16 July 2021: Cuomo to be Questioned by AG Investigators

Cuomo to Be Questioned in Sexual Harassment Inquiry

The New York Times reports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo will be interviewed by state attorney general investigator regarding the allegations of sexual harassment publicly raised by several women since December 2020.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is expected to be questioned on Saturday by investigators from the New York State attorney general’s office, signaling that a four-month-long inquiry into several sexual harassment accusations may be entering its final stages.

Joon H. Kim and Anne L. Clark, the two outside lawyers hired to lead the investigation that is being overseen by Letitia James, the state attorney general, are expected to interview the governor in Albany, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The lawyers have spent months gathering hours of testimony from several women who have accused Mr. Cuomo of sexual misconduct or harassment. The lawyers have also in recent weeks interviewed senior administration officials in preparation for questioning the governor.

They have subpoenaed and collected troves of records, including state documents, emails and text messages, as they scrutinize the women’s accounts and examine whether Mr. Cuomo and his staff broke any laws in dealing with sexual harassment complaints.

Once their investigation is complete, Mr. Kim, a former senior federal prosecutor, and Ms. Clark, a prominent employment lawyer, are expected to issue their findings in a public report. Its contents could be politically devastating for Mr. Cuomo, who is navigating one of the most turbulent points of his decade-long tenure. The governor, a Democrat, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The report includes a new example of Team Cuomo attempting to spread pre-emptive, unfounded smears of Letitia "Tish" James, New York's Attorney General:

Richard Azzopardi, a senior adviser to Mr. Cuomo, said in a statement, “We have said repeatedly that the governor doesn’t want to comment on this review until he has cooperated.” Mr. Azzopardi added that “the continued leaks are more evidence of the transparent political motivation of the attorney general’s review.” He provided no evidence that the attorney general was leaking information.

Chief Cuomo PR flack Azzopardi's comments can be read as indicating the Cuomo loyalist doesn't expect the AG to provide Cuomo a clean bill of health.

The sexual harassment charges are not the only criminal allegations the state attorney general office is investigating regarding Andrew M. Cuomo. The AG is also investigating whether Cuomo violated New York's ethics laws in using state resources to produce his pandemic "leadership" book, from which he will personally pocket $5.12 million, which is not mentioned in the NYT's report.

Cuomo Will Be Questioned in Sexual Harassment Inquiry on Saturday

This report repeats much of the information provided in the NYT's report, but provides an indication of how close the AG's investigation is to completion:

The New York Times reports that two outside attorneys hired to lead the probe, Joon Kim and Anne Clark, will interview Cuomo in Albany on Saturday. Since the inquiry was announced in March, they have been gathering testimony and corroborating evidence from the women and former aides who have alleged that Cuomo sexually harassed them. At least four of his accusers have reportedly been subpoenaed under oath already. As the Times notes, Cuomo’s deposition suggests that the inquiry may be close to its final stage, though “investigators could still call him, and other witnesses, for follow-up interviews based on his testimony and other evidence.” A source familiar with the investigation added that it will be wrapped up “before summer’s end.”

With summer half over, we can only hope that's the case given the glacial pace of the AG's investigation.