Topline
Albany County District Attorney David Soares said Tuesday he will drop a forcible touching charge against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was accused of groping a former aide in the Executive Mansion in 2020—a claim he has denied.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo prepares to board a helicopter after announcing his resignation on Aug. … [+]
Key Facts
Soares said in a statement his office found the complainant to be “cooperative and credible,” but following a review of evidence, his office couldn’t “meet our burden at trial” and will not prosecute the former governor.
The complaint alleged Cuomo placed his hand under aide Brittany Commisso’s blouse and touched her breast in December 2020.
Cuomo was due to be arraigned in court later this week, following an extension requested by Soares after Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple filed a complaint charging Cuomo without first notifying the District Attorney’s office.
The decision comes weeks after prosecutors in Westchester and Nassau counties also declined to prosecute Cuomo following investigations into sexual misconduct allegations.
An attorney for Cuomo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
Crucial Quote
“Such conduct has no place in government or in any workplace,” Soares said in a statement. “Although avenues for criminal prosecution in these cases are sometimes limited, I encourage victims of workplace harassment and abuse to continue to come forward and bring these issues to light so that these important discussions can continue.”
Further Reading
Cuomo Sex Crimes Case Rocked By Admission Of D.A. That Complaint May Be ‘Defective’ (Forbes)
Albany Sheriff ‘Very Confident’ Cuomo Will Be Prosecuted: ‘We Have An Overwhelming Amount Of Evidence’ (Forbes)
Cuomo Sexually Harassed ‘Multiple Women’ In Violation Of State And Federal Law, NY Attorney General Finds (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/01/04/another-charge-against-cuomo-dropped-da-wont-pursue-groping-allegation/