A Costly Legal Struggle for Accusers and the State
In the summer of 2023, Ana Liss found herself once again under intense scrutiny in a Rochester, New York law firm. She faced an eight-hour deposition about her time working in New York’s executive chamber and her allegations against former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Notably, she chose to go without her lawyer present — a risky decision aimed at saving money. Despite never suing Cuomo, Liss has accumulated about $30,000 in legal fees tied to investigations and lawsuits involving Cuomo’s alleged misconduct.
Cuomo’s legal defense, however, tells a different story. Even four years after resigning amid multiple sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo’s legal fees are still largely covered by New York taxpayers. As of July 2025, the state has spent $20.5 million defending Cuomo and several of his aides against lawsuits from former employees, separate from an additional $11.7 million spent on legal battles related to other scandals during his tenure, including his handling of the Covid-19 crisis and impeachment threats.
Aggressive Legal Tactics and Their Impact
Cuomo’s defense has been marked by aggressive and unconventional legal tactics designed to prolong litigation and dig deeply into the private lives of accusers. His team has sought extensive discovery, including access to accusers’ medical records, personal communications, and even probing their romantic and trauma histories. Legal experts suggest these efforts are less about uncovering truth and more about intimidating accusers and delaying justice.
Cuomo’s lawyers dismiss these criticisms, blaming the lawsuits on “cash-hungry” ex-employees and labeling investigations by the New York Attorney General Letitia James as politically motivated witch hunts. The attorney general’s office stands by its findings and rejects Cuomo’s characterization.
The Trooper 1 Lawsuit: A Case in Point
One of Cuomo’s accusers, known as “Trooper 1,” a state police officer assigned to his detail, accused him of repeated unwanted sexual advances. She filed a lawsuit naming Cuomo, his aides, and the state police. The legal battle has dragged on with no trial date set, as Cuomo’s legal team pursued broad discovery requests that even prompted judicial warnings about their scope and relevance.
This intense legal scrutiny has taken a toll on accusers, some of whom feel retraumatized by the drawn-out process and fear speaking publicly. Judge Taryn Merkl in the Trooper 1 case has cautioned Cuomo’s lawyers to handle inquiries into sensitive matters with care, reflecting the delicate balance courts try to maintain amid such contentious litigation.
Emotional and Financial Toll on Accusers
The prolonged legal battles have had devastating effects on accusers like Charlotte Bennett, who dropped her lawsuit after facing invasive demands for medical records and lengthy depositions. Bennett described the ordeal as “extraordinarily painful” and acknowledged it pushed her to dark emotional places. Despite Cuomo’s team calling their requests “routine,” the pressure on accusers is clear.
Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to publicly accuse Cuomo, is not suing but still faces heavy legal costs and subpoenas linked to other lawsuits. She calls the situation surreal and unjust, forced to pay for legal defense against Cuomo’s taxpayer-funded team.
Debate Over Taxpayer-Funded Legal Fees
The scale of Cuomo’s legal costs, all covered by taxpayers, has drawn criticism from watchdog groups. They argue that while the law mandates covering “reasonable” legal fees for former officials, Cuomo’s defense spending seems excessive and punitive toward accusers. Common Cause New York warns of abuse of the system, calling for limits on the taxpayer-funded legal support.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office maintains it is simply following the law by paying approved legal bills, leaving judgments on necessity and reasonableness to the courts and attorney general. Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office declined to comment on the ongoing payment of Cuomo’s defense costs.
What This Means Going Forward
Cuomo’s ongoing defense, despite his failed political comeback, highlights the complexity and expense of high-profile sexual misconduct cases involving public officials. For accusers, the financial and emotional burden is heavy, while for taxpayers, the cost of prolonged litigation raises difficult questions about justice, accountability, and how public funds are spent in politically charged cases.
