Important legislative intervention by Giannaris

The New York Times first reported on Thursday that taxpayers have paid at least $25.4 million to cover the legal fees of Mr. Cuomo and his top aides over allegations that he sexually harassed aides while in office, leading to his resignation in August 2021.

For his part, Mr. Giannaris pointed out that the state law applies broadly, and often covers defense costs related to any charges that occurred in the course of official duties. After that, he said he plans to lead the effort next session to change state law to clarify when legal fees are covered and when they aren't — such as for personal malpractice.

"We're now talking about tens of millions of dollars that could benefit New Yorkers in their everyday lives, and instead we're giving it to a disgraced former official who resigned from office because of the charges he's defending," Mr. Giannaris said. "It's crazy."

At the same time, Michalis Giannaris stated that his work on the proposal will probably continue in the next session. The deputy leader of the state Senate has sought feedback from Attorney General Letitia James' office on how the law could be most effectively changed, but the attorney general's office is not involved in drafting the legislation, Spectrum News reports.