Ex-NY Gov. Cuomo loses bid to halt ethics probe into his $5M COVID book deal | 18 Feb 2025 | Andrew Cuomo lost his bid to unravel the state's ethics commission Tuesday -- in a huge blow to the former governor that allows the watchdog to reopen its probe into his $5 million pandemic book deal. New York's highest court ruled for the state in a split 4-3 decision, finding that the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government is "not unconstitutional in every conceivable application," as Cuomo had argued. The three-term Democrat -- who is widely believed to be mounting a run for New York City mayor -- had been fighting for nearly two years to unravel COELIG, which ordered Cuomo to fork over proceeds of his COVID-era memoir. Two lower courts sided with Cuomo. But the Court of Appeals upheld COELIG -- clearing the way for it to resume its investigation into the former governor.