Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo filed a civil lawsuit late Wednesday, one year after announcing his resignation, challenging New York Attorney General Letitia James' denial to pay his legal fees amassed during his sexual harassment case filed in federal court last year.

A New York State Police trooper who was part of Cuomo's personal security detail filed a civil lawsuit, claiming she suffered retaliation after her reports of sexual harassment while working to protect the former governor.

The woman, anonymously known as Trooper 1, filed against the New York State Police, former Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa and Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesman, in February.

Cuomo's suit filed in state Supreme Court in Manhattan on Wednesday night alleges the attorney general's office improperly rejected Cuomo's request for defense counsel or his legal fees and did not provide a reason or supporting argument for the decision.

"...Respondent James’s denial of Gov. Cuomo’s request for counsel was arbitrary, capricious, contrary to the plain text of the statute, biased, personally and politically conflicted and was in dereliction of respondent James’s duties as the chief legal officer of the state," according to the suit, citing state law.

The suit notes Trooper 1 depended on evidence and information from the Aug. 3, 2021, attorney general's office report that concluded Cuomo sexually harassed multiple female state employees and perpetuated a hostile work environment in the...

Read Full Story: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2022/08/11/former-gov--...