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New York governor signs law aimed at foiling Trump pardons

Posted at 1:58 PM, Oct 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-16 13:58:59-04

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a law clearing away legal hurdles that could have prevented state prosecutions of people pardoned by President Donald Trump for federal crimes.

The law signed Wednesday by the Democrat revises exceptions to the state's double jeopardy law.

New York Democrats say it will ensure that the state's ongoing investigations into associates of the Republican president can't be derailed by a White House pardon. Republicans have decried the law as a partisan attack.

The law was passed this year amid speculation that Trump might pardon his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort or former lawyer Michael Cohen.

Both have been convicted of federal crimes. Manafort is also awaiting trial on a New York state mortgage fraud charge that closely mirrors part of his federal case.