By: Benyamin Davidsons
An influential New York elected official has proposed a bill limiting the amount of outside income state elected officials can make. As reported by the NY Post, the measure is apparently a jab at Gov. Andrew Cuomo who made over $5 million publishing his book, “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
Democratic State Senator Liz Krueger drafted the bill which would limit outside income earned by statewide office holders and legislators to 15 percent of their public salary. Krueger, 63 who represents District 28 on the East Side of Manhattan and who is the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, mentioned Cuomo book’s, as well as pay-to-play corruption by other legislators, as her motivation in introducing the bill. “Recently, a statewide elected officer received more than $4 million in advance payments from a publishing company for writing a book about the Coronavirus pandemic in New York,” Krueger said. “While there are ongoing investigations into this and several other matters, this bill would address both above instances by removing the appearance of public corruption in state government by restricting the outside income of state legislators and statewide elected officers.”
Cuomo’s book, published in 2020 amid the pandemic, has led to multiple investigations claiming that the governor allegedly used public resources to help publish it. The book, in which he lauds his own leadership during the crisis, has also attracted ire alleging he undercounted coronavirus nursing home deaths to help sell it. Nursing home advocates have called the $5 million advance he received to publish “blood money” made off loved ones who died from Coronavirus.
Krueger’s bill is modeled after the federal law which limits the outside income that members of Congress can earn. Certain income would be excused from the 15 percent cap — including pensions and benefits stemming from previous employment, and passive income from various investment activities or family-owned businesses.
In order for the bill to move forward, it will need a member of the Assembly to carry it in the lower-house. Also the legislature has adjourned for the summer, so the bill won’t be considered until next year, at which time all state officers and legislators will be up for re-election. Cuomo’s current state salary is $225,000, the highest of any governor in the U.S. Legislators in the Senate and Assembly currently make $110,000.
Cuomo’s office did not immediately comment. He has denied any wrongdoing in his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
