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Andrew Cuomo’s attempted political comeback is officially underway — the run-out-of-office ex-governor launched a TV ad Monday claiming he was the victim of a political hit job despite resigning in disgrace.
The 30-second “Politics vs. The Law” ad — first reported by The Post on Friday — takes aim at state Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation that concluded the former Democratic governor harassed or mistreated 11 women, including executive staffers and a state trooper.
The 30-second spot strings together snippets from TV reports that highlight recent decisions by five district attorneys to not bring criminal charges against Cuomo for sexual harassment.
“Political attacks won. And New Yorkers lost a proven leader,” the narrator says as picture of Cuomo appears signing papers.
The ad does not mention that the prosecutors said they believed the women’s claims were credible, while concluding that they could not prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt based on current law.
And despite escaping criminal prosecution, the ad does not dispute that Cuomo violated the civil sexual harassment policy he championed and put in place.
“Accusations fly around the world at the speed of light, but the truth crawls at a snail’s pace,” said Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi.
“We will continue to communicate the facts to New Yorkers: The AG knowingly and willfully ignored evidence of perjury, witness tampering and extortion, and hid exculpatory evidence when she misled the public in her sham report last August,” he said.
Cuomo. through his lawyer, has recently attacked the credibility of his accusers.
The Cuomo campaign account is paying for the “significant” ad buy appearing on broadcast and cable TV and digital platforms.
But critics — including even people close to the Cuomo family — said the former governor, state attorney general and federal HUD secretary should pack it in.
“Andrew should give his family, friends and New Yorkers a break — especially the women victimized by his behavior,” said Allen Cappelli, who worked for Andrew’s dad, former three-term Gov. Mario Cuomo.
One of his alleged victims, former executive staffer Charlotte Bennett, said Cuomo is perpetuating his “Big Lie” and blaming his victims.
“He has spun a web of lies and ploys so thick that perhaps he is diluting himself into believing he can convince others of his `Big Lie,’” Bennett said in a tweet on Sunday.
Bennett said Cuomo “paints himself as the victim of a political conspiracy all while revictimizing those he harmed.”
“A narcissist in true form….He is only out for himself,” he said.
A spokesman for AG James responded Monday, “The only thing Andrew Cuomo has proven himself to be is a serial sexual harasser and a threat to women in the workplace – no TV ad can change that.”
“It’s shameful that after multiple investigations found Cuomo’s victims to be credible, he continues to attack their accounts rather than take responsibility for his own actions,” the attorney general’s rep said.
James also recently defended her findings at the recent state Democratic Party nominating convention, declaring she “will not bow” to his repeated criticisms and likened him to Donald Trump.
James’ office is still conducting a separate, criminal investigation into Cuomo’s $5.1 million book deal following allegations that he used government resources to write, produce and edit the pandemic-era memoir.
Cuomo also faces inquiries for hiding the true number of COVID-19 related nursing home deaths around the time he negotiated his book deal.
If he is attempting a political comeback, Cuomo has a lot of ground to make up.
A Siena College poll released last week found a majority of New York voters aren’t buying his claim of innocence and think Cuomo is a serial sexual harasser.
A total of 58 percent of those surveyed believe the former pol sexually harassed multiple women, compared to 21 percent of individuals who said he did nothing wrong.
About 80 percent of voters said Cuomo made the right decision by resigning last August — under the threat of impeachment — following James’ devastating report.
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