Disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been charged with a misdemeanor sex crime for forcible touching.
“Forcible touching, a Class A misdemeanor, is punishable by up to one year in prison or three years probation. To get a conviction, prosecutors must prove that Cuomo “forcibly” touched the alleged victim, aide Brittany Commisso, “for the purpose of degrading or abusing such person, or for the purpose of gratifying the actor’s sexual desire.”
The charge, first reported by New York Focus, marks the first criminal action taken against the ex-governor since Attorney General Letitia James’ bombshell report in August. Her independent investigation concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 current and former female staffers and displayed a “pattern of inappropriate conduct” that was repeatedly covered up in the “hostile” and “unsafe” work environment.
Commisso has alleged that Cuomo groped her breast, and she filed a complaint with Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple—but was apparently caught off guard by the filing of charges.
“It was my client’s understanding that the district attorney’s office was in agreement with the sheriff’s department that it was going to conduct a thorough, impartial and apolitical evaluation of the case, and only after completion of the investigation, speak to my client to allow her to make an informed decision as to whether she would proceed as a victim in the case," Commisso’s attorney, Brian Premo, told the Albany Times Union.”
Mariann Wang, an attorney for Cuomo accusers Alyssa McGrath and Virginia Limmiatis celebrated the news in a released statement saying:
"My clients are enormously grateful for the courage of the women who have come forward to speak the truth about Cuomo’s misconduct.Cuomo is being held to account as he should be, including by being forced to answer a criminal charge. We hope that all men who abuse their power by abusing women will see this and understand that there will be real consequences to their profoundly damaging behavior."