New York State on Friday agreed to pay $450,000 to Brittany Commisso, a former aide to Andrew Cuomo who accused him of groping and subjecting her to persistent sexual harassment throughout her time in Albany.
Attorneys for Commisso known as the end result “a complete vindication” of her claims in opposition to Cuomo, leveled in a November 2023 go well with filed underneath the Grownup Survivors Act.
The settlement doesn’t embrace an admission of legal responsibility.
“[Just] as the repeated findings made by the Attorney General, the State Assembly and the US Department of Justice were. Those three independent investigations all found that Cuomo subjected Ms. Commisso to unwanted sexual harassment and groping when she worked for him as an assistant,” Mariann Wang and Kevin Mintzer mentioned in a joint assertion.
“Ms. Commisso is proud to have reported the truth and vindicated her rights in court, and likewise glad to be able to move forward with her life.”
Attorneys for Cuomo, now a candidate for NYC mayor, opposed the settlement and mentioned it was “not a vindication,” however a “capitulation to avoid the truth.” Cuomo has repeatedly denied the allegations in opposition to him.
Brittany Commisso, discusses her allegations of groping and harassment in opposition to Gov. Cuomo in an interview with CBS “This Morning” and the Albany Occasions-Union. (Courtesy CBS Information)
Commisso, one of many 11 girls whose sexual harassment claims in opposition to Cuomo led to his resignation in August 2021, accused the previous governor of subjecting her to persistent and undesirable habits throughout her time working as an assistant contained in the Government Mansion in Albany, together with “hugging and kissing her, pressing his body up against hers, and rubbing her backside with his hands.”
Commisso’s go well with filed in state Supreme Courtroom in Albany additional claimed that after rebuffing Cuomo’s advances and reporting his conduct in March 2021, she was demoted and reassigned to answering telephones for then Lt. Gov. Hochul.
In an announcement, attorneys for Cuomo, who’s operating for New York Metropolis mayor, criticized the settlement as rushed and accused Commisso of settling to keep away from a deposition.
“This nuisance settlement, which expressly does not include any admission of liability, is intended to end Ms. Commisso’s failed efforts to leverage a meritless lawsuit into a multimillion dollar payday while hiding the truth from the public. This agreement also settles Ms. Commisso’s retaliation claim against the Hochul administration and prohibits Ms. Commisso from working for the Hochul Executive Chamber through a possible second term,” Rita Glavin and Theresa Trzaskoma mentioned.
“The settlement is not a vindication, it is capitulation to avoid the truth. We oppose the dismissal of Ms. Commisso’s lawsuit because it is in the public interest for the public to see the evidence that New York taxpayers paid to obtain. Until the truth is revealed, the lawsuit should not be dismissed.”
Commisso’s attorneys challenged that take.
“Contrary to the rantings of Cuomo’s lawyers, we are confident that Ms. Commisso would prevail at trial. However, because the state offered her a very appealing settlement, Ms. Commisso, like NYC voters, decided to turn the page on Cuomo. He should learn how to take no for an answer.”
Spokespeople for Gov. Hochul didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
This story can be up to date.
