SonnyCuomo
lost his bid to unravel the state's ethics commission Tuesday — in a huge blow to the former governor that allows the watchdog to reopen its probe into his $5 million pandemic book deal.New York's highest court ruled for the state in a split 4-3 decision, finding that the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government is ''not unconstitutional in every conceivable application,'' as Cuomo had argued.
The three-term Democrat — who is widely believed to be mounting a run for New York City mayor — had been fighting for nearly two years to unravel COELIG, which ordered Cuomo to fork over proceeds of his COVID-era memoir.
Two lower courts sided with Cuomo.
But the Court of Appeals upheld COELIG — clearing the way for it to resume its investigation into the former governor.
''Neither the Legislature nor the Executive Branch has undue influence over the Commission, a structural characteristic lawfully chosen to ensure the integrity of the Commissioners and to instill public faith in government,'' Judge Jenny Rivera wrote in the majority opinion joined by the rest of the court's more liberal-leaning judges.
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