1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

New York taxpayers have already paid nearly $60 million in legal fees related to the scandals surrounding former Governor Andrew Cuomo, according to a review by the state comptroller's office. This exorbitant spending of public funds to defend Cuomo against sexual harassment allegations and other controversies is highly concerning. It perpetuates the harassment of the very women he was found to have mistreated and represents a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars. I urge you to take immediate action to halt any further state funding for Cuomo's personal legal defense. While current laws may entitle him to publicly-funded representation, the fiscally responsible decision is to cut off this wasteful spending. The public interest is not served by bankrolling Cuomo's aggressive legal tactics aimed at intimidating his accusers and obstructing accountability. New Yorkers deserve for their tax dollars to be spent judiciously on programs and services that truly benefit the people, not squandered on the self-serving legal battles of a disgraced former official. I implore you to exercise your authority to conduct an audit and put a stop to this unacceptable drain on public resources. Protecting New York's finances and preventing further abuse of funds intended for the public good must be the priority.