Cuomo accused of forcible touching in criminal complaint
ALBANY, N.Y. — A criminal complaint filed by a police investigator with a court in Albany has accused former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of committing a misdemeanor sex crime, though there was confusion Thursday over whether the document was made public by mistake.
The one-page complaint, filed by an investigator with the Albany County Sheriff ’s Office, accused Cuomo of putting his hand under a woman’s shirt Dec. 7, 2020. The document didn’t name the woman but Cuomo had been publicly accused of groping the breast of an aide, Brittany Commisso, at the executive mansion in Albany last year around that date.
The office of the county’s district attorney, David Soares, which would handle any prosecution and was involved in the investigation, issued a statement saying it had been caught off guard by the filing.
“Like the rest of the public, we were surprised to learn today that a criminal complaint was filed in Albany City Court by the Albany County Sheriff ’s Office against Andrew Cuomo,” it said. “The Office of Court Administration has since made that filing public. Our office will not be commenting further on this case.”
The office of Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple didn’t directly address that report, but confirmed in a statement that a criminal summons had been issued by Albany City Court ordering Cuomo to appear there at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 17.
The statement suggested it was court officials that made the decision to issue the summons. It said sheriff ’s investigators had determined there was “probable cause” to present evidence to the court “for their review to determine the most appropriate legal pathway moving forward on the investigation.”
Cuomo’s lawyer, Rita Glavin, said the Democrat never assaulted anyone, “and Sheriff Apple’s motives here are patently improper.”
Cuomo has denied groping her, saying once, “I would have to lose my mind to do such a thing.”
The crime of forcible touching is punishable in New York by up to year in jail and up to three years probation, with discretion for the court to impose lesser penalties.