⚖️ Cuomo’s Behavior “Troubling, But Not Criminal”

Nearly 5 months after a state trooper came forward and accused former New York governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, a district attorney has stated he will not be facing criminal charges. Prosecutor Joyce Smith, acting District Attorney for Nassau County, said that an "exhaustive investigation" found the accusations “credible, deeply troubling, but not criminal under New York law.” The Justice Department is still conducting its own investigation into 11 women’s claims against the former governor, but the status of the case is still unclear.

• The state trooper, who remains anonymous, was a part of Cuomo's security detail during a September 2019 event where, she says, Cuomo groped her as she held a door open for him.

• A statement by Cuomo's spokesperson Rich Azzopardi released this week redouble's the former governor's claim that he "did not remember touching the trooper, but said that it was a common custom for him to acknowledge the presence of a trooper — male or female — holding a door as he walked past them".

Double Trouble

In December, Chris Cuomo, the former governor’s younger brother, was fired from his hosting job at CNN after it was determined that he was involved in the governor’s defense. It was further revealed that Shelley Ross, a former ABC News executive, accused Chris Cuomo of sexual harassment when they worked together.

The Verdict

Despite the DA's actions on this specific case, Cuomo still faces several more accusations of sexual harassment, and the DoJ's civil investigation may lead to further legal troubles.