25 June 2021: Cuomo's Chief PR Flack Questioned by Sexual Harassment Investigators

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Aide Questioned in Sexual Harassment Investigation

This report provides an indication of the progress of the New York state attorney general's investigation into Governor Cuomo's multiple sexual harassment allegations. The aide being questioned is Cuomo loyalist Richard Azzopardi, who was recently promoted to replace Governor Cuomo's former communications director Peter Ajemian.

Investigators with the New York state attorney general’s office have interviewed a senior adviser to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and are examining the environment in the governor’s office going back more than a decade, according to people familiar with the matter.

Investigators spoke recently with Rich Azzopardi, a senior adviser who is one of the governor’s principal spokespeople, the people said. He is the highest-ranking current aide to Mr. Cuomo known to have been interviewed as part of the investigation into sexual-harassment allegations against the governor overseen by Attorney General Letitia James.

People familiar with the probe said they expected the governor’s senior aides, including Mr. Azzopardi, to be among the last questioned in the probe, which was launched in March....

It couldn’t be determined which subjects or which time frame investigators focused on with Mr. Azzopardi. When asked about the investigation, he said in a statement, “As the AG’s office has said, disclosing testimony is a misdemeanor.” Mr. Azzopardi said the administration was respecting the process and expected other people to do so as well.

The senior adviser was one of several people close to Mr. Cuomo who had contacted former staffers in the administration in December after Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development official, accused the governor of sexual harassment.

Investigators are looking at the calls as part of their investigation, people familiar with the matter have said. Some of the women who received calls said they viewed them as a form of intimidation.

Mr. Azzopardi has said the calls were simply meant as an outreach to check in on former colleagues.

Azzopardi has a checkered history in serving as a mouthpiece for Andrew M. Cuomo.