When New York State attorney general Letitia James unveiled her office’s bombshell report investigating sexual-harassment allegations against Governor Andrew Cuomo, she said that her office would not be making a criminal referral in the matter. However, five district attorneys across New York have indicated they intend to open up their own inquiries into the claims.
Following James’s press conference Tuesday, Albany County district attorney David Soares issued a statement that read, “We will be formally requesting investigative materials obtained by the AG’s Office, and we welcome any victim to contact our office with additional information.”
Mimi Rocah, the district attorney of Westchester County, put out a statement of her own, referencing the fact that some of the incidents laid out in the report took place in her county.
“Yesterday our Office became aware of the final independent report from Attorney General Letitia James’ Office regarding Governor Andrew Cuomo’s conduct. As some of the Governor’s conduct described in the report occurred in Westchester County, we have formally requested investigative materials obtained by the AG’s Office,” Rocah said.
A spokesperson for Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance tweeted that their office contacted James’s office to “begin requesting investigative materials in their possession pertaining to incidents that occurred in Manhattan.”
A letter from Vance’s team to James more specifically requests names and contact info for two state employees whose claims were described in the report in order to “properly investigate these potential sex crimes.” They are referring to “State Trooper #1” and “State Entity Employee #1,” two of the 11 women interviewed by investigators.
Acting Nassau County district attorney Joyce A. Smith said her office was “reviewing the deeply disturbing findings.”
“We have requested the Attorney General’s records related to any incidents that occurred in Nassau County and will thoroughly and expeditiously investigate any potential crimes,” she said in a statement.
And on Wednesday, Oswego County District Attorney Greg Oakes said he would request documents related to charges leveled by a woman from the Syracuse area, who was one of the 11 accusers in the report. Virginia Limmiatis, a National Grid spokesperson, says Cuomo groped her as she reached for a handshake at an event in 2017.
Cuomo is also potentially facing a lawsuit from one of the women who accused him: Lindsey Boylan.
The New York Times is reporting that Boylan, the first woman to go public against the governor, is planning to sue Cuomo and his advisers for attempts to retaliate against her for coming forward.
Cuomo has denied the allegations, saying in a prepared statement streamed online after the report’s release, “I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.”
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