims are hosting a fundraiser for his mayoral bid.
The bash will take place Thursday at the Manhattan office of Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello, according to an invitation obtained by The Post and first reported by New York Focus.
The law firm received $2.79 million for defending Cuomo and his staff in the executive chamber during probes into his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rita Glavin and Theresa Trzaskoma — who are representing Cuomo in sexual harassment cases — are listed as co-hosts, along with Joseph Belluck, a trial lawyer who is a State University of New York board trustee.
Glavin’s firm has been paid $5.68 million, while Trzaskoma’s firm, Sher Tremonte, has pocketed $6.4 million in taxpayer cash.
The solicitation was sent to members of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, of which Belluck — who does not rep Cuomo — is vice president.
Contributors are asked to give from $250 to a maximum of $2,100.
Advocates with the #MeToo movement and Cuomo’s mayoral opponents slammed the fundraiser as outrageous.
“I don’t think New York taxpayers are going to be any more thrilled that their hard-earned money is going to Andrew Cuomo’s campaign,” said Erica Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group established by former Albany legislative staffers.
“This adds insult to injury to the women who continue to be harassed and retaliated against with his lawfare defense tactics,” she said of Cuomo.
Karen Hinton, a former staffer who claimed Cuomo made unwanted sexual advances towards her in 2000 when he was the US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, called the fundraiser “appalling.”
“It’s the recycling of funds from the taxpayers to the lawyers and back to Andrew Cuomo. It’s appalling. They have benefited enormously from having Andrew Cuomo as a client,” said Hinton.
Cuomo has repeatedly denied harassing or abusing Hinton.
Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Cuomo rival in the Democratic primary for mayor, said, “Our taxpayer dollars should not be going towards Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to further harass women, lie about nursing home deaths, and then fund his political rehabilitation tour.
“It’s time to move forward as a city, not return to the problematic leaders of the past,” he said.
Dora Pekec, a spokeswoman for City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is also running for Gracie Mansion, said: “Andrew Cuomo sent tens of millions of our taxpayer dollars to these law firms to handle his personal scandals, and now he’s funneling the money back to him for his political campaign? Give me a break. New Yorkers can hardly wait for the day the Adams–Cuomo nightmare of corruption and chaos finally ends.”
Cuomo campaign spokesman Richard Azzopardi dismissed the criticism.
He noted the contribution limits are a maximum $2100 per person and a modest $400 if a lawyer has business before the city, as in Trzaskoma’s case.
“They are among many New Yorkers from this and many other sectors supporting and helping the governor because they know he’s the one with the experience and record needed to help this city in crisis,” Azzopardi said.
He said of the Cuomo lawyers co-hosting the event, “They also saw first hand the injustice that was done — and frankly you can’t have a better validation than from the people who best know the facts.”
Other law firms doing fundraisers for Cuomo include Greenberg Traurig, Paul Weiss, Sullivan and Cromwell, Fried Frank, a campaign source said..
New York taxpayers have coughed up a whopping $60 million in legal fees stemming from all scandals that ensnared Andrew Cuomo’s administration as governor, according to updated figures from the state comptroller.
Cuomo has denied wrongdoing.
Queens state Sen. Jessica Rosa, a mayoral candidate, chimed in, “It should come as no surprise that Andrew Cuomo is enriching his campaign from a cesspool of figures who attack women and leech off tax-payer funding to defend his corrupt behavior.
“Most New Yorkers see straight through his latest mayoral charade. Like his last moment in the spotlight, this one will end in disgrace. New Yorkers deserve better and will make that clear in June.”
