ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been confirmed to have sexually harassed more than a dozen state employees, according to a settlement announced on Friday by the U.S. Justice Department. This settlement resolves the federal agency's sexual harassment investigation into Cuomo, as well as outlines additional measures that the state will take in order to address and change how it handles misconduct complaints.
Cuomo, who was once considered a rising star in the Democratic party, resigned from office in 2021 after an investigation led by New York Attorney General Letitia James concluded that he had sexually harassed at least 11 women. Despite denying any wrongdoing and accusing James of politically-driven motivations behind the report, the settlement reached with the Justice Department reveals a similar pattern of sexual misconduct by Cuomo.
The Justice Department investigation found that Cuomo subjected at least 13 state employees to a sexually hostile work environment. Moreover, it concluded that Cuomo's staffers did not adequately report allegations and even retaliated against women who raised complaints. While the agency did not release a detailed report of its investigation, it did publish a list of its findings.
This settlement undermines Cuomo's ongoing criticism of the probe conducted by Attorney General Letitia James and comes at a critical juncture as he is rumored to be considering a political comeback. A spokesperson for James reaffirmed the findings, stating, 'Today, the U.S. Department of Justice found that Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and created a hostile work environment, confirming what the New York attorney general's independent report found over two years ago. Andrew Cuomo can continue to deny the truth and attack these women, but the facts do not lie.'
Cuomo's attorney, Rita Glavin, dismissed the Justice Department investigation, calling it a 'political settlement' and claimed that the probe was solely based on James' flawed and biased report. Glavin also stated that Cuomo was not contacted by the Justice Department during the investigation.
In addition to the settlement itself, the state of New York has committed to implementing changes to address misconduct and harassment. These changes include establishing a process for individuals to lodge complaints against senior officials through a third-party law firm and providing additional training on reporting harassment and discrimination. Furthermore, the governor's office will create a dedicated program to monitor and prevent potential retaliation against individuals who file complaints.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who assumed office after Cuomo's resignation, expressed her commitment to reforming the state's procedures for addressing and preventing sexual harassment and retaliation. Hochul stated, 'The moment I took office, I knew I needed to root out the culture of harassment that had previously plagued the Executive Chamber and implement strong policies to promote a safe workplace for all employees, and took immediate action to do so.'
The settlement reached between the U.S. Justice Department and New York solidifies the serious nature of the allegations against Andrew Cuomo and highlights the need for significant changes in how sexual misconduct is handled within the state government. Moving forward, it will be crucial for the state of New York to truly transform its approach to create a safe and inclusive work environment free from harassment and discrimination.
