Andrew Cuomo — © AFP
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Former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, 63, has been formally charged with a sex offense. In August, Cuomo resigned after his position became untenable. A damning report from the prosecutor then revealed that he had sexually harassed at least 11 women.
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Cuomo may be arrested next week, according to the New York Post tabloid. He is accused of groping a former assistant. He faces an effective prison term of one year.
The facts date back to December 7 and are said to have taken place at the governor’s official residence in Albany. According to the leaked indictment, Cuomo deliberately “forced his hand under the victim’s blouse for no legitimate purpose.” He allegedly grabbed her left breast to “satisfy his sexual desires.”
The victim’s name is not listed, but the formal complaint comes two months after Brittany Commisso, a former assistant, filed a criminal complaint against him with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. She accused him of groping her chest when they were alone in his home late last year.
Ever Presidential Candidate
Cuomo was governor of New York for 10.5 years. He was once considered a dead-end presidential candidate, but his political career completely derailed this year. He resigned in August after months of denying mounting allegations of sexual abuse. Gradually, stalwarts from his circle and the Democratic party dropped him, leaving him virtually alone at the end of the ride.
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The straw was an independent investigation by Letitia James, the New York Attorney General. She determined that as governor, Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women. According to James, his conduct violated both federal and state laws. Cuomo has always denied. He has said he accepts “full responsibility” for what he calls “thoughtful attempts” to be “loved and funny.”
The former governor has not yet responded to the charges. He and his lawyer have repeatedly denied that he touched Brittany Commisso inappropriately and have attempted to question her testimony.
ALSO READ: Devastating report brings down New York’s most powerful man Andrew Cuomo: “He’s gradually becoming a downright pathetic man” (+) (agg)
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