Judge Delays Cuomo Arraignment After Prosecutor Raises Concerns About Forcible Touching Complaint

Steve Bittenbender (The Center Square).

Albany judge, New York. On Friday, former governor. Andrew Cuomo’s arraignment after the prosecutor raised concerns about the complaint that led to the forcible touching charge.

Cuomo was supposed to appear in court on Nov. 17 for the sexual offense misdemeanor, but court records show it will be held on Jan. 7.

The New York Times reported Friday that Albany County District Attorney David Soares submitted a letter to Judge Holly Trexler claiming the complaint filed by the Albany County Sheriff’s Office last week was deficient. That filing took place without Soares’ knowledge.

Soares observed that Brittany Commisso (the alleged victim) did not give a signed statement. Commisso served as an executive assistant to Cuomo and was one of 11 women whose allegations of harassment and inappropriate touching were documented in an independent investigation overseen by state Attorney General Letitia James’ office.

That report led to the Albany County Sheriff’s Office investigation into Commisso’s allegations, as she claimed she was groped in the Executive Mansion.

October 28th was the date when reports surfaced that Cuomo had been charged. James made public her plans to run for Governor the day after, but she later said that it was just coincidental.

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While the investigation ultimately led to Cuomo’s resignation from office, he has vehemently denied the allegations in the report, even after he stepped down.

Following the announcement that charges were filed, Cuomo’s team went on the offensive noting the difference between the charges filed by the sheriff’s office and the allegations listed in the independent report. Notable was also the differing date of the incident. The sheriff’s report listed the alleged touching took place on Dec. 7, 2020, while the independent investigation said it took place on Nov. 16, 2020.

A statement was posted this weekend. “Team Cuomo”The then-governor claimed that she was in flight on the day. In addition, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple should have realized the “absurdity” of the purported date because that’s was two days after Lindsay Boylan, a former Cuomo aide who was the first to accuse the then-governor, made her initial claims.

According to the statement, James and Apple collaborated on and abused their offices.

“It defies logic and credibility that the governor — who, in over 30 years of public service has never been accused of groping — would have forcibly touched Ms. Commisso under any circumstance, but to now suggest he did it two days after Boylan began making public allegations is beyond absurd,” the statement read.

Late Friday afternoon, messages to James, Apple, and Soares were not returned.

This article was Syndicated by permission of The Center Square.