Lander for Mayor

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BOMBSHELL: Cuomo Now Spending ~$60 Million in Taxpayer Money on His Legal Defense; Lander Demands He Pledge to Spend “Not a Penny More”

Lander: I’ll be a mayor who funds priorities like housing, afterschool & pre-k – not fleece the taxpayers for a personal agenda

Watch the recorded press conference

NEW YORK, NY — Amid a bombshell new report that Andrew Cuomo has spent nearly a staggering $60 million of taxpayer money on himself and his personal defense — double what was previously reported — today Brad Lander demanded Cuomo commit to not spend a single penny more of the taxpayers’ money for his own personal agenda. 

“I have a very simple question for Andrew Cuomo: Now that you’ve spent approximately $60 million of the taxpayers’ money on your personal legal bills, will you promise to not spend a penny more of their money on your sexual harassment cases? It’s a yes or no question,” Brad Lander said today. “We need a mayor who’s in it for New Yorkers, not himself. The good news is: After so many years of endless scandal, we are going to end the Adams-Cuomo nightmare of corruption and chaos, and finally send both to their retirement.”   

Lander also said today that Cuomo should: 

  • Clarify how much he’s spent in taxpayer dollars on his sexual harassment cases thus far; and 

  • Reimburse the taxpayers for the amount already spent.

According to The New York Law Journal, the New York State Comptroller's Office revealed an updated total of “more than $60 million in combined legal expenses associated with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's embattled administration.” The report says this breakdown includes $17.9 million for Cuomo's state-paid defenses covered by the state's Public Officers Law, $11.7 million for state investigations paid through special state budget appropriations, and $31.3 million in other legal costs covered by appropriations. 

Instead of using this money to fund Cuomo’s legal defense, including his efforts to probe his accusers’ gynecological records, Lander laid out concrete improvements to education, public safety, and housing that the nearly $60 million could bring to New York City, including:

  • 9,000 afterschool slots

  • 2,000 NEW preK slots

  • 66,000 NEW summer youth employment slots

  • 1000 domestic violence shelter beds, or 

  • 2.400 supportive housing units.

Team Lander