New York taxpayers have already paid nearly $10 million for multiple investigations into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

But wait, there could be so much more. It’s quite possible the state could send a lump of cash to Cuomo’s still-active campaign account should there be an acquittal or dismissal of the criminal charges brought against him two weeks ago, POLITICO’s Bill Mahoney reports.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares said last week that the “potentially defective” charges were at “risk of a procedural dismissal.” And state law says if that happens to a public employee accused of criminal charges, New York will reimburse them for their legal fees. If politicians used campaign committees for their defense (Cuomo has) the reimbursement goes to the campaign account.

Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) has spent years sponsoring a bill to repeal the law, saying that the levels of privilege it offers to a politician compared to your Average Joe is “whole next-level outrage.”

But it remains on the books today, even after earning headlines in 2014 when former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno was reimbursed $2.42 million after he was found not guilty in his second trial on charges involving bribery allegations.

In July, Cuomo’s campaign committee had $18.3 million in the bank and had spent $285,000 in the prior six months on attorney Rita Glavin. It’s safe to assume Cuomo has paid significant amounts on legal services since then. It’s not yet clear whether the law would be interpreted in favor of Cuomo’s circumstances, but if the case does not result in a conviction, he will have the chance to argue that it does apply to him.

One note on that: Reimbursement approval starts with the attorney general’s office, and current AG Tish James and Cuomo aren’t on great terms, at the moment. But it also could be up to whomever succeeds her as she runs for governor.

“If I was the attorney general,” Gianaris said, speaking completely hypothetically, “I would be as restrictive as possible in interpreting this law, because the law itself is an outrage.”

IT’S FRIDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: [email protected] and [email protected], or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold

WHERE’S KATHY? In New York City with no announced public schedule.

WHERE’S BILL? Speaking at the Flight 587 20th Annual Memorial Service, and appearing on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer show.

WHERE’S ERIC? Unveiling a new library at Science Skills Center High School, and appearing on Fox5’s 6 O’Clock News and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360.

Eric Adams looks to quash spat with Black Lives Matter leaders, by POLITICO’s Joe Anuta and Deanna Garcia: Mayor-elect Eric Adams downplayed the significance of a recent disagreement with Black Lives Matter activists and doubled down on his campaign pledge to create a new plainclothes police unit Thursday. "I made it clear on the campaign trail. I'm going to put in place — not the anti-crime unit — I'm going to put in place a plainclothes gun unit," Adams said Thursday on CNN, referring to a much-criticized unit nixed by NYPD brass over a problematic history of shootings. "We must zero in on gun violence in our city." ... On Wednesday Adams had sat down with leaders from Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, who criticized his plans to create the new unit and threatened riots and bloodshed if the Brooklyn borough president made good on his word.

“De Blasio would be required to report debt repayment plan under new NYC Council bill,” by New York Daily News’ Michael Gartland: “Mayor de Blasio and other elected officials would be required to disclose debt repayment plans under a newly drafted City Council bill that Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan) is hoping to pass before the end of the year. Kallos, who represents the Upper East Side, has criticized de Blasio in recent days for refusing to disclose his plan to repay about $435,000 in debt he owes to Kramer, Levin & Naftalis, a lobbying firm that represents several clients with business before the city and which defended de Blasio against federal corruption charges going back to 2015.”

“Chinese Voters Came Out in Force for the GOP in NYC, Shaking Up Politics,” by The City’s Rong Xiaoqing, Clifford Michel, Suhail Bhat, and Will Welch: “After casting his ballot in the early morning on Election Day, Ray Huang made more than a dozen trips to poll sites in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood. Each time, he brought with him one or two Chinese residents who came to vote for Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, just as he did. They weren’t alone: While Sliwa notched 29% of ballots cast citywide and 24% in Brooklyn, in central Sunset Park he got 46% against Democrat Eric Adams, city Board of Election data shows.”

“Brooklyn Democratic Party Fight Reignites Over a Raunchy Song,” by The City’s Yoav Gonen: “A Brooklyn Assembly member is calling for the borough’s Democratic boss to step down after the leader’s husband allegedly recited a vulgar, sexist song lyric during a county party meeting on Zoom this week. Assemblymember Maritza Davila said Edu Hermelyn, a district leader in the borough, delivered the crude words in Spanish, which she believed was directed at her. She wants Hermelyn and his spouse — Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, Brooklyn’s top Democrat — to quit their party posts.”

“NYC is asking teachers to screen their students’ social-emotional health. Many feel ill-equipped to do so,” by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin: “Brooklyn elementary school teacher Andrea Castellano was initially happy about New York City’s plan to screen students for their social-emotional health. She wanted to understand how children were faring as they returned to classrooms full-time after two school years in a pandemic marked with illness, death and isolation. But Castellano quickly changed her mind when she saw examples of the 43 questions that teachers would be expected to answer about their students just two months into the school year: During the past four weeks, how often did a student think before they acted? Stay calm when faced with a challenge? Learn from experience?”

“Lee Zeldin: Letitia James 'will most likely be our opponent' in NY governor's race,” by Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter: “U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island, the favored gubernatorial candidate of state Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy, told Capital Tonight that Attorney General Letitia James has the most likely path to the Democratic Party’s nomination for the same office. ‘We believe that she is most likely to be our opponent for the general election,’ Zeldin said. ‘She is going to have the primary — not to herself — with others drawing some support from her. Jumaane Williams comes from her base in New York City.’ Another candidate who Zeldin believes might make inroads into James’ base is New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.”

MORE CUOMO CASH NEWS: “Andrew Cuomo sex-harass scandal could cost taxpayers $5.1M,” by New York Post’s Bernadette Hogan: “Well that’s a familiar figure in Cuomo-land. The state Assembly Judiciary Committee quietly increased the total spending power for its now-defunct impeachment probe of Andrew Cuomo to a whopping $5.1 million in taxpayer funds — the same amount the former governor netted from his under-investigation book deal. The contract with Davis Polk & Wardwell — the outside law firm hired to assist with the investigation — was amended on Nov. 4 to include an extra $4,870,000, according to records published online by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office. That’s a massive increase from the agreement’s original cap of $250,000 after the contract was first signed on April 20 and 21 — bringing the contract’s total expected cost to $5,120,000.”

“Ex-health official: Cuomo pandemic response top-down, demoralizing,” by Newsday’s Yancey Roy: “Tucked into the sexual harassment investigation of ex-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is a detailed transcript in which a former high-ranking state Health Department official describes a series of internal problems with the Cuomo administration’s response to COVID-19, including controversies the administration tried to tamp down. For instance, forcing statewide test results to be routed through the governor’s office first, rather than a reporting system to alert local health officials. Making unrealistic demands — in screaming phone calls — about swab tests and vaccine rollouts. Prohibiting state health officials from collaborating with county and city health officials through online webinars. A frustrated staff contemplating producing its own report on nursing home cases. Then there was the time when President Donald Trump personally called Dr. Howard Zucker, then the state health commissioner, to try to get New York to roll out use of hydroxychloroquine as a virus treatment and staff told Zucker ‘we can’t do that.’”

“Kathy Hochul woos Big Apple,” by Crain’s Brian Pascus: “Since Oct. 29, Hochul visited Bensonhurst to sign the Sleep Act, a law designed to regulate illegal car mufflers; held a news conference at the Barclays Center to partner with the Brooklyn Nets on a Covid-19 vaccination campaign; announced Chinatown as the winner of $20 million in regional economic development funding; and unveiled a $450 million tourism recovery package at the Museum of Natural History, which includes one-time payments of $2,750 to New Yorkers who work in tourism such as hotel workers, employees of tour bus companies and sightseeing guides.”

#UpstateAmerica: A graffiti artist atones for vandalizing a wilderness lean-to in the Catskills.

“AOC colleagues push to censure GOP lawmaker for ‘beyond the pale’ anime video,” by New York Daily News’ Dave Goldiner: “Democratic lawmakers are pushing for the House of Representatives to officially censure a far-right-wing Republican lawmaker who tweeted an anime video depicting him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and attacking President Biden. The proposed resolution backed by several colleagues would slap Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) on the wrist for posting the shocking altered video showing him as a heroic figure murdering the progressive lawmaker.”

“LI GOP congressman gets death threats after voting 'yes' on infrastructure bill: 'It's scary,’” by WCBS’ Sophia Hall and Marta Zielinska: “A Republican congressman from Long Island said Thursday that he has been receiving death threats after voting in favor of President Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure spending bill. Rep. Andrew Garbarino was one of only 13 House Republicans who voted 'yes' on the package, which passed Congress late last Friday. He told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall that while he has received praise and thanks from some Long Island residents, he has also been the victim of numerous threats.”

— A team of designers and consultants worked with Curbed to create a prototype for a redesigned New York City street.

— “For a 96-Year-Old Veteran, the Parade Came to Him”

— A new report from the Nature Conservancy used three-dimensional laser imaging of the city to take a census of New York’s trees.

— Public Advocate Jumaane Williams released a planto combat Black maternal mortality.

— Senior centers are still adjusting after reopening from the pandemic shutdown.

— A Far Rockaway school closed due to a Covid-19 outbreak, the second school shut down in a week.

— The city has reduced vaccine supplies for some pediatricians’ offices.

— Avi Israel, a longtime advocate against addiction, was named to the Opioid Settlement Board by Attorney General Tish James.

— National Grid has told upstate New Yorkers to expect higher heating bills this winter.

— Some parts of the Hamptons are less expensive than they used to be, but most of us probably still can’t go mansion shopping.

— “We are Paul Rudd’s bookstore — does that make us sexy by association?” Locals react to Dutchess County a resident being named sexiest man alive.

— Adams took Manhattan by storm Thursday night at a West 52nd Street Italian restaurant opening and said, “We’re supporting nightlife!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Jeff Zients … Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group … Naomi Wolf ... Olivia Lange ... Nasdaq’s Jeremy Skule … Lauren Peikoff of MSNBC … Protocol’s Bennett Richardson … Tim Urban … Carol Gluck ... Stephen M. Saland ... Al Michaels ... Adela Cojab ... Bernard Wachsman ... Linda Rosenthal (h/ts Jewish Insider)

OUT AND ABOUT — Reason magazine hosted a party at the Gramercy Park apartment of trustee Gerry Ohrstrom for Columbia University linguist and new New York Times columnist John McWhorter to discuss his new book “Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America” ($17.73 on Amazon). Reason’s Nick Gillespie interviewed McWhorter while Ian Bremmer, Esther Dyson, Jonathan Haidt, Laura Kipnis and Jesse Singal mingled. Also SPOTTED: Philip K. Howard, John “Rick” MacArthur, Nick Flynn, Robert Rosencranz, Brian Hooks, Sarah Rose Siskind, John Tierney, Meghan Daum, Alice Lloyd, Hannah Long and Cathy Young.

MEDIAWATCH — Per a statement: “Marin Cogan and Rachel Wilkerson Miller are joining the [Vox] network. Cogan joins in the new role of senior correspondent, writing feature stories and narrative longform on a wide range of subjects. Miller will edit a yet-to-be-named new section focused on how to help people live better lives, which is expected to launch in the coming months.”

… Per Talking Biz News: “Stuart A. Thompson of the New York Times is moving to the technology news team to cover disinformation. ... Thompson is currently a writer and editor in the Opinion section.” …

… “Insider has hired Julia Black as a correspondent. Black, who recently reported a story for the website about Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy, has been working as a freelancer for the publication.” … “Krista Kjellman Schmidt, lead strategy editor at The Wall Street Journal, is leaving.”

MAKING MOVES — Samara Karasyk has been named president and CEO of the Hudson Square Business Improvement District. She was most recently chief policy officer and executive vice president at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. ... Mike Perlmutter has rejoined the law firm Cole Schotz P.C. in their New York office as a member of the real estate practice. He has been vice president and real estate counsel at Seritage Growth Properties. … Hy Pomerance is now chief talent officer at Vinson & Elkin. He most recently was chief talent officer at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

IN MEMORIAM — “Edward L. Sadowsky, a Lion of the New York City Council, Dies at 92”

“Why this corner of the West Village is the real Billionaires’ Row,” by New York Post’s Jennifer Gould: “Billionaires’ Row isn’t where you think it is. For years, a growing number of rich and famous names have been quietly trading Park Avenue co-ops and 57th Street skypads for spacious spreads in the perennially chic West Village. Last year, the pandemic spurred sales in the historic ’hood, as billionaires sought isolation in self-contained townhouses. Now, the race for resplendent downtown real estate has reached its apogee with the combined townhouse-megamansion.”

“Fudging the numbers? Landlords say NY gamed survey to save rent stabilization,” by Real Deal’s Suzannah Cavanaugh: “Every three years, New York City checks the temperature of its housing market. Or at least, it’s supposed to. The triennial survey, sponsored by the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, counts apartment vacancies. A rate over 5 percent would mean the housing emergency, and thus rent stabilization for 1 million apartments, is over. Of course, that has never happened. And landlords have long argued that the government would do whatever it takes to keep decades of regulatory handiwork from unraveling. Recent events have reinforced that belief. The state delayed the vacancy survey, which landlords saw as an overt attempt to engineer a rate that perpetuates stabilization at their expense.”