Former Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, Accused of Sexual Harassment

The U.S Department of Justice announced on January 26 an agreement supporting the New York Attorney General’s allegations that Andrew Cuomo, former Governor of New York State, breached federal laws by sexually harassing female staff and punishing the whistle-blowers. This news comes from source of Reader Wall.

Federal Actions and Reforms

In light of this, the federal agency inked a settlement with the New York Executive Chamber authorizing multiple reforms intended to prevent and address future misconduct. These were initiated by Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s successor.

Several of Hochul’s reforms included terminating workers who assisted Cuomo in retaliating against his accusers, establishing a human resources department, and devising protocols for employees to report episodes of sexual harassment.

Response from Cuomo’s Legal Team

Reacting to the announcement, Rita Glavin, Cuomo’s lawyer, vehemently denied the allegations, stating that the ex-governor “did not sexually harass anyone.” Glavin dismissed the Justice Department’s investigation as being entirely predicated on the State Attorney General’s report, which she described as “deeply flawed, inaccurate, biased, and misleading.”

Probe Findings

The final announcement wrapped up an investigation launched in August 2021 after the New York’s Democratic Attorney General discovered that Cuomo, also a Democrat, had illegally groped, kissed or made inappropriate remarks to 11 women, and that his office had retaliated against the initial whistleblower.

The controversy resulted in Cuomo, who had been serving as the governor of New York State since 2011, to resign just a week later due to pressure from several high-profile figures, including President Joe Biden.

Upcoming Legal Proceedings

In 2023, a lawsuit was filed against Cuomo by one of his former aides, alleging she was repeatedly subjected to sexual harassment while working under his administration, starting in December 2019. The allegations ranged from sexual comments to unsolicited touching.

Before the filing of the lawsuit, the aide had lodged a criminal complaint against Cuomo. However, the misconduct claims were dropped by a local prosecutor who argued that they could not prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

Public Reaction

The public has shown a keen interest in the findings of the case, with many leaving comments on the article and others sharing the information online. Topics related to both the USA and sexual assault are trending in relation to this incident.