ALBANY, N.Y. — A former staffer for Gov. Andrew Cuomo who accused the governor of groping her breast has filed a criminal complaint against her former boss, the Albany County sheriff’s office said Friday.
The woman, identified only “Executive Assistant #1” in Attorney General Letitia James’ scathing report on accusations against Cuomo, filed the criminal complaint Thursday, Sheriff Craig Apple confirmed.
This is the first known instance where a woman has made an official report with a law enforcement agency over alleged misconduct by Cuomo.
The Cuomo aide who filed the report has accused him of reaching under her shirt and fondling her when they were alone together at the Executive Mansion last year.
Sheriff Apple told the New York Post that it is possible the Democratic governor could be arrested if investigators or the county district attorney determine he committed a crime.
“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 newspaper. “Just because of who it is we are not going to rush it or delay it,” Apple said.
Rita Glavin, an attorney and former federal prosecutor who represents Cuomo, called the story inconsistent with the timeline of the date in question. Glavin says the documentation, records, emails do not back up that account and that the woman was at the mansion for several hours and worked with other staffers. Glavin added that a look at the woman’s emails show she was joking and offered to stay longer that day.
The woman also told investigators with the attorney general’s office that Cuomo once rubbed her rear end while they were posing together for a photo.
The move comes after Albany District Attorney David Soares released a video Wednesday urging any victims of the alleged harassment to come forward and contact his office for participation in a criminal case against the governor.
Soares was the first of several district attorneys across New York who reached out to the AG’s office for “investigative materials” to open a potential criminal investigation into the governor. The Manhattan, Westchester and Nassau DAs also inquired.
An independent investigation overseen by the attorney general’s office found Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women and worked to retaliate against one of his accusers.
The attorney general revealed the conclusion of her office’s investigation Tuesday, calling the findings “disturbing.”
James said Cuomo sexually harassed current and former state workers as well as women outside of his administration. She said the toxic culture of the executive office prohibited the women from coming forward.
Cuomo once again denied the allegations and any wrongdoing on Tuesday.
