The New York ethics commission that pursued former Governor Cuomo is unconstitutional, a judge says

By MICHAEL HILL
Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A judge has ruled that a commission created last year to enforce ethics rules for New York state’s employees and elected officials is unconstitutional because it is too independent. The ruling Monday came in a lawsuit filed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo has been fighting an attempt by the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government to force him to forfeit $5 million he got for writing a book about his administration’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Marcelle ruled that the commission’s independence makes it a problem under the state constitution.