Jonathan Capehart Presses Ex-Human Rights Campaign President Ousted Over Connection to Cuomo Harassment Scandal

Alphonso David, former president of the Human Rights Campaign, defended his conduct in an interview after being fired from the organization over his connection to Andrew Cuomo’s sexual harassment scandal.

When New York Attorney General Letitia James released her explosive report on Cuomo’s alleged conduct as New York governor, her report noted in part that David — previously a lawyer for Cuomo — was still in contact with the ex-governor’s office. James reported that David possessed a memo about Cuomo accuser Lindsey Boylan’s employment with the Cuomo office, and that David was involved in their efforts to smear Boylan over her accusations. This prompted the HRC to fire David on the justifications of reputational damage, conflict of interest and breaking with their core objectives.

David has claimed that his firing was unjustified, so MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart spoke to him on Sunday to get his side of the dispute. Capehart started things off by asking David why he had a copy of Boylan’s employment files even though he no longer worked for Cuomo.

David answered that as a lawyer, he kept copies “of all my files” from all of his employers. He added “no one in the public knows that,” that the Boylan memo was part of his saved works, and “the Human Rights Campaign decided not to do an independent investigation and not release those facts.”

David continued by saying that

his communications with Cuomo’s office occurred after they reached out and asked him to direct them to Boylan’s files. After that, Capehart asked about testimony James received about the letter Cuomo’s office was preparing in order to malign Boylan. Testimony from Melissa DeRosa states that David declined to sign it, but later said “if you need me to, I will.”

“The attorney general said it meets the definition of retaliating against someone who is making allegations of sexual harassment,” Capehart said. “We know why you wouldn’t sign the letter, but then, why say ‘if you need me to, I will?'”

“I never signed the letter,” David said. “What they had asked me was whether anyone had reported harassment, discrimination, or retaliation to me, and the answer was no. And reporters had inquired, did anyone report any allegation of harassment, discrimination or retaliation to Mr. David when he when he was counsel? And the answer was no, and I was willing to say that.”

The conversation continued with David accusing the HRC of being disingenuous about his firing and failing to disclose the actual findings of their internal investigation.

“I engaged in no wrongdoing,” he said. “Why is it you’re a human rights organization and refuse to issue findings or embrace transparency when do you told the public that you would?”

Watch above, via MSNBC.