Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who stepped down last year amid investigations into multiple sexual harassment allegations, as well as accusations his policies contributed to thousands of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes, has hinted he plans to run for governor again to clear his name, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by CNBC.
Cuomo, who stepped down last August after an investigation found he had sexually harassed 11 women, was replaced by his lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul. However, when a recent poll showed the failed ex-governor just four points behind his successor, he reportedly began receiving messages of support from allies.
The 2022 Democratic primary is already somewhat crowded, with Hochul defending her seat against Long Island congressman Tom Suozzi and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Cuomo had planned to run for a fourth term before his third was cut short – and it might be his last chance, as Hochul has sought to limit all serving governors to two terms.
Let off the hook on both the harassment charges and on accusations of covering up thousands of nursing home deaths, Cuomo’s campaign still has some $16 million to spend, while his former second-in-command Hochul will be entering the primary season with over $20 million. However, nearly 6 out of 10 New York voters agreed with the state attorney general’s office that Cuomo had “violated federal and state law,” and even many members of Cuomo’s own party are vocally against the idea of him running again.
Cuomo’s younger brother Chris is also on the warpath, demanding $125 million from CNN in private arbitration proceedings. The younger Cuomo was fired over his extracurricular activities advising his brother on how to beat the sex harassment charges, and now he wants $110 million in damages plus $15 million he claims is owed to him under his contract with the cable network.
“Cuomo has had his journalistic integrity unjustifiably smeared, making it difficult if not impossible for Cuomo to find similar work in the future,” the former host’s lawyer said in a statement on Wednesday. The hefty sum being sought from the network “includes not only the remaining salary owed under the Agreement, but future wages lost as a result of CNN’s efforts to destroy his reputation in violation of the Agreement.”
His CNN show Cuomo Prime Time was suspended indefinitely last November, after the station acknowledged its host was much more deeply involved in providing defense advice to his brother than he admitted. Documents alleging as much were released by New York Attorney General Letitia James, showing Cuomo was proactively hunting down information and sources on behalf of his brother and was engaged in conversations with members of the governor’s staff.