A former aide to Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, has filed an Adult Survivors Act lawsuit against him, accusing Mr. Cuomo of “continuous sexual harassment” during her employment.
Brittany Commisso filed the lawsuit against Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, in Albany County Supreme Court on Nov. 22.
Mr. Cuomo’s alleged sexual harassment toward Ms. Commisso included “unwelcome sexual advances” and “sexualized comments about appearance and personal matters, relations, their dating, their sex life, and her marriage.”
Ms. Commisso alleged that Mr. Cuomo continuously subjected her to “humiliating and demeaning tasks, hugs, kisses, sexual touching of the buttocks, and forcible touching of the breast” during her tenure.
These alleged actions were “reasonably perceived by plaintiff as being abusive,” which she had to endure to maintain her employment and avoid adverse changes in the conditions and terms of employment.
After she rejected Mr. Cuomo’s offer to date her and reported him for sexual harassment on March 8, 2021, then-Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul demoted her, “removed her from the Executive Chamber front office, and assigned her to the demeaning task of answering telephones in the Lieutenant Governor’s office until moved to other offices.”
Ms. Commisso suffered “serious physical, emotional, and psychological pain” as well as economic damages, “including, but not limited to loss of income, ostracism, demotion, and loss of career opportunities and prospect advancement,” the lawsuit states.
‘Cash Grab’ Attempt
Mr. Cuomo’s attorney, Rita M. Glavin, has denied the allegations and called Ms. Commisso’s lawsuit a “cash grab” attempt.“Ms. Commisso’s claims are provably false, which is why the Albany County District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation,” Ms. Glavin said in a statement.
“Ms. Commisso’s transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail. We look forward to seeing her in court,” she added.
The filing came just before the expiration for lawsuits under the Adult Survivors Act, a special law that gave victims of sexual abuse a one-year window for claims that would otherwise be barred by time limits.
Her allegations led to a criminal charge against Mr. Cuomo that was eventually dismissed last year at the request of a county prosecutor who described her as credible but said he couldn’t prove the case.
“As such, we have notified the Court that we are declining to prosecute this matter and requesting the charges filed by the Albany County Sheriff be dismissed.”
Ms. Commisso was one of at least 11 women who accused Mr. Cuomo of sexual misconduct, leading to his abrupt 2021 resignation in a #MeToo-era scandal that marked a severe fall from grace for the Democrat. He has denied the allegations.
Investigators said he subjected women to unwanted kisses, groped their breasts or buttocks or otherwise touched them inappropriately, made insinuating remarks about their looks and their sex lives, and created a work environment “rife with fear and intimidation.”
Mr. Cuomo has called some of the allegations fabricated and denied he touched anyone inappropriately. But he acknowledged making some aides uncomfortable with comments he said he intended as playful, and he apologized for some of his behavior.
