This is the latest in a continuing dispute over Cuomo's earnings from his book on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cuomo filed the lawsuit in Albany's state Supreme Court accusing the Joint Commission on Public Ethics with violating his constitutional rights, and showing "extraordinary bias" against him.
JCOPE spokesperson said that they did not have any comment.
JCOPE in December ordered Cuomo to turn over the money he had written in his book "American Crisis" (Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic). Cuomo's supporters decried the order, promising a legal fight.
However, shortly after that, the state attorney general's Office issued a notice stating that the commission needed to take more steps before it could be involved in trying to recover the money.
The commission is responsible for overseeing lobbyists as well as government officials. After being informed that Cuomo would not employ state resources or personnel, the staff of the commission had approved Cuomo's book agreement in July 2020.
An investigation by the state Assembly found that this was not the case and that the book's success was due to state resources and personnel.
Cuomo's representatives said that any state employees who were involved in the book were not working but using personal time.
