New York Attorney General Leticia James said Sunday night that her office expects to get a “subpoena-related referral” to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Andrew Cuomo’s government.
“The referral will only be made to the Attorney General’s office,” James added. “It is not a responsibility that we take lightly. We will employ a law firm, replace them as lawyers of our office and oversee a thorough and independent investigation.”
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The announcement comes after James on Sunday called for a “genuine independent inquiry” to thoroughly review these troubling allegations against the governor.
“Allegations of sexual harassment should always be taken seriously,” she said. “I am ready to oversee the investigation and to make any appointments necessary.”
Under state law, the investigation can only be conducted “through an official reference from the governors’ office” and “it must include the summons,” James noted.
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Representatives of Cuomo’s office said in a statement to FOX News on Sunday that they had already withdrawn from their choice to oversee the investigation, thus paving the way for James and the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal, Janet DiFiore, to ‘ to choose an independent lawyer. to compile a public report on the allegations.
“We have elected former federal judge Barbara Jones, with an excellent record for qualifications and integrity, but we even want to avoid the perception of a lack of independence or distraction from politics,” said Beth Garvey, special counsel and senior adviser to the governor, said. said.
Garvey noted that Cuomo’s office asked James and DiFiore to “choose an independent and qualified lawyer in private practice without having the political interest to thoroughly review the case and issue a public report.”
“The work product will only be controlled by the independent attorney personally elected by the attorney general and chief justice,” she continued. “All members of the Governors’ Office will cooperate fully. We will not comment further until the report is issued.”
In a brief statement, Garvey added: “We will have all decisions regarding the investigation taken at the discretion of the independent attorney chosen by the attorney general and chief justice.”
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In a second email to Fox News on Sunday, James said she rejected the proposal that Cuomo’s office sent because it contained the chief justice. The attorney general again asked Cuomo to make a referral with the subpoena authority to initiate an independent investigation.
“By way of explanation, I do not accept the governor’s proposal,” James said in a follow-up statement. “The executive law of the state clearly gives my office the power to investigate this matter as soon as the governor makes a referral. While I have deep respect for Chief Justice DiFiore, I am the duly elected Attorney General and it is my responsibility to address this. The governor must provide this reference so that an independent inquiry with authorization for subpoena can take place. ‘
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Charlotte Bennett, a health policy adviser in the Democratic governor’s government until November, told The New York Times Cuomo asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life, including whether she had ever had sex with older men.
In addition, Lindsey Boylan, a former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to the governor, recently accused Cuomo in a damning essay published Wednesday, that he ‘went out of his way to put me on my lower back, arms and touch legs’. kissing violently on her lips during a one-on-one briefing, and suggesting that they play ‘strip poker’ during a plane ride.
In a statement describing interactions with staff members in the past, Cuomo said: “I never intended to offend or harm anyone. I spend most of my life at work and colleagues are often also personal friends. “
“At work I sometimes think I’m playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I sometimes bother people in a good way,” the governor explained. “I do it in public and in private. You’ve seen me do it hundreds of times at briefings. I’ve teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, whether to get married or not. I mean no offense and try just to add a little liveliness and jokes which is a very serious undertaking. “
“I now understand that my interaction could have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended,” Cuomo continued. “I admit that some of the things I said were misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent that someone felt that way, I’m really sorry about that.”
However, he explicitly denied that he ‘touched anyone’ and ‘never proposed anyone’, which is in direct conflict with Boylan’s allegations. Cuomo’s office had earlier denied Boylan’s harassment charges, calling them ‘merely false’ and insisting the comments ‘did not happen’. “
“I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to,” Cuomo said. “That’s why I called for an external, independent inquiry into these allegations.”
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“Separately, my office heard anecdotally that some people after me. [Charlotte] Bennett to express dissatisfaction with her arrival, “Cuomo added. My message to everyone who does this is that you have misjudged what is important to me and my government, and you must stop now – period. “
In a press release on Saturday, Cuomo Bennett called a ‘hard-working and valued member of our team during COVID’ who ‘has every right to speak’.
“When she came to me and opened up about a survivor’s sexual assault and how it shaped her and her ongoing efforts to create an organization that empowers her voice to help other survivors, I tried to be supportive and helpful. , “Cuomo said in a statement. statement, issued to the Times. “Mrs. Bennett’s initial impression was right: I tried to be a mentor to her. I never made progress towards Bennett and also did not intend to act in any way that was inappropriate. The last thing what I would have always wanted was to make her feel something that was being reported. ‘
Cuomo, however, said he approves an external review of Bennett’s allegations.
Neither Boylan nor Bennett responded to Fox News’ requests for comment.
Fox News, Joseph Wulfson, Danielle Wallace and Bradford Betz contributed to this report