Former Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York had his sexual misconduct case dropped by the Albany County district attorney on Tuesday. Cuomo will not face prosecution in the criminal case built on allegations by a former aide that he had groped her in his mansion.
The DA made their announcement following a slew of decisions by district attorneys in Nassau and Westchester Counties choosing not to charge the former governor on other sexual misconduct allegations.
The Albany County DA’s decision not to prosecute Cuomo marks the end of the criminal charges faced by the former politician.
Cuomo resigned in August after the state attorney general released a report on multiple sexual misconduct allegations made against him.
The Albany district attorney clarified that he felt “deeply troubled” by former aide Brittany Commisso’s allegations, but that the DA’s Office felt significantly challenged by making a criminal case:
“While many have an opinion regarding the allegations against the former governor, the Albany County D.A.’s Office is the only one who has a burden to prove the elements of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt,” David Soares, the Albany County district attorney, said in a statement. “While we found the complainant in this case cooperative and credible, after review of all the available evidence we have concluded that we cannot meet our burden at trial.”
The report into sexual harassment that led to Andrew Cuomo’s resignation
The report, released on August 3, detailed the findings of a months-long investigation conducted by New York Attorney General Laetitia Green.
Green hired two outside investigators, top federal prosecutor Joon H. Kim and employment lawyer Anne E. Clark, to conduct the probe into Cuomo’s conduct while in office.
Within the report, which numbers over 150 pages, Democrat Cuomo’s pattern of sexual harassment is laid bare through numerous allegations made by employees and staff members.
The report concluded that Cuomo broke multiple state and federal laws during his tenure as the governor of New York.
The first accusation of sexual harassment emerged in late February, when a former employee described a series of unwanted advances by the governor, including a kiss in his office, in front of other people.
Cuomo was able to get away with sexually harassing members of staff after cultivating a toxic workplace environment that included intimidation and fear, the report charges.
Investigators pored through emails, text messages, and written accounts from members of staff, and conducted countless interviews with victims and witnesses.
CNN suspended news host Chris Cuomo after new details emerged regarding the help he gave his brother Andrew Cuomo in the New York governor’s multiple sexual harassment suits.
Chris Cuomo had served as a close adviser to the governor during the last year and a half of his governorship before he was forced to resign due to the scandals.
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