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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Politics
Denis Slattery and Michael Gartland

Cuomo denies AG run as he grabs lunch with former NJ Gov. Chris Christie in Manhattan

The latest stop on Andrew Cuomo’s attempted comeback tour was a Manhattan lunch with a fellow former governor who’s no stranger to scandal.

Cuomo was spotted laughing and dining Thursday at Midtown’s Fresco by Scotto with ex-New Jersey leader Chris Christie.

The pair of ex-pols exited the 52nd St. restaurant separately after wrapping up their hour-long sit-down and shared few details about their discussion.

Christie, a Republican, quickly clammed up when asked what the duo chatted about, instead glad-handing fellow patrons on his way out of the dining room.

Cuomo similarly kept a relatively tight lip.

“The food was great,” he said with a broad smile. “It was just a lot of fun.”

Asked about persistent rumors he may be eyeing a run for attorney general, he responded with a firm “no.”

Cuomo resigned last August after a blistering report from Attorney General Letitia James’ office laid out multiple allegations of sexual harassment against the former Democratic darling.

The report detailed accusations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior from nearly a dozen women, including former staffers and a state trooper assigned to Cuomo’s security detail.

Despite stepping down, Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. A spokesman and his legal team have painted James’ investigation and subsequent report as “a political hit job.”

Local prosecutors who have investigated the claims outlined by James’ team found the victims credible but declined to pursue criminal charges against the ex-governor, leading Cuomo to claim he has since been vindicated.

The sit-down with Christie comes days after Cuomo launched an ad blitz focused on revamping his tarnished image and painting himself as the true victim.

Cuomo was also seen dining publicly earlier this year with Mayor Eric Adams shortly after taking office.

While Cuomo and Christie declined to share details of their conversation, the two may have commiserated over their shared dislike of federal prosecutors.

Cuomo has publicly accused Joon Kim, a former federal prosecutor who led James’ independent harassment probe, of bias against him. Christie similarly accused federal lawyers of ruining his presidential ambitions after prosecuting two of his aides over the infamous “Bridgegate” scandal.

The Supreme Court later overturned the convictions of two top Christie aides who were accused of shutting down access lanes from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to the George Washington Bridge in 2013 in retaliation for the town’s mayor refusing to endorse Christie’s reelection bid.

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