Governor Andrew Cuomo was chosen to be the main honoree at the LGBT Bar at New York’s 2021 gala, but when news broke of allegations that he sexually harassed a former aide, he was excluded from the event.
On Wednesday, just hours before a Medium post on the alleged harassment was published, the New York LGBT Bar Association sent an email announcing Cuomo as this year’s “Community Vision Award Recipient,” and -mail obtained by The Post shows.
“For decades, the Greater New York LGBT Bar Association Foundation, LeGaL, has awarded the Community Vision Award to individuals or organizations with a distinct history of service to the LGBTQ community, including a sustained commitment to achieving equal rights for all members of our community, ”says the email.
It includes a long list of accomplishments that the nonprofit has worked with Cuomo, including the repeal of the “ban on walking while transgender” and the approval of GENDA, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in New York.
But when it was time for the Thursday night virtual gala, Cuomo was never mentioned by the hosts once, a video of the event on YouTube shows.
“With the help of the New York LGBT Bar Association, we have achieved so many important victories right here in New York,” said master of ceremonies Marti Gould Cummings, drag artist and candidate for City Hall, at the beginning of the event as they recited a list of achievements that they credited Cuomo in the email, not to mention the government in trouble.
The gala went on to celebrate five other honorees for the group’s “Community Excellence Award”, naming and congratulating them on their success, without any mention of Cuomo.
On Wednesday, former aide and candidate for Manhattan district president Lindsey Boylan published a post on Medium claiming that Cuomo once kissed her on the lips, subjected her to unwanted and uncomfortable attention and suggested that they “play strip poker ”.
Cuomo’s office has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Since Boylan’s story broke, a number of prominent Democrats and women’s rights activists, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and the TIME’S UP foundation, have called for an investigation into the allegations.
The New York LGBT Bar Association did not return several requests for comment, nor did Cuomo’s office.