Former governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo now appears on the long list of men facing lawsuits under the ASA. The Adult Survivors Act is a legislation that was enacted in November 2022. However, it had a one-year look-back period that was meant to end on November 24, 2023. As a result of the impending expiration, there was an unexpected surge in the number of lawsuits filed within the final weeks. Consequently, several prominent names, including Cuba Gooding Jr. and former pro footballer Marcellus Wiley, among others, had cases filed against them. Unfortunately for the former governor, he now faces a lawsuit of his own under the ASA.
Former Sexual Assault Allegations
Although this is the first lawsuit filed against him under the ASA, Andrew Cuomo has previously been accused of sexual assault. The first of many was from Lindsey Boylan, a former aide of his. In a series of tweets shared on December 13, 2020, she shared, “[he] sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched.” Furthermore, she stated that “I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years.”
Subsequently, Cuomo’s office addressed the accusations, claiming that they were false. However, that was only the beginning, as several other women eventually spoke up against the former governor. Following a second accusation from Charlotte Bennett on February 27, 2021, Cuomo finally released a statement personally. “At work sometimes, I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business," he said.
Cuomo tendered his apology, stating further, “I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended. I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that." Unfortunately for him, the statement did not stop accusations from rolling in.
Investigations Into The Claims
Throughout March 2021, several allegations from multiple women were made against Andrew Cuomo. Concurrently, on March 11, an investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations was approved by the New York Assembly. Five months after the investigation was approved, shocking results were revealed. According to the report, throughout his time in office, Cuomo allegedly sexually assaulted 11 women, three of whom chose to remain anonymous. Throughout the ordeal, Cuomo maintained that he was innocent. However, following the release of the report, President Joe Biden called upon him to resign. On August 10, 2021, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, and he stepped down soon after.
The 2023 Lawsuit Against Andrew Cuomo
Brittany Commisso, a former executive assistant to Andrew Cuomo, now faces her former boss head-on. Back in 2021, she was one of the 11 women whom Cuomo was found to have sexually assaulted. While she stayed silent for the most part following his resignation, she has chosen to speak against him once more. On November 24, 2023, right before the ASA expired, she filed a lawsuit against Cuomo. In detail, Commisso alleges that throughout the time she worked with Cuomo, she was subjected to “humiliating and demeaning tasks, hugs, kisses, sexual touching of the buttocks and forcible touching of the breast.” In her statement to the New York Post, she said further:
“It disgusts me that Andrew Cuomo is even considering running for public office in the wake of Mayor Adam’s alleged sexual harassment when he himself will not accept responsibility or even acknowledge his sexual harassment of me, aside from numerous other victims, while the governor of our state,” Furthermore, according to Commisso’s court filings, she was demoted after she accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct in March 2021. Subsequently, she was resigned to “the demeaning task of answering telephones in the Lieutenant Governor’s office until moved to other offices.”
In response to Commisso’s lawsuit, Cuomo’s lawyer Rita Glavin dismissed her accusations. “Ms. Commisso’s claims are provably false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation,” the lawyer said. “Ms. Commisso’s transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail. We look forward to seeing her in court.” There have been no further updates on this case as of yet.
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