NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The lawmaker who heads the state Senate’s finance committee is calling for Andrew Cuomo to return the $19 million in donations that make up his sizeable campaign war chest.
State Sen. Liz Krueger made the demand Friday — while also urging donors to request refunds.
“I urge all donors to Andrew Cuomo’s 2022 campaign to request refunds of their contributions. I also urge Mr. Cuomo to close his account and return all contributions voluntarily,” Krueger said in a statement.
“I suspect he will not, but should he refuse to do this, it is important for those who have supported the former governor in the past to understand that their money will now be used to lie about and attack his perceived enemies,” she went on.
Cuomo resigned Monday under the cloud of multiple scandals following the damning report from Attorney General Letitia James that detailed sexual harassment allegations against him.
Cuomo’s largest donors include the heads of the powerful development firm Tishman Realty & Construction Co, as well as Steven Cohen, the hedge fund manager and owner of the New York Mets, among others, according to Krueger.
Cuomo’s aides have said he has no desire to seek office in the future. That means he could be violating “personal use” provisions of state law if he continues to employ staff to release statements on his behalf, according to Krueger.
“According to the ex-governor’s top aide Melissa DeRosa, Andrew Cuomo ‘has no interest in running for office again,'" Krueger said. "Yet he continues to use campaign funds to employ Rich Azzopardi, and perhaps others, who were implicated in the Attorney General’s report on sexual harassment by the governor.”