Andrew Cuomo S3xually Harassed At Least 13 Employees – FBI

Federal prosecutors say they agree with the New York attorney general’s allegations that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually assaulted numerous women and created a hostile work environment while he was governor.

In a settlement deal revealed on Friday, January 26, the US Attorney’s Office criticised Cuomo for allegedly sexually harassing and later retaliating against former employees, despite the former governor’s denial of the charges.

“Former Governor Cuomo subjected at least thirteen female employees of New York State, including Executive Chamber employees, to a sexually hostile work environment. Governor Cuomo repeatedly subjected these female employees to unwelcome, non-consensual sexual contact; ogling; unwelcome sexual comments; gender-based nicknames; comments on their physical appearances; and/or preferential treatment based on their physical appearances,” the report reads.

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The settlement was the result of federal prosecutors’ investigation of the former governor, which was conducted separately from investigations by Attorney General Letitia James and the state Assembly Judiciary Committee.

The federal investigation of Cuomo began in 2021, and it focused on whether Cuomo and his staff broke labour and civil rights laws as the former governor was facing a slew of sexual harassment complaints.

While there were no formal legal charges against Cuomo, the federal settlement reached the same conclusions as James’ 2021 report, which finally led to Cuomo’s departure.

“The conduct in the Executive Chamber under the former governor, the state’s most powerful elected official, was especially egregious because of the stark power differential involved and the victims’ lack of avenues to report and redress harassment,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division wrote in a statement.

Attorneys for Cuomo continue to reject the claims, claiming that the federal inquiry was politically driven.

“This is nothing more than a political settlement with no investigation,” Rita Glavin, an attorney for the former governor, wrote in a statement.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli