Law Firm to Defend JCOPE. The Joint Committee on Public Ethics has hired Hogan Lovells to represent it in the ongoing litigation over the Cuomo book deal. The former Governor is suing to block the clawing back of his 5 Million dollar memoir advance. Letitia James has declined to defend the Committee. The Attorney General cites a conflict of interest. At issue are allegations that Cuomo used state employees to write, edit and promote the volume. That would be a clear violation of state ethical standards. The disgraced pol maintains the work was done on their own time voluntarily. It is part of Cuomo’s never ending disputing of the facts. Law Firm to Defend JCOPE. The controversies just go on and on !!