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On Tuesday, Aug. 3, New York AG Letitia James released the 165-page report outlining multiple claims of unwanted touching and sexual harassment from 11 women, including an incident with a New York State Police trooper in the town of New Castle, where Cuomo shared a home with longtime now-former girlfriend Sandra Lee.
It is alleged that Cuomo kissed the trooper, who was assigned to his protective detail, and made suggestive comments toward her.
According to the AG’s report, the state trooper worked in the Protective Services Unit, which is tasked with protecting the governor. It is further alleged that Cuomo had a role in getting her that position by pulling some strings after meeting her at a press conference in New York City.
The report says that a senior state police investigator told the trooper that the minimum requirement for troopers in the Protective Services Unit had been changed from three years on the job to two years, altered specifically for her at the governor’s request.
The female trooper started with the Protective Services Unit by working at Cuomo's Westchester home in 2018, but the following year she was transitioned to a position on his travel team, occasionally working as his driver, according to the report.
Cuomo allegedly was “flirtatious” and “creepy” with the trooper, she testified, alleging that he kissed her and made comments that made her uncomfortable.
The report outlines several instances, including one in 2019 when the trooper was stationed outside Cuomo’s Northern Westchester home when he came out, approached her, and asked “can I kiss you?” when she asked if he needed anything.
“I remember just freezing, being — in the back of my head, I’m like, oh, how do I say no politely because in my head if I said no, he’s going to take it out on the detail," the trooper testified. "And now I’m on the bad list.”
Instead, she responded, “sure” and Cuomo kissed her on the cheek while dismissing it and saying that he “isn’t supposed to do that.”
Cuomo also allegedly offered on multiple occasions for the trooper to “join him upstairs” at the governor’s executive mansion, according to the report.
In response, Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced that she is formally seeking information from the AG’s office as it potentially pursues a probe of its own.
“Yesterday our office became aware of the final independent report from Attorney General Letitia James' office regarding Governor Andrew Cuomo's conduct,” she in a statement.
"As some of the Governor's conduct described in the report occurred in Westchester County, we have formally requested investigative materials obtained by the AG's Office.”
Rocah continued: “I believe it is appropriate for my Office to conduct a further inquiry to determine if any of the reported conduct that is alleged to have occurred in Westchester County is criminal in nature.
“I am writing to formally request any investigative materials, including interview transcripts, notes, or reports pertaining" to that state trooper, she said.
"Further, to the extent that any of the other complainants or witnesses reported conduct by the Governor that occurred in Westchester County, I request the same materials for each."
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