New York’s top court issued a split decision on Tuesday that affirmed the constitutionality of the state’s ethics watchdog, saying it doesn’t violate bedrock separation-of-powers principles, while also giving the agency the go-ahead to continue an investigation into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s $5.1 million book deal about his handling of the pandemic.
The New York Court of Appeals’ 4-3 ruling, which Judge Jenny Rivera wrote for the majority, was a sweeping reversal of two lower court rulings. It affirms the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government statutory authority, which had been stricken by state Supreme Court and the Appellate Division, Third Department.
