Cherry blossom time in Central Park Big-bucks probe
Top lawyers investigating Cuomo get $750 an hour
ALBANY — The independent investigators hired by Attorney General Letitia James’ office to probe sexual harassment claims against Gov. Cuomo have wide-ranging powers and are being paid a pretty penny for their work, internal documents obtained by the Daily News reveal.
James tasked Joon Kim, former acting Manhattan U.S attorney, and employment discrimination attorney Anne Clark to lead the inquiry last month as accusations against the embattled governor piled up.
Documents outlining the scope of the probe show Kim’s and Clark’s firms are “authorized to utilize any of its resources as it deems appropriate to carry out” their review of Cuomo’s conduct. The firms involved also conducted reviews of current clients and former engagements, and have “not identified any conflict of interest.”
James said at the time of the appointments in early March that the work “will be comprised of — but not limited to — issuing subpoenas and related compliance; examination of relevant documents and records; interviews, including formal depositions, and analysis of data and information pertinent to the investigation.”
Engagement letters sent to both firms show that they’ve been contracted for at least six months, but the term can be extended by James, and all involved are barred from discussing the probe publicly.
The contracts reveal that Kim and two other lawyers from his practice, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, have been named “special deputies” to First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. Clark and another lawyer from her firm, Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, have the same special designation.
Investigators are required to update Levy on their progress weekly. When the review is completed, the team will produce and publish a written report of its findings, James’ office said.
The agreements, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, show principal or senior partners working on the probe are being paid $750 an hour. Midlevel partners are making $575 an hour, while junior partners are paid $500. Senior associates will be paid $450 an hour and junior associates make $325.
All involved have their work cut out for them as several women, including two members of Cuomo’s staff, have accused the 63-year-old of sexual harassment
or other inappropriate behavior. One current employee alleges the governor groped her late last year in his office at the Executive Mansion. Dozens of officials in the administration have already reportedly received subpoenas and have been to told to preserve any relevant documents. Several of the accusers have already been interviewed as well.
Charlotte Bennett, a 25-yearold former aide to the governor who claims Cuomo asked her about her sex life and whether she had ever been with older men, met for more than four hours with investigators in March via Zoom.
During the interview, Bennett revealed new details about the governor’s behavior and what she said was a “sexually hostile work environment,” according to her lawyer, Debra Katz.
The current Cuomo staffer who says the governor reached under her blouse and groped her breast after she was asked to help him with his cell phone last November was interviewed last month as well, according to the Albany Times Union.
While he has apologized for workplace comments that may have made anyone uncomfortable, Cuomo has strongly denied ever touching anyone inappropriately.
Despite his assertions, the allegations have prompted calls for the governor’s resignation from both sides of the aisle.
Cuomo repeatedly said he has no intention of stepping down and has pleaded with New Yorkers to reserve judgement until the completion of the attorney general probe and an ongoing impeachment investigation being conducted by the Assembly.