Trump: Cuomo using New York attorney general as ‘bludgeoning tool’ against me

President Trump on Monday lashed out at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), accusing him of using the state attorney general as a “bludgeoning tool” against him.

“It is very hard and expensive to live in New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes. They sue on everything, always in search of a crime,” Trump tweeted.

It is very hard and expensive to live in New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes. They sue on everything, always in search of a crime. I even got sued on a Foundation which took Zero rent & expenses & gave away…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2019

….New York businesses in search of anything at all they can find to make me look as bad as possible. So, on top of ridiculously high taxes, my children and companies are spending a fortune on lawyers. No wonder people and businesses are fleeing New York in record numbers!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2019

{mosads}The attack came in a string of tweets in which Trump lashed out at the state’s lawsuit against his foundation, which was forced to shutter. 

The president also claimed without evidence that “people and businesses are fleeing New York in record numbers” because of the threat of investigations.

Though it’s not clear what, specifically, triggered the president’s outburst, New York Attorney General Letitia James has been aggressive in investigating Trump and his administration. She filed or joined a barrage of lawsuits on issues from the administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to the census to the Trump Organization’s business practices.

The lawsuit against the Trump Foundation was started by James’s predecessor, Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in May 2018 after he was accused of abusing multiple women. Schneiderman disputed the notion that he assaulted women during what he said were consensual sexual encounters.

Cuomo responded by accusing Trump of distorting his record, saying he “doesn’t really understand how government works.”

“In his administration, he appoints the attorney general. So his expression of ‘it’s a tool,’ maybe his attorney general is his tool. In New York, the attorney general is separately elected,” the governor told reporters on a conference call.

“I don’t have an attorney general. He appoints an attorney general and I think, if anything, the fact that law enforcement is looking into his corporations, if he has nothing to hide he has nothing to worry about. But I think the tweet shows that his paranoia is once again getting the better of him,” Cuomo added.

James also responded to Trump, tweeting that “No one is above the law, not even the President.”

As the elected AG of NY, I have a sworn duty to protect & uphold state law. My office will follow the facts of any case, wherever they lead.

Make no mistake: No one is above the law, not even the President.

P.S. My name is Letitia James. (You can call me Tish.) https://t.co/GXkZ2QVWqE

— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) July 1, 2019

— This report was updated at 1:38 p.m.