New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is on the shortlist of Joe Biden's picks for the role of attorney general

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is one of four candidates being considered for attorney general in President-elect Joe Biden's administration, a source told the Associated Press on Friday.
• The other three contenders include former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, outgoing Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, and Judge Merrick Garland.
• Cuomo has previously said he has "no interest in going to Washington" despite having previously served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under then-President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001.

The high profile New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is on the shortlist of candidates under consideration to become President-elect Joe Biden's attorney general, a source closely involved in the process told the Associated Press on Friday.

Cuomo, who has a longtime friendship with Biden, is reportedly one of four people who are in the running for the top role, which is currently held by William Barr.

The other three contenders include former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, outgoing Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, and Judge Merrick Garland, former President Barack Obama's Supreme Court pick in 2016.

The role is one of several Cabinet selections that have not yet been announced.

Cuomo has previously said he has "no interest in going to Washington" after an Axios report published two months ago tipped him for the role.

When asked by reporters what he would say to Biden if the position were offered to him, Cuomo said in October: "I would say, 'You are an old friend. You are a good friend. You're going to win this election. You're going to be the president. I'll help you any way I can.'"

Cuomo repeated his stance in a radio interview in New York this week, but also said that the attorney general job "is really critical, especially now," AP reported.

The role would not be completely new to Cuomo, who was New York's attorney general from 2007 to 2011.

He is also no stranger to Washington, having previously served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under then-President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001.

Cuomo saw a surge in popularity earlier this year after holding daily televised briefings on New York's COVID-19 response when New York City found itself at the center of the US outbreak.

However, over the months, the governor has received criticism over his handling of the state's nursing homes.

It is not clear how seriously Cuomo is being considered, although the source confirmed to AP that no decision had been reached yet and no announcement is expected imminently.

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