Cuomo Harassment Scandal
AG finds Cuomo harassed multiple women
New York Attorney General Letitia James released her report on the investigation into multiple sexual harassment allegations involving Governor Andrew Cuomo. The report concluded that the Governor sexually harassed multiple women and retaliated against one accuser in violation of federal and state law. Complaints involving a total of eleven women were investigated. The Attorney General (AG) concluded that no further action would be taken by her office. The matter now moves to the NYS Assembly for a possible impeachment vote. The Governor issued a written response denying the allegations and released a video.
T
here are several legitimate questions that arise from this scandal and the report provided by the Attorney General. While sexual harassment should never be condoned, the Governor has not been found guilty of a crime or violation of law in a court either civil or criminal, has not been formally impeached and has raised concerns over the AG's investigation. While Andrew Cuomo has not been consistent in his advocacy of the rights afforded to all Americans including former President Donald Trump, integrity requires us to be consistent. The Governor has the right to a presumption of innocence.The Attorney General has a obvious conflict of interest as she is considering a run for governor. Any report that contained a conclusion confirming sexual harassment would be the Coup de gras that would end the reign of Andrew Cuomo who was running for a fourth term. Her role as a king slayer would boost her ability to become the front runner in a Progressive heavy Democrat primary. Now some may say that Letitia James would never let politics get in the way of her code of ethics and fair dealing in her role as the state's top prosecutor. Well history says otherwise.
Letitia James has made it clear that she puts politics ahead of justice for her own political gain. In particular, her investigation involving former President Donald Trump. Before her election as AG of New York, she made the following statement during her campaign, "I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate President". In another statement she asserted criminal wrongdoing by the former President without any evidence and before assuming office, "taking on President Trump and looking at all the violations of law I think in no match to what I have seen in my lifetime". In December after winning election as New York's Attorney General, she proclaimed, "We will use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well."
Her report went so far as to declare the Governor's guilt by asserting he violated federal and state law. Her report contained unsworn testimony, failed to adequately assess the credibility of some of the accusers and labeled some of the Governor's actions as sexual harassment even though it did not constitute sexual harassment. While we have clear public policy disagreements with the Governor and don't appreciate his long history of acting like a political thug, the greater danger is an out of control prosecutor who misuses her office for political gain. That is the bigger scandal.