In February, the feminine state trooper on Cuomo’s safety element sued the ex-governor, his former prime aides Melissa DeRosa and Wealthy Azzopardi and state police over sexual harassment claims in opposition to Cuomo that had been detailed in James’ report final 12 months on his actions.
The plaintiff, referred to as Trooper 1, was amongst 11 ladies who James’ report final August stated had been sexually harassed by the three-term Democratic governor; he resigned every week after James’ report.
Cuomo seems to have been largely paying his authorized payments with the roughly $16 million in his marketing campaign account since leaving workplace, however his lawyer contends he shouldn’t be on the hook for defending himself in opposition to allegations that got here when he was governor.
Cuomo’s lawsuit additionally continues his long-held rivalry that James’ report on his conduct was flawed and politically motivated, saying the report was “incomplete, biased, flawed and deceptive.”
James’ workplace has maintained the state will not be legally required to pay for Cuomo’s authorized protection or symbolize him, and her workplace fired again on the lawsuit. She is searching for a second time period in November after briefly working for governor, solely to resolve to run once more for her present seat.
“Andrew Cuomo is making an attempt to drive New Yorkers to pay his authorized payments as a result of he believes sexual harassment was inside his ‘scope of employment’ as governor,” James’ workplace stated in an announcement.
“Sexually harassing younger ladies who be just right for you will not be a part of anybody’s job description. Taxpayers mustn’t must pony up for authorized payments that might attain hundreds of thousands of {dollars} so Mr. Cuomo’s lawyer can assault survivors of his abuse.”