NEW YORK – The Justice Division has reached a settlement with the state of New York for a collection of reforms to guard girls from sexually hostile work environments.
The settlement stems from the sexual misconduct allegations that in the end led to the downfall of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
When Cuomo was compelled out of workplace in a sexual harassment scandal, there have been 11 girls pointing fingers at him, a few of whom weren’t even state workers. Now, the Division of Justice says that was the tip of the iceberg.
The DOJ settlement with New York state discovered that whereas governor, Cuomo subjected not less than 13 girls to a sexually hostile work setting, saying they confronted “unwelcome, non-consensual sexual contact,” “unwelcome sexual feedback and gender-based nicknames,” and “feedback on their bodily appearances or preferential remedy based mostly on bodily appearances.”
The report additionally Cuomo’s mentioned senior employees have been “conscious of his conduct and retaliated in opposition to 4 of the ladies” he harassed.
The evaluation largely reitierates the findings of the civil investigation by New York Legal professional Common Letitia James. Her workplace discovered that Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 girls and created a “hostile” work setting for them.
Cuomo resigned every week after the state’s report was launched.
“I feel that given the circumstances, the easiest way I may also help now could be if I step apart and let authorities get again to governing,” he mentioned on the time.
Watch Marcia Kramer’s report
Gov. Kathy Hochul mentioned when she took workplace she took rapid steps to make sure a protected work setting.
“The second I took workplace, I knew I wanted to root out the tradition of harassment that had beforehand plagued the Government Chamber and implement robust insurance policies to advertise a protected office for all workers, and took rapid motion to take action. I’m happy that the U.S. Division of Justice has acknowledged the importance of these efforts, and sit up for partnering with them as we proceed to construct upon that success,” Hochul mentioned.
“These items occurred. These items occurred to me and different girls. After which an enormous forms tried to bury us for telling the reality. By no means once more will I ever let anybody or any system hurt me and different girls that means,” Cuomo accuser Lindsey Boylan wrote on X.
However Cuomo’s legal professional insisted her shopper didn’t sexually harass anybody.
“The DOJ ‘investigation’ was based mostly solely on the NYS Legal professional Common’s deeply flawed, inaccurate, biased, and deceptive report,” Cuomo legal professional Rita Glavin mentioned.
“We’re hopeful that this settlement with the DOJ will result in lasting change that forestalls another girl from having to endure what our shopper has endured,” the legal professional for Cuomo accuser Charlotte Bennett mentioned.
A number of individuals near Cuomo insisted that it was a “settlement with out an investigation.”
Cuomo’s spokesman Wealthy Azzopardi mentioned the settlement “is not well worth the paper it is printed on.”
