Cuomo faces watch group ethics complaint over campaign book promotion

A watchdog group on Thursday filed an ethics complaint against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for allegedly using his campaign device, including his extensive mailing list, to boost sales of his book on the pandemic.

Cuomo, a Democrat, received more than $ 4 million for his book, titled “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic,” according to the New York Times. The report suggests that Cuomo may have used state resources to help develop the book, which a spokesperson denied to The Times.

But Thursday’s ethics complaint, filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), makes a separate claim that Cuomo’s campaign device was used to promote the sale of books, which she says is against New York State law.

“Cuomo for New York appears to have converted campaign funds for personal use by promoting sales of Governor Cuomo’s book through emails and social media posts,” claims the ethics complaint filed with of the New York State Board of Elections.

The Cuomo campaign did not immediately return a request for comment from Fox News.

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The complaint details several instances in which Cuomo used his campaign’s mailing list and social media accounts to boost sales of the book.

“Dad’s new book, American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from COVID-19 Pandemic, will be released this week,” read an email written on behalf of the Cuomo girls and sent from “[email protected]”.

“The book is about how his team and all New Yorkers came together as the pandemic hit our state,” the email continued, before referring to Cuomo’s book’s Amazon page. “We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we do. You can order your copy here.”

“The bottom of the email clearly stated that he was ‘paid by Andrew Cuomo for New York, Inc.’,” notes the complaint from CREW.

The complaint also lists several similar posts that have appeared on Cuomo’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages, which it says are led by “Cuomo for New York,” the governor’s campaign committee.

“A campaign’s mailing list is a valuable asset – these lists are regularly sold or rented. Using his mailing list to promote sales of the book, Cuomo for New York used campaign funds. for the personal benefit of Governor Cuomo, ”the complaint adds. . “Social media accounts are also an asset of the campaign. By repeatedly using these accounts to promote the sale of the book, Cuomo for New York has used campaign funds for the personal benefit of Governor Cuomo.”

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He also notes that the email sent from Cuomo’s campaign website and posts on his social media were likely written and posted by paid campaign consultants.

Cuomo has repeatedly stated that he donates at least some of his book’s proceeds to charity, although it is not known how much.

The complaint notes that this specific situation has not been addressed by the New York State Board of Elections. But he says another advisory opinion drafted by the Election Board – which says a former mayor cannot, after leaving office, use his campaign device to help write a book – is similar enough to be relevant to CREW’s complaint against Cuomo.

CREW, which is apparently a non-partisan group, has a habit of taking action against Republicans. His “about” page boasts that “on Donald Trump’s first full day in the Oval Office, CREW sued him for violating the emolument clauses of the US Constitution.”

CREW has notably been at the forefront of attacking Sen. Richard Burr, RN.C., and former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., On allegedly inappropriate stock trading related to the pandemic the last year. The two were subsequently wiped out, along with a handful of other senators whose trades have also come under scrutiny.

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CREW Chairman and CEO Noah Bookbinder was a former senior official on the Senate Judiciary Committee under former Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

“The law only works when it applies to everyone, regardless of power or party,” Bookbinder said in a statement. “Governor Cuomo has operated in several spheres as if the rules do not apply to him. This seems to be another example, and it is one that needs to be investigated.”

Cuomo has seen his public image take a hard hit in recent months amid cascading scandals.

He was accused of covering up the deaths in nursing homes from the coronavirus, which many believed were due to New York’s policies at the start of the pandemic; sexually harass several women; create, with a group of high-level collaborators, a toxic working environment for subordinates and journalists; and ordering state officials to prioritize coronavirus testing for people close to him, including his brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo.

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Cuomo’s office denied touching women inappropriately; refused to fake nursing home numbers; denied directing coronavirus tests to people close to Cuomo; and said any presumed toxic work environment is a result of his office’s high expectations. Cuomo apologized for making the women uncomfortable with the verbal remarks.

The governor is currently facing an impeachment effort from the state legislature and an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn of Fox News contributed to this report.