Former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will not be charged with sexually assaulting a female state trooper who had said she felt “completely violated” after being allegedly groped by him, a prosecutor said Thursday.
Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith called the trooper‘s allegations of Cuomo‘s September 2019 misconduct “credible, deeply troubling, but not criminal under New York law,” ABC News reported.
“It is important to note that our investigation was limited to alleged conduct at Belmont Racetrack, and prosecutors in other jurisdictions continue to review other allegations of misconduct by Mr. Cuomo,” Smith’s statement read, according to WCBS. “We thank the brave individuals who came forward and cooperated with our office during this investigation.”
Developing: Despite “credible, deeply troubling’ allegations by a state trooper against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the Nassau DA says there will be no criminal charges. https://t.co/ZumB1q0JhH
— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) December 23, 2021
The accuser known as “Trooper #1” first met Cuomo at an event in November 2017, where he requested her to be transferred to Protective Services Unit (PSU) of the New York State Police, which is “in charge of protecting the Governor,” despite her lacking the experience necessary to qualify for the job. (RELATED: Cuomo Allegedly Threw A Bag Of Dried Apricots At His Staffers Over Use Of An Old Head Shot)
According to an Aug. 3 report by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Cuomo repeatedly harassed the trooper, including by “running his hand across her stomach, from her belly button to her right hip, while she held a door open for him at an event,” by “running his finger down her back, from the top of her neck down her spine to the middle of her back, saying ‘hey, you,’ while she was standing in front of him in an elevator,” and by “kissing her (and only her) on the cheek in front of another Trooper and asking to kiss her on another occasion, which she deflected.”
The female trooper was still listed as a member of the PSU in early August, after having leveled accusations against the former governor.
Speaking to James’ investigators, the alleged victim described Cuomo’s actions towards her as “creepy” and “flirtatious,” adding that she thought how to “say no politely,” according to ABC News.
A court satisfied the prosecutor’s request to delay Cuomo’s arraignment until Jan. 7, ABC News reported.