The now-dead state Joint Committee on Public Ethics, called JCOPE, and justly known as a joke, was meant to be weak in pursuing the powerful and under the governor’s sway. And it proved its fecklessness in approving Andrew Cuomo’s COVID book deal when he was riding high. At the time, we counseled Cuomo against writing a book, called for no advance payments and suggested he donate any profits. He should have needed our advice.