On Tuesday, a judge dismissed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to prolong legal proceedings against a woman who accused him of sexual assault. State Supreme Court Justice Denise Hartman ruled that Cuomo was attempting to use the legal process to restore his damaged reputation, rather than provide valid legal arguments. She stated, “Cuomo has not advanced any viable argument for why the taxpayers of this state should continue to foot the bill for his continued use of civil litigation discovery devices to further his efforts to resurrect his public image.”
This decision followed a significant financial settlement. Just a month prior, New York agreed to pay $450,000 to Brittany Commisso, a former aide who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment and groping during his time in office. An investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo had harassed at least 11 women, prompting his resignation in disgrace.
Cuomo, who is now running for mayor of New York City, sought to prevent the lawsuit’s discontinuation without the release of text messages he claimed would support his defense. His spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, articulated Cuomo’s belief in the text messages’ exonerative potential: “Governor Cuomo will continue to fight for the release of all the evidence because it shows he didn’t sexually harass anyone and further discredits the AG’s political report.”
In a noteworthy twist, Azzopardi asserted that Commisso’s allegations were false. He also claimed she had previously hidden important text messages that he argued undermined her credibility. Azzopardi claimed Commisso was “desperate to keep the texts from public scrutiny,” referencing the relatively low settlement amount—that Commisso initially sought many millions before agreeing to a much smaller sum.
Commisso testified earlier that Cuomo made inappropriate physical advances, stating he grabbed her buttocks during a selfie and reached under her blouse to touch her breast. She became the first of Cuomo’s accusers to file a criminal complaint and notably revealed her identity during a joint interview on “CBS This Morning.”
Cuomo’s political comeback, however, encounters considerable obstacles. After losing the Democratic primary by over 12 percentage points, he is now pursuing the mayoral position as an independent candidate. His previous tenure as governor has left a fractured legacy, one that voters may still weigh heavily in their decisions.
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