State Attorney General Letitia James received a formal green light on Monday to launch an independent investigation into the sexual harassment charges brought against Governor Andrew Cuomo – as the administration hired a defense lawyer to represent her in a Department of Justice investigation into the management of nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today, the executive chamber forwarded a letter of reference to our office, giving us the authority to proceed with an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made against Governor Cuomo,” James said in a statement. “This is not a responsibility that we take lightly, as allegations of sexual harassment must always be taken seriously. As the letter states, at the end of the review, the findings will be released in a public report. “
Under state law, James’ office had to seek permission from the governor’s office on Sunday morning to investigate the charges, only for Beth Garvey, Cuomo’s special attorney, to try to negotiate over who would appoint an independent investigator.
Under intense bipartisan pressure to allow a truly independent investigation to take its course, Garvey relented on Sunday night and agreed to give James the recommendation.
In less than a week, Cuomo, 63, was accused by two former employees – Charlotte Bennett, 25, and Lindsey Boylan, 36 – of sexual harassment.
Cuomo on Sunday apologized for what he characterized as “jokes” that he said could be interpreted as “unwanted flirtation”, while denying that he intended to harass anyone and maintained that he never involved himself in improper physical contact, as claimed by Boylan.
In the wake of the dispute, state senator Todd Kaminsky (D-Nassau) introduced legislation on Monday that would allow the attorney general to initiate investigations without seeking the governor’s permission – avoiding a repeat of the public drama.
“The attorney general must have the authority to conduct investigations and prosecutions without fear and favor, no matter what,” Kaminsky, a former federal prosecutor, said in a statement announcing the project.
“Removing the requirement for a referral will untie the hands of the Attorney General – and the vast resources of that office can help control corruption and other illegal behavior that plagues Albany and the rest of the state,” he continued. “The time to act is now and public trust and the integrity of our government demand nothing less.”
Deputy Monica Wallace (D-Cheektowaga) added in support of the bill: “If the attorney general believes that an investigation of the governor is necessary, she should not have to wait for his permission to do so. This legislation would solve the problem by allowing the Attorney General to conduct an investigation on his own, without the executive’s permission and supervision, whenever he, in good faith, believes that an investigation is appropriate. “
The letter of referral and the legislative impetus came when the Executive Chamber – which includes Cuomo and his top advisers – hired defense lawyer Elkan Abramowitz to represent his interests in the ongoing scandal at the nursing home.
As The Post reported exclusively last month, Melissa DeRosa, one of Cuomo’s top advisers, admitted to Democratic lawmakers in a private meeting that the state intentionally obscured the extent of coronavirus deaths in nursing homes for fear of a possible federal investigation.
The imbroglio, ironically, resulted in an investigation by the Brooklyn Public Ministry that the Cuomo government hoped to avoid.
Abramowitz confirmed to The Post that he is representing the Executive Board on the subject of the nursing home, but was not held back on allegations of sexual harassment.