UPDATE: In a Friday conference, the Albany County Sheriff said Cuomo is scheduled to appear in Albany City Court on November 17 to be processed and arraigned. Sheriff Craig Apple told the media they have a “solid case” against the former governor.
Apple also said the summons has not been served to Cuomo yet, but he expects that to happen next week.
ALBANY, N.Y. (WENY) – A New York Court spokesman has confirmed a misdemeanor complaint has been filed against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, charging him with forcible touching.
There were initial reports that criminal summons had been filed, but officials say that summons was filed prematurely and leaked, though they did confirm the complaint had been issued.
According to the Albany Times Union, an investigator had reportedly filed paperwork in anticipation of getting a summons next week if the alleged victim agreed to go forward with the charges, but the Times Union reports that paperwork was leaked.
Last year, the former governor was accused of groping an aide in the Executive Mansion; previously, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office had said they were investigating the matter. According to the complaint, Cuomo “forcibly placed his hand under the blouse shirt of the victim” and grabbed her left breast.
Cuomo resigned following an investigation conducted by the State Attorney General’s Office. More than a dozen women had come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against the three-term Democrat. Governor Cuomo has maintained he did not commit any wrongdoing, even saying the investigation was a “political hit” against him, but still resigned. It was Cuomo himself who had authorized Attorney General Letitia James to let her office conduct the investigation.
Cuomo’s attorney, Rita Glavin, released a statement Thursday night, calling the complaint “patently improper”.
“Governor Cuomo has never assaulted anyone, and Sheriff Apple’s motives here are patently improper,” said Glavin. “Sheriff Apple didn’t even tell the District Attorney what he was doing. But Apple’s behavior is no surprise given (1) his August 7 press conference where he essentially pronounced the Governor guilty before doing an investigation, and (2) his Office’s leaking of grand jury information. This is not professional law enforcement; this is politics.”
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