Cuomo cleared of more potential charges related to harassment allegations

Update (Dec. 28, 2021): Less than a week after one district attorney announced former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) will not face charges related to one of the sexual harassment allegations against him, a different district attorney made a similar announcement regarding two more allegations Tuesday. Both allegations accused former Gov. Cuomo of unwanted kisses on the cheek. Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said that while there was evidence to conclude the conduct the women described did occur, she couldn’t bring criminal cases over it.

“In both instances, my office has determined that, although the allegations and witnesses were credible, and the conduct concerning, we cannot pursue criminal charges due to the statutory requirements of the criminal laws of New York,” Rocah said in a statement.

Original Story (Dec. 23, 2021): According to a statement from Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith, former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) will not face charges related to allegations from one of the 11 women accusing him of sexual harassment. The woman in question is a female state trooper, known in Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into Gov. Cuomo as “Trooper #1.” Trooper #1 claims Cuomo ran the palm of his left hand across her abdomen, to her belly button and then to her hip while she held a door open for him as he left an event at Belmont Park back in 2019.

“Our exhaustive investigation found the allegations credible, deeply troubling, but not criminal under New York law,” Smith said in her announcement on no charges for Cuomo, according to a tweet from CNN reporter Sonia Moghe. “It is important to note that our investigation was limited to alleged conduct at Belmont Racetrack, and prosecutors in other jurisdictions continue to review other allegations of misconduct by Mr. Cuomo.”

Trooper #1 said the incident left her feeling “completely violated.” According to James’ report, although Trooper #1 was upset by Cuomo’s unwanted touching, she did not feel she could do anything about it.

“I’m a trooper, newly assigned to the travel team. Do I want to make waves? No,” she said, according to the report. “I’ve heard horror stories about people getting kicked off the detail or transferred over like little things. … I had no plans to report it.”

Despite the Nassau County investigation only focusing on the Belmont incident, Trooper #1 told investigators it was only one of many instances where Cuomo allegedly acted “flirtatious” and “creepy”. According to Trooper #1, Cuomo traced his finger from her neck to her back in an elevator. He also allegedly asked to kiss her in the driveway outside his Mount Kisco home.

“I remember just freezing,” Trooper #1 told investigators. “In the back of my head, I’m like, oh, how do I say no politely?”

Cuomo resigned due to the allegations back in August. He has an arraignment scheduled for Jan. 7 related to a misdemeanor groping complaint filed back in October.