ESCALATION

Groping Allegation Against Cuomo May Rise ‘to Level of Crime’: Albany P.D.

The police department says they have reached out to the woman to offer help, as the governor now faces an impeachment investigation.

The latest sexual harassment allegation to surface against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been referred to the Albany Police Department, as state lawmakers on Thursday launched an impeachment inquiry against the governor. After a three-hour meeting of the State Assembly, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said the judiciary committee had been given the go-ahead to begin an “impeachment investigation” into the misconduct allegations swirling around Cuomo, all of which he has denied. The Times Union published a report on Wednesday night about a Cuomo aide who said she was groped by the governor at his mansion—the sixth person to accuse Cuomo of misconduct. A lawyer for Cuomo’s office said she referred the matter to New York State Police after the Times Union report was published, due to a state policy requiring agencies to report allegations of physical contact even if the victim declines to make a report. The New York State Police then passed it on to the Albany P.D., the New York Times reports.

Albany P.D. spokesperson Steve Smith said the victim hadn’t filed a police report but they’d reached out to her to offer assistance. He said the allegations may rise “to the level of a crime,” although he didn’t say if the P.D. would open a criminal probe.