A former executive assistant to ex-governor Andew Cuomo is suing him under New York's Adult Survivors Act, claiming that her former boss subjected her to humiliating and demeaning tasks, forced kisses on her and groped her. The window for claims under the act expires today, with many being filed this week as the deadline approached.
Brittany Commisso worked in the Executive Chamber from 2019 to 2021, according to the lawsuit, and was the staffer whose original complaint of groping led to a misdemeanor criminal complaint being filed against Cuomo at the time. Moreover, Commisso claims, she was demoted by Kathy Hochul, then lieutenant governor, in retaliation.
The day after Cuomo resigned, officials with the office of the "lieutenant governor (Hochul) demoted her from the position of executive assistant to the governor, removed her from the executive chamber front office, and assigned her to the demeaning task of answering telephones in the lieutenant governor's office until moved to other offices, including loss of overtime, ostracism, given little or no work, demotion, and loss of career opportunities and advancement," the summon states. "The continuous sexual harassment by defendant Cuomo included unwelcome sexual advances, sexualized comments about appearance and personal matters, relations, their dating, their sex life, and her marriage, assignment of humiliating and demeaning tasks, hugs, kisses, sexual touching of the buttocks, and forcible touching of the breast all of which was objectively unreasonable and abusive."
Would it be a surprise if Hochul turned out to be Cuomo's victim fixer? I never got the "Suzanne Scott" impression from her, general failings notwithstanding, but that apears to be a big element of Commisso's claims.
Cuomo's lawyer, Rita Glavin, says it's a cash grab: "Ms. Commisso's claims are provably false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation. Ms. Commisso's transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail. We look forward to seeing her in court."
