New York State’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics, or JCOPE, is launching a probe into its own body.
The Commission will hire outside lawyers to investigate the approval of former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $5.1 million book deal.
JCOPE’s Chair Jose Nieves made a public announcement following a private executive session of the commission. He said they voted to approve the retention of independent counsel to conduct an inquiry into legal and procedural operations of the commission.
At issue are claims that former Governor Andrew Cuomo used state resources to produce his book American Crisis as well as the claim that a staff member of JCOPE gave Cuomo approval to receive $5 million to write a book about COVID instead of having the Commission which is appointed by elected officials make that decision.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James and the Assembly Judiciary Committee are probing the book deal as well.
Governor Kathy Hochul has called for JCOPE to be replaced as well.
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