The Department of Justice is apparently investigating sexual harassment claims against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
A legal services contract released by the New York State Comptroller’s Office under a Freedom of Information Law request by the New York Post.
The contract, which included previously revealed DOJ investigations into Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and was signed in October, says “DOJ has also undertaken an inquiry related to sexual harassment claims made against the then Governor.”
The Post did not provide any other details of the contract.
Under threat of impeachment, Cuomo announced his resignation on August 10, a week after Attorney General Letitia James — who announced last month she intended to run for governor — released a damning report saying that the governor harassed 11 women and that members of his staff retaliated against at least one of them. Cuomo’s resignation went into effect two weeks later.
On October 29, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple filed misdemeanor forcible touching charges against Cuomo, although the case has been delayed until January at the request of District Attorney David Soares, who wrote that “we were in the middle of that investigation when the sheriff unilaterally and inexplicably filed a complaint in this court,” as CrimeOnline previously reported.
The Post said that the DOJ didn’t immediately return a request for comment, but Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi confirmed the investigation.
“Our understanding is that the Civil Division opened an inquiry in August based upon the AG’s politically motivated sham report and we have heard nothing since,” he said.
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[Featured image: Andrew Cuomo (Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)]