Andrew Cuomo's $10,000 Per Person Fundraiser Slammed by Critics Amid Probe

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will hold a $10,000 per person fundraiser on June 29 amid investigations into his conduct and questions about his future in the state's top job.

Billed as a "Summer Reception," attendance at the event costs $10,000 for one person or $15,000 for two. It comes ahead of a July 15 filing deadline for his campaign to disclose funds raised in the last six months.

Cuomo is facing multiple investigations, including about his administration's handling of the underreporting of COVID-19 deaths in the state's nursing homes and several accusations of sexual harassment or misconduct.

Nonetheless, it is still widely believed the three-term governor will seek a fourth term in 2022.

Some social media users reacted with anger to the news that Cuomo was holding a fundraiser.

Republican Marc Molinaro, executive of New York's Dutchess County who recently announced he won't run for governor, shared a Bloomberg article with the headline: "Cuomo to Host $10,000-a-Ticket Campaign Fundraiser in NYC."

"There's a typo: 'Cuomo to host $10,000 a ticket legal defense fund fundraiser,'" Molinaro tweeted. "There. Fixed it."

New York Assemblymember Ron Kim, who is a Democrat, shared a Newsweek op-ed he wrote on April 19 calling on donors not to give money to Cuomo.

"To those billionaires and special interest groups considering giving Cuomo $10-15k at his summer fundraiser, read this first and reconsider. At least speak to your lawyers first," Kim tweeted.

Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean called the fundraiser: "Despicable."

"Maybe a good old fashioned protest outside this cash grab at the end of the month?" Dean said in a later tweet.

"I think he should meet with many of us who lost loved ones in nursing homes. But he's a coward. He would never show up," she added.

Former New York Post journalist Candice Giove questioned the price of the fundraiser and pointed to recent scandals involving the governor.

"It's bad enough certain elected officials stand next to Andrew Cuomo at his propaganda pressers," Giove wrote. "Who will shell out $10K to be in the presence of a man who killed seniors, made $5.12M off their deaths & sexually harassed women?"

There is currently an ongoing FBI investigation into the matter of reporting COVID deaths in New York nursing homes. The state required nursing homes to take back residents who had tested positive for the virus but recovered in hospital.

However, it has not yet been established that the administration's policy resulted in more deaths. A State Department of Health report published in February said the policy did not assist in spreading COVID in nursing homes.

A previous probe by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that COVID deaths in nursing homes were deliberately underreported. James is also investigating the harassment allegations.

Cuomo initially apologized for his behavior to the women accusing him of sexual harassment but later appeared to walk back that apology. He is also being investigated over whether he misused public resources while writing his book, for which he was paid some $5.1 million, according to The New York Times. This matter is being investigated by the state's attorney general.

"Cuomo will rake in $10K per head on a fundraiser, and still make NYers pay the bill for the lawyers defending his corruption," tweeted Michael Fraser, Director of Communications with the New York Assembly GOP.

Many other Twitter users who identified themselves as New Yorkers weighed in on the fundraiser, with user @eastriverunner saying: "The Democrats will not get rid of Cuomo. The investigation is a farce."

Newsweek has asked the Andrew Cuomo campaign for comment.