Woman who alleges Cuomo groped her in Executive Mansion files criminal complaint in Albany
An aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo who accused him of groping her at the Executive Mansion last year has filed a criminal complaint in Albany County, according to the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman, an executive assistant whose name has not been made public, is referred to as “Executive Assistant #1” in state Attorney General Letitia James’ report released Tuesday, which investigated allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo.
Earlier this week, Albany County District Attorney David Soares said he would look into the accusations that occurred within his jurisdiction, and prosecutors in other counties where incidents happened said they would do the same.
Now the aide, according to police, took it a step further by filing a complaint.
Cuomo has denied the incident and said he has never touched anyone inappropriately as he faces growing calls to resign and as the state Assembly works toward an impeachment process.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple told the New York Post that the complaint could lead to criminal charges if the claims are substantiated.
“The end result could either be it sounds substantiated and an arrest is made and it would be up to the DA to prosecute the arrest,” he told the paper, which first reported on the complaint Friday.
“Just because of who it is we are not going to rush it or delay it,” he added.
The woman's lawyer, Brian Premo, said Friday that his client met with a Sheriff's Office investigator Thursday regarding the filing of charges.
Requests for comment from the Governor's Office were not immediately returned.
More: 'He won't take responsibility': Cuomo accusers feel vindicated by AG’s findings
What is alleged against Cuomo
The woman testified to investigators in the Attorney General's Office that she was subjected to regular sexual harassment and touching by the Democratic governor, culminating with an incident at the governor's mansion last November.
According to the report, Cuomo "reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast."
For over three months, the aide said she kept the incident to herself and planned to take it “to the grave,” the report said, but found herself becoming emotional, which was visible to colleagues, when Cuomo was publicly denying other sexual harassment allegations from other former aides.
The report found to be credible the accounts of 11 women — including previously public accounts of former aides Charlotte Bennett and Lyndsey Boylan — who said Cuomo acted inappropriately toward them while they worked at state agencies, including in the governor’s office.
Detailed in it were claims that Cuomo touched the breasts, bottoms, stomachs, legs and backs of a number of women working closely with him, including a state trooper on his security detail, and that he asked them intimate questions or made sexually suggestive comments about their appearances and love lives.
More on the AG report against Cuomo: Here are the findings
In violation of law: Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, AG report finds
Cuomo's ongoing denials and staying in office
Cuomo denied nearly all the claims in a recorded statement Tuesday, but conceded that he does kiss and hug people in his circle and may call women “honey,” “darling” and “sweetheart.”
The report reverberated across state government and the general public this week and brought swift condemnation of Cuomo from federal lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden, who said Cuomo should resign.
A Marist College poll Wednesday found 59% of New Yorkers want Cuomo to resign, or be impeached if he doesn't.
Meanwhile, Assembly Democrats are moving quickly to bring an impeachment investigation, launched in the spring by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, to a close, with Speaker Carl Heastie saying Cuomo had lost the confidence of his conference and that he can “no longer remain in office.”
Assembly Democrats are confident they have the votes to impeach Cuomo if he doesn't resign, and drawing up articles of impeachment could start in days — although it could take weeks for the process to conclude.
The Assembly Judiciary Committee, which would start the impeachment process, meets Monday.
If Cuomo resigns or is impeached, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul would take on the governorship until the next gubernatorial election in 2022.
On Thursday, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said Cuomo's office would cooperate with the Judiciary Committee's work.
"The Assembly has said it is doing a full and thorough review of the complaints and has offered the Governor and his team an opportunity to present facts and their perspective," Azzopardi said in a statement.
"The Governor appreciates the opportunity. We will be cooperating."
More on impeachment: Assembly leader says governor can't remain in office
Who is Kathy Hochul?: She's next in line to be NY's governor amid calls for Cuomo to resign
Includes reporting from Paste BN Network New York Team editor Joseph Spector.
Sarah Taddeo is an enterprise reporter for USA Today Network's New York State Team. Got a story tip or comment? Contact Sarah at STADDEO@Gannett.com or (585) 258-2774. Follow her on Twitter @Sjtaddeo. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Please consider becoming a digital subscriber.