Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be represented by a state-funded defense in an alleged sexual harassment lawsuit.
In February 2022, Cuomo was sued by an unidentified state trooper who claimed he made suggestive comments, kissed her on the cheek, and “placed the palm of his hand on her belly button and slid it across her waist to her right hip.”
CUOMO SUED FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT AFTER STRING OF LEGAL VICTORIES
Cuomo claimed that because the lawsuit was filed when he was serving as governor, he should be entitled to a state-funded defense. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Shlomo Hagler agreed after two hours of deliberation, saying the state of New York should pay Cuomo’s legal bills in a federal lawsuit, per the New York Post.
The former Democratic governor sued New York Attorney General Letitia James on Aug. 10, 2022, after her office refused to cover the legal expenses, exactly one year after stepping down as governor.
The former governor has adamantly denied the allegations in the February 2022 lawsuit, so Cuomo will have to go through a court with either a judge or jury, Hagler said.
“[Cuomo’s] view is that everything he did was within the scope of his employment and he was just acting as the governor … when addressing trooper 1 in a friendly manner,” Hagler said on Friday. “Did he go over the line? That is not clear cut.”
“The allegations are quite disturbing,” Hagler continued. “They should not be tolerated in the workplace, if true.”
Lawyers argued during deliberation over whether Cuomo acted within his duty as governor when the alleged harassment occurred, therefore entitling him to a free defense. Andrew Amer, an attorney for the state attorney general’s office, said his and James’s office denied the legal coverage because “all of the conduct was to serve [Cuomo’s] own self-interest” rather than carrying out the duties of being governor.
However, Theresa Trzaskoma, Cuomo’s lawyer, argued the time and place of the allegations were grounds for a taxpayer-funded legal defense.
“These are not allegations where the conduct occurred while they were off duty,” Trzaskoma said. “These are workplace allegations.”
Cuomo, who has denied the allegations against him, resigned in August 2021 after the attorney general’s investigation into claims that he had sexually harassed over a dozen women.
James released a bombshell report on Aug. 3, 2021, following a civil investigation that detailed claims from 11 women. Cuomo has repeatedly railed against James and her office for the “unjust” reports and “politicized” investigations.
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However, Cuomo has had a string of legal victories since his resignation.
Nassau and Westchester counties decided in December 2020 not to pursue legal action, and the Oswego County district attorney declined to press charges in January 2022. The Albany County Sheriff’s Office announced a criminal complaint against Cuomo in October 2021 but dropped the charges on Jan. 4, 2022.
