ALBANY, NY – Brittany Commisso, an ex-aide who accused former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, filed a civil lawsuit against Cuomo on Wednesday. The filing in New York state court alleges continuous sexual harassment starting in December 2019, including unwanted touching and sexual comments.
Cuomo’s legal representation has not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
In August 2021, Cuomo, a Democrat, resigned following findings from an inquiry by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The investigation concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. Commisso’s allegations, initially leading to criminal charges, were a central part of this inquiry.
Commisso accused Cuomo of touching her inappropriately in December 2020 at the governor’s mansion, resulting in a misdemeanor sex offense charge against Cuomo in October 2021. However, Albany’s district attorney dropped the charges in January 2022, citing difficulties in proving the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, despite acknowledging Commisso’s credibility.
The lawsuit also claims Commisso faced demotion in retaliation for her complaints about Cuomo’s conduct. She seeks unspecified monetary damages.
This lawsuit follows another filed by Charlotte Bennett, another former aide, against Cuomo for sexual harassment in September 2022, which is still pending. Cuomo has denied all allegations.
Commisso’s legal action is part of a series enabled by the Adult Survivors Act in New York, allowing such complaints even after the statutes of limitations have expired. The deadline for filing under this special one-year window closed Thursday.