19 December 2024: Cuomo Sues Woman Who Accused Him of Sexual Harassment for Defamation

Andrew Cuomo sues woman who accused him of sexual harassment for defamation

Andrew M. Cuomo and his New York state taxpayer-funded legal team filed a defamation suit against Charlotte Bennett, just nine days after Bennett withdrew her federal lawsuit against Cuomo.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo filed a lawsuit Thursday against a former aide who alleged he sexually harassed her in 2020. His legal filing came just days after she withdrew her own lawsuit against him.

In the filing, Cuomo's lawyers claimed Charlotte Bennett, a former executive assistant in his office, lied about him making sexual advances toward her.

"Governor Cuomo did not make any sexual advances toward Bennett and did not sexually harass her," his lawyers wrote in a notice filed in New York state court on Thursday.

Bennett was the second woman to accuse the then-governor of sexual harassment, which she said included telling her he was "lonely" and asking her if she would be open to sex with an older man. She described Cuomo as "a textbook abuser" who made her "deeply uncomfortable."

After Bennett went public with her allegations in March 2021, Cuomo held a press conference where he said he felt "embarrassed" and that he "never knew at the time I was making anyone feel uncomfortable."...

Bennett's decision to drop her case before testifying under oath in depositions was cited by Cuomo's legal team as a motivation for their going forward with their defamation claim:

In their filing today, Cuomo's attorneys note that their discovery requests fell "under the rules that govern all federal lawsuits. They alleged Bennett dropped her suit to avoid being deposed and to "shield the overwhelming evidence of her false claims from ever becoming public."

Cuomo's notice said "Bennett's claims were … exposed as a sham through the discovery process."

Cuomo's attorneys appear to be using especially aggressive tactics against Bennett, perhaps hoping to affect the outcome of other sexual harassment court cases pending against Cuomo. Cuomo's codefendants in other lawsuits have used similar legal tactics.

This entry was added to the timeline on 1 March 2025.