April 2, 2022

"Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo sued New York’s ethics commission on Friday, contending that its efforts to force him to turn over the proceeds of a $5.1 million book deal were a violation of his constitutional rights."

I'm reading "Cuomo Sues Ethics Panel to Block It From Seizing Book Profits/The lawsuit is the latest example of Andrew Cuomo’s aggressive stance as he returns to public life seven months after resigning as New Yorks governor." 

Aggressive stance! If the government had been aggressive and charged him with a crime, there would be more of a basis for seizing the money he's made from writing a book. It's not aggressive to want to hold onto the proceeds of your book!

The dispute centers on the commission’s approval of Mr. Cuomo’s 2020 memoir — a decision it reversed last year over what it said were misrepresentations of, among other things, his use of state resources. When the panel, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, ordered Mr. Cuomo to turn over the book’s proceeds, the state attorney general’s office balked at enforcing the directive, saying the commission needed to conduct an investigation before seeking to recoup the money.

In the lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Albany, Mr. Cuomo is trying to block such an investigation, arguing that the commission’s previous actions and what the suit characterizes as prejudicial comments demonstrated that it had already decided on his guilt....

18 comments:

tim in vermont said...

He was Mario's hatchet man for a reason.

Kevin said...

In the lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Albany, Mr. Cuomo is trying to block such an investigation, arguing that the commission’s previous actions and what the suit characterizes as prejudicial comments demonstrated that it had already decided on his guilt....

Now do Trump.

Wince said...

Public officials should only be allowed to negotiate a market-based per book royalty matched to actual retail sales, with bulk straw buyers excluded.

Anything more is easily construed as a veiled bribe.

John henry said...

Someone yesterday tried to tell us that, unlike Vlad, American pols (Clinton and Obama were mentioned) get rich off of book laundering.

Errrr... Book royalties I mean.

It would be interest to see how many people who say this actually bought these books. And even more interesting to see who read them.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

John henry said...

Wince,

I think what you are complaining about is the multi-million dollar advances that are never earned out in sales.

If so, I'm with you.

Cuomo got $5.1mm advance against (wink, wink) future royalties.

Figure the book sells for $25 and he gets 12% royalty. That is $3 per copy sold.

$5.1mm/3 = 1,700,000 books sold.

Are there that many Cuomo fans?

John LGBTQBNY Henry

gilbar said...

in a more perfectly perfect world, Cuomo would be NEEDING these millions to pay the families of the old people he KILLED, by intentionally placing covid patients back into nursing homes. The man MURDERED thousands of people.. Yet he walks free

wendybar said...

He SHOULD be in prison, if we had real justice in this country.

gilbar said...

Wince said...
Public officials should only be allowed to negotiate a market-based per book royalty matched to actual retail sales, with bulk straw buyers excluded.

Wait a minute, are you implying that millions of people didn't REALLY buy a copy of House Speaker Jim Wright's book of campaign speeches?

Some bone head the other day, posted here about how 'it was cool' that Hilary! and O'Bama and Biden were millionaires.. because they were 'best selling authors'
And now, you're saying that those people that bought tens of thousands of copies each; didn't REALLY WANT to read (and reread (and re-read)X10000)) those books?

ColoradoJim said...

Currently House rules state that a Congressman can not receive money from book advances while in office. What ends up happening is that once someone is out of office they get those huge payments especially if they are high profile Democrats. This points quite strongly to “buying” influence as they know that they can get similar payments once they leave office.

To cut down of this method of bribery I propose that any Federal elected office holder cannot receive any advance for any memoirs or political books published in the 10 year period after leaving office. After ten years have passed only then can they receive an advance for any new books published after that date, republishing books made within that 10 year period still would not get an advance. Royalty rates would also be set at a “normal” amount to stop the idea of bribing via very high royalties if advances are banned.

Critter said...

Perhaps he should be able to keep the book advance so there is money for payment to families of those he condemned to death in nursing homes. If there is justice, Cuomo should be destitute after losing the civil suits.

GatorNavy said...

Just a side note to this book kefuffle, Mein Kamf is still available on Amazon. I wonder where those royalties go?

boatbuilder said...

In my own highly unscientific study, I have concluded that 90% or more of librarians are big D Democrats, of which 75% think they are "centrists" because NPR is a completely unbiased source of information.

Every time a big name Democrat politician or current lib hearthrob puts out a book, every library orders at least 4 copies.

There are a lot of libraries out there.

Nobody else is actually buying these books.

The study is, of course, unscientific.

n.n said...

The man from planned parent/hood.

Tina Trent said...

Considering that he was supposed to be working for the government when he was writing his memoir, shouldn't he leave the royalties behind along with the silverware?

Howard said...

Lock him up

RMc said...

You want this ridiculous lawsuit to succeed, Professor? Why?

Skeptical Voter said...

The bandito wants his loot.

gadfly said...

Kevin said...
Now do Trump.

Your quote was written by the NYT who have done Trump many times.

As for Althouse, she thinks Trump is funny as in humorous. I think Trump is funny as in strange. And nobody laughs with Andrew Cuomo except his brother "Fredo."