The Justice Department is investigating sexual harassment claims against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Reuters reports.
A contrast approved by New York officials earlier this week shows that the state signed off on legal services to assist current Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office in responding to state and federal investigations into her predecessor’s tenure.
"DOJ has also undertaken an inquiry related to sexual harassment claims made against the then governor," the contract says.
The contract also noted that Cuomo faced other probes related to his handling of the Covid pandemic and his directive to send infected patients into nursing homes.
The DOJ last summer declined to open a civil rights investigation into the nursing home scandal.
The contract noted that Cuomo has also come under scrutiny for using state resources to pen his pandemic memoir.
Cuomo spox confirms probe:
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, confirmed the investigation to Insider.
"Our understanding is that the Civil Division opened an inquiry in August based upon the AG's politically motivated sham report and we have heard nothing since," he said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report earlier this year detailing the sexual harassment allegations from 11 women.
James also detailed Cuomo’s actions related to the Covid pandemic and his memoir, which were corroborated by a separate impeachment investigation by the New York state legislature.
Cuomo resigned in August as the impeachment loomed.
Hochul lawyers up:
A spokesperson for Hochul told The New York Post that the administration has “retained counsel to handle matters relating to ongoing investigations inherited from the previous administration.”
Press secretary Hazel Crampton-Hays told the outlet that officials “received an inquiry relating to an investigation being conducted by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.”
Sources told the outlet that prosecutors are investigating the nursing home and memoir-related issues as criminal matters.
