Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York Senate Republicans are calling attention to something that is tucked inside the recently approved $254 billion State Budget: A $10 million fund to cover private legal bills for state politicians.
This would be for fees and expenses for state employees involved in federal investigations unrelated to their official duties.
Senate Republicans are urging State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to protect taxpayers by refusing to issue payments from, what they call, a "slush" fund.
"It's getting a lot of high profile opposition," said Albany insider Jack O'Donnell of O'Donnell and Associates.
"But I suspect it's too late. It would be hard for the Comptroller to say no, when it's been voted on, even if it was secretly negotiated," he added.
According to Bloomberg, New York State taxpayers have spent over $61 million on legal fees related to defending former Gov. Andrew Cuomo against various lawsuits and investigations. This includes sexual harassment lawsuits, the investigation into COVID nursing home deaths, as well as other legal battles and investigations stemming from Cuomo's time in office.
"It's controversial," noted O'Donnell, "there's plenty of anger out there, but I don't expect it to change."
O'Donnell said establishment of the fund is clearly in response to a mortgage fraud investigation by the federal government of Attorney General Letitia James.
"Just the way that President Trump has said repeatedly and New York City Mayor Eric Adams that they were targeted by the Department of Justice, and federal government, now Democrats are using those same kind of claims to say that the attorney general is being targeted by a different administration. All of this is pretty sad, but it's where we are," he said.