One of the 11 women who the New York State Attorney General found were sexually harassed by Governor Andrew Cuomo has come forward publicly, to detail her accusation that the governor groped her and made other unwanted advances. The Albany County Sherriff confirmed that he is investigating a criminal complaint that Cuomo staffer, Brittany Commisso, filed against the governor. Meanwhile, in a fast moving weekend of news about the embattled governor, Cuomo’s attorney held a briefing and appeared on CNN to defend her client, and the Governor's top aide resigned.
Brittany Commisso, known as executive assistant number one in the AG’s report, says the governor sexually assaulted her when she was called to the governor’s mansion last fall to help him fix his phone.
She appeared in an interview conducted jointly with CBS This Morning, and the Albany Times Union, where she spoke to CBS’s Jericka Duncan about the criminal complaint she filed Thursday with the Albany County Sherriff.
“Why did you file that criminal complaint with the Sherriff’s office?’ Duncan asks.
“It was the right thing to do,” Commisso answers. “The governor needs to be held accountable.”
Duncan then asks whether being held accountable means seeing the governor charged with a crime.
“What he did to me was a crime,” Commisso answered. “He broke the law."
The full interview aired on CBS at 7 AM on Monday.
Sheriff Craig Apple confirmed at a news conference Saturday that his office has received the criminal complaint. He says he is seeking documents from the Attorney General and working with the Albany County DA to conduct interviews and complete a “comprehensive investigation” .
“I have a young lady who came in who is alleging she was victimized,” Apple said. “And we are going to do everything in our powers to help her”.
Sheriff Apple would not rule out the governor being arrested on misdemeanor charges.
The governor’s private attorney, Rita Glavin, held a briefing late Friday, and appeared on CNN, where she disputed Commisso’s claims, as well as those of the other women. Glavin says the AG and her investigators treated the governor unfairly.
“This was one sided,” Glavin said. “He was ambushed.”
Glavin says Commisso’s account in the report, that after the assault she immediately left the mansion, upset, is “false”, because records show she stayed for several hours, and even enjoyed a snack of cheese and crackers. Glavin says Cuomo was “stunned” when the allegation was first reported in the Times Union, in March.
“He is 63 years old, he has spent 40 years in public life,” Glavin said. “And for him to all of a sudden be accused of a sexual assault of an executive assistant that he doesn’t really know, doesn’t pass muster.”
Glavin also says Lindsay Boylan, another one of the women who the report finds was sexually harassed, is lying.
But, in an interview on CNN Saturday, Glavin conceded that the governor might have run his finger down the spine of a state trooper that he personally recruited for his security detail, but Glavin says the gesture may have been misconstrued.
Glavin also questioned the motives of some of the accusers, and raised questions about whether AG James and her investigators, including former acting US Attorney Joon Kim, were biased against the governor. She even took issue with Sheriff Apple looking into the criminal complaint, saying because the sheriff is an elected official he might also be politically motivated.
Apple says he did not listen to what the governor’s lawyer said. But, when asked by a reporter whether he expected potential retaliation from Cuomo, the Sheriff said he was not afraid.
“I’m the county Sheriff, I’m not going to be intimidated, I’m not going to be coerced,” he said. “That would not play out well for anybody.”
A spokesman for Attorney General James responded to Glavin’s charges, saying that “to attack this investigation and attempt to undermine and politicize this process takes away from the bravery displayed by these women”.
Finally, the Assembly Impeachment Inquiry Committee meets later Monday morning. It is expected to discuss a timetable to potentially introduce articles of impeachment against the governor. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says he wants to expedite the process.
GOVERNOR'S TOP AIDE RESIGNS
Meanwhile, Cuomo is losing one of his key staffers. Melissa DeRosa resigned Sunday evening less than a week after the AG's report was released. Many might remember her constant presence at the Governor's daily COVID briefings, sitting at the table with he and Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. She released this statement on Twitter, notably not mentioning Cuomo:
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve the people of New York for the past 10 years. New Yorkers' resilience, strength, and optimism through the most difficult times has inspired me every day. Personally, the past 2 years have been emotionally and mentally trying. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such talented and committed colleagues on behalf of our state."
DeRosa held the highest-ranking appointed position in state government.
