Justice Department is investigating former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo
WASHINGTON − The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Democrat Andrew Cuomo, a leading candidate for mayor of New York City, over Republican allegations that he lied to Congress about his actions as New York governor during the coronavirus pandemic, people familiar with the matter said.
The probe represents another example of what critics say is the Justice Department's readiness to move against President Donald Trump's political rivals. Trump, who has painted past legal cases against him as an improper political use of law enforcement, has in a number of instances called for probes of his foes.
Several people familiar with the matter confirmed the Cuomo investigation, which was first reported May 20 by the New York Times. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.
More: Trump wants 'major investigation' into Beyoncé, Oprah, other celeb endorsements of Harris
A spokesperson for Cuomo, Rich Azzopardi, said the campaign had not been informed of the probe. He accused Trump and the Justice Department of "lawfare and election interference plain and simple − something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against."
Cuomo resigned as governor in August 2021, when a report from state Attorney General Letitia James accused him of sexual harassment and other transgressions. Cuomo, 67, denies the allegations.
More: NYC Mayor Eric Adams will seek reelection as independent, blames criminal case for delay
He is seen as the front-runner in the Democratic primary election for New York City mayor on June 24. The winner will challenge current Mayor Eric Adams, a former Democrat who is running as an independent.
Adams was once the subject of a federal investigation, having been charged with bribery and fraud, but the charges against him were dropped after he embraced Trump policies on immigration.
More: Andrew Cuomo announces NYC mayoral campaign to run against Eric Adams
Last year, a Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee had referred Cuomo to the Justice Department for possible prosecution based on closed-door testimony he gave to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Times reported.
"Governor Cuomo testified truthfully to the best of his recollection about events from four years earlier, and he offered to address any follow-up questions from the Subcommittee - but from the beginning this was all transparently political," Azzopardi said in his statement.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ investigates former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo over pandemic testimony
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sunnova files for bankruptcy on residential solar woes
By Tanay Dhumal (Reuters) -Sunnova Energy said on Sunday it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, as the residential solar panel installer buckled under the pressure of mounting debt and weakening demand. Sunnova is the second residential solar company to file for bankruptcy this month, reflecting the challenges faced by the industry as it struggles to cope with higher interest rates, an incentive cut in top market California and fears of subsidy rollbacks. Last week, privately held Solar Mosaic filed for bankruptcy protection, while industry pioneer SunPower collapsed a year back. On Monday, Sunnova said it had entered into agreements with Atlas SP Partners and Lennar Homes under which it would sell certain assets to each company for a value of $15 million and $16 million respectively, pending court approval. The company will continue its regular operations throughout the sale process. Sunnova filed for protection in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas after warning in March that it might not be able to continue as a going concern. The company listed its estimated assets and liabilities in the range of $10 billion to $50 billion and had a total debt of $10.67 billion as of December 31, according to a court filing. Sunnova said last week it would lay off about 55% of its workforce, or 718 employees, in a bid to cut spending. Earlier this month, its unit, Sunnova TEP Developer, had also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. President Donald Trump's administration, which is pushing to maximize oil and gas production, canceled a partial loan guarantee of $2.92 billion last month that was awarded to Sunnova by the Biden administration. Companies that put solar panels on U.S. homes said last month that a Republican budget bill that has advanced in Congress could deal a massive blow to the industry by eliminating a generous subsidy for homeowners that had buttressed the industry's growth. "Depending on what happens with the tax bill in Congress, the conditions in this market may become even worse in 2026, because Congress is considering ending the tax credit for residential solar," Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
14 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump heads to Fort Bragg while facing criticism for deploying military at Los Angeles protests
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to speak at Fort Bragg on Tuesday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army as he deploys the military in an attempt to quiet immigration protests in Los Angeles. Fort Bragg, located near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serves as headquarters for U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Highly trained units like the Green Berets and the Rangers are based there. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will also be at Tuesday's event, along with service members, veterans and their families. Trump has promoted the Army's anniversary as a reason to hold a military parade in Washington, D.C. , on Saturday, which is also his 79th birthday. Tanks and other vehicles will roll down city streets in a reminder of how the Republican president is reshaping the armed forces after returning to the White House this year. Trump, who sees the military as a critical tool for domestic goals, has used the recent protests in Los Angeles as an opportunity to deploy the National Guard and U.S. Marines to quell disturbances that began as protests over immigration raids. Trump has authorized the deployment of 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the city over the objections of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. About 700 Marines were also due to formally deploy to Los Angeles. California sued Trump over the deployment, with the state attorney general arguing that the president had 'trampled' the state's sovereignty. California leaders accused Trump of fanning protesters' anger, leading crowds to block off a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire. 'We're gonna have troops everywhere,' Trump said over the weekend. 'We're not going to let this happen to our country.' Fort Bragg has been in the middle of a cultural tug-of-war over the military. It was named after a Confederate general, then renamed to Fort Liberty two years ago. Hegseth brought back the Bragg name , but said it was being used to honor an Army paratrooper who served in World War II. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
14 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Primary day in New Jersey governor's race could offer hints on how voters feel about Trump
TRENTON, N..J. (AP) — New Jersey voters on Tuesday will settle the Democratic and Republican primaries for governor in a contest that could send signals about how the public is responding to President Donald Trump's agenda and how Democratic voters think their leaders should push back. New Jersey is one of just two states with a race for governor this year — the other is Virginia — and the fact two-term Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited has created fresh drama for the open seat. There's a six-way race on the Democratic side that features several seasoned political figures. Trump's endorsement of former state lawmaker Jack Ciattarelli may have given him a boost on the Republican side, where he faces four primary challengers. Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, but it's not the only day of voting. Early in-person voting was held from June 3-8. Mail-in ballots were sent to voters beginning in April. The contest hinges in part on New Jersey issues, including high property taxes and the soaring cost of living, but national politics are sure to figure in. Trump, who has long had a strong presence in New Jersey, waded into the race with his endorsement, attacking Democratic control of state government. Democrats are looking for a winning message and leadership after the sting of bitter losses in 2024. 'Because these are the first major elections since Donald Trump's return to the White House, there's a tremendous amount at stake simply through public perception,' said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. For Democrats? 'They'll just get further in a hole if they don't hold this seat,' he said. For Republicans? They could win because New Jersey tends to be purple during gubernatorial years, Dworkin said, but that would be viewed as a tremendous victory for Trump. The Democrats running are Mayors Ras Baraka of Newark and Steven Fulop of Jersey City; U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill; teachers union President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The Democratic campaign has been hard fought and pricey, with tens of millions spent in one of the country's most expensive media markets. On the Republican side, most of the candidates declared their support for the president's agenda, pressing for a state-level version of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. They've also said they would end so-called sanctuary policies and, in a New Jersey-specific pitch, called for the end of the state's 2020 law banning single-use plastic bags. Ciattarelli has said he would sign an order on his first day in office ending New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, which bars local police from cooperating with federal officials on civil immigration matters. He has also said he would direct whomever he names attorney general to end lawsuits against the Trump administration, including a case aimed at stopping the president's order ending birthright citizenship for people whose parents were in the country illegally. Murphy, who became the first Democrat to be reelected in more than four decades in 2021, is barred from running again by term limits and hasn't endorsed a successor in the primary. Both parties will look to build their general election campaigns on widespread voter frustration. For Democrats, that means focusing on the parts of Trump's aggressive second-term agenda that are unpopular. Republicans, meanwhile, are casting blame for economic hardships on Democrats who've run state government for the last eight years. New Jersey has been reliably Democratic in Senate and presidential contests for decades. But the odd-year races for governor have tended to swing back and forth, and each of the last three GOP governors has won a second term. Democrats have the largest share of registered voters in the state, followed closely by independent voters and then Republicans, who have roughly 800,000 fewer registrations than the Democratic Party. But the GOP has made gains in recent years, shaving the Democrats' lead of more than 1 million more registrations to the current level. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
