NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration are being asked by state Attorney General Letitia James to preserve any documents related to the sexual harassment claims made against the governor as James finishes finding an outside investigator.
The request to have the documents preserved was confirmed by James’ office on Friday, according to the New York Times.
Cuomo’s office confirmed it had received the request on March 1.
Preserving the documents is standard in an investigation, but they don’t normally involve a governor, which speaks to how much pressure Cuomo is under with the investigation, as well as the other controversy involving COVID-19 nursing home deaths.
The records are especially important to see if Cuomo’s office handled the allegations properly.
The Times reports that it’s still unclear whether or not the governor’s aides properly reported accuser Charlotte Bennett’s claims to a state labor office last June. Doing so would have already prompted an investigation into Bennett’s complaints.
Bennett’s lawyer, Debra Katz , sent a letter to James’ office making sure that any evidence relating to her case is preserved, according to the Times. The report adds that Katz said the governor’s chief of staff and special counsel “exploited Charlotte’s fear and manipulated her into accepting a transfer and remaining silent.”
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“This allowed the governor to sexually harass Ms. Bennett, a subordinate employee who is almost 40 years his junior, with impunity,” Katz told the paper in a statement. “We are confident that a thorough investigation of the workplace environment in Governor Cuomo’s office will conclude that the governor and his senior staff fostered a culture of abuse, harassment and secrecy.”
In response, Cuomo’s special counsel Beth Garvey told the Times that “Ms. Bennett’s concerns were treated with sensitivity and respect and in accordance with applicable law and policy.”
Bennett, a 25-year-old former aide, said Cuomo quizzed her about her sex life, asked if she felt age made a difference in relationships and said he was fine dating "anyone above the age of 22." Bennett said she believed he was gauging her interest in an affair. Cuomo has denied making advances on Bennett.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.