Legal aid for Trump targets slid into budget

A $10 million state pot could bankroll attorneys representing New York lawmakers in Trump’s crosshairs.

The legal defense fund would pay the fees for private attorneys that state employees retain to handle probes “initiated after January 1, 2025 by the United States government,” according to the legislative language.

Existing law allows state officials to tap into taxpayer funds for legal fees in some matters related to their public roles. The new language expands that eligibility to let the state pay where the official is being “subjected to what could reasonably be construed” as “retaliatory treatment” by the federal government. ...