ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A judge rejected former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's attempt to prolong a taxpayer-funded court battle with a woman who accused him of sexual assault, saying it wasn't in the public's interest to keep litigating for the purpose of repairing the Democrat's reputation as he runs for mayor.

"Cuomo has not advanced any viable argument for why the taxpayers of this state should continue to foot the bill for his continued use of civil litigation discovery devices to further his efforts to resurrect his public image," state Supreme Court Justice Denise Hartman wrote in a decision posted online Monday.

The decision comes more than a month after New York agreed to pay $450,000 to settle a lawsuit from Brittany Commisso, an ex-aide who alleged Cuomo sexually harassed and grop

See Full Page