Ex-Aide’s Lawsuit Accusing Cuomo Of Groping Her Ends With $450,000 Settlement

The state of New York agreed Friday to pay $450,000 to settle a lawsuit from an ex-aide to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo who alleged Cuomo sexually harassed and groped her whereas he was in workplace.

The previous aide, Brittany Commisso, had sued Cuomo and the state, alleging sexual harassment from the then-governor and retaliation towards her after reporting the incidents. The allegations have been a part of a barrage comparable misconduct claims that compelled Cuomo to resign as governor in 2021.

Commisso’s attorneys mentioned the settlement “is an entire vindication of her claims” and that Commisso is “glad to have the ability to transfer ahead along with her life.”

The settlement got here as Cuomo is within the midst of a so-far bruising political comeback with a run for mayor of New York Metropolis. Cuomo misplaced the Democratic main to Zohran Mamdani by greater than 12 share factors and this week relaunched his marketing campaign to run within the normal election as an impartial candidate, starting a probably uphill battle in a closely Democratic metropolis the place assist is coalescing behind Mamdani.

Cuomo, who has denied wrongdoing, has been dogged by the scandal throughout his marketing campaign for mayor.

“The settlement isn’t a vindication, it’s capitulation to keep away from the reality,” Cuomo’s attorneys mentioned Friday in a press release during which they known as Commisso’s allegations “false.”

The attorneys, Rita Glavin and Theresa Trzaskoma, added that they “oppose the dismissal of Ms. Commisso’s lawsuit.”

“Till the reality is revealed, the lawsuit shouldn’t be dismissed,” they mentioned within the assertion.

Cuomo resigned as governor after a report from the state lawyer normal decided that he had sexually harassed a minimum of 11 girls, with some alleging undesirable kissing and touching, in addition to remarks about their appearances and intercourse lives.

Commisso filed her lawsuit in late 2023, simply earlier than the expiration of the Grownup Survivors Act, a particular regulation that created a yearlong suspension of the standard time restrict to sue over an alleged sexual assault.

The Related Press doesn’t establish individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted until they resolve to inform their tales publicly, as Commisso has carried out.

Anthony Hogrebe, a spokesperson for present Gov. Kathy Hochul, mentioned Friday that the state “is happy to have settled this matter in a approach that permits us to attenuate additional prices to taxpayers.”