Cuomo charged with misdemeanor sex crime

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was charged on Thursday with a misdemeanor sex crime in Albany, according to a court spokesman.

The state court system’s public information office told The Hill that a redacted complaint will be released soon by a court in Albany. 

“A Misdemeanor Complaint against former Governor Andrew Cuomo has been filed in Albany City Court,” the court’s public information office said in an email. “As this is a sex crime, a redacted complaint will be available shortly.” 

Rita Glavin, Cuomo’s attorney, did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

Cuomo resigned from office in August after an investigation by the state attorney general found that he had sexually harassed 11 women, including several state employees, while in office.

The Times-Union in Albany reported on Thursday that the charge against Cuomo was mistakenly filed and that the local district attorney had not yet decided whether to prosecute.

“Like the rest of the public, we were surprised to learn today that a criminal complaint was filed in Albany City Court by the Albany County Sheriff’s Office against Andrew Cuomo,” Albany County District Attorney David Soares said in a statement. “The Office of Court Administration has since made that filing public. Our office will not be commenting further on this case.”

The Washington Post, which obtained a copy of the complaint, reported that Cuomo was charged with forcible touching in connection to a December 2020 incident where the then-governor is accused of groping a woman under her shirt. 

The complaint reportedly alleges that Cuomo touched the unnamed victim’s “left breast for the purposes of degrading and gratifying his sexual desires, all contrary to the provisions of the statute in such case made and provided.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), whose investigation led to Cuomo’s resignation earlier this year, touted the criminal charge on Thursday as vindication of her report.

“From the moment my office received the referral to investigate allegations that former Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, we proceeded without fear or favor,” James said in a statement. “The criminal charges brought today against Mr. Cuomo for forcible touching further validate the findings in our report.”

Updated at 6:09 p.m.