The Criminal Case Against Andrew Cuomo Just Took A Turn

The following article includes mention of sexual harassment and misconduct.

For former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 2020 saw his meteoric rise, and in 2021 came his cataclysmic downfall. Cuomo, once hailed as a heroic leader in the fight against COVID-19, later got accused of covering up coronavirus-related nursing home deaths in early 2021, per NBC News. Around when the claims surfaced, his reputation took another hit following several accusations of sexual misconduct and harassment. Both scandals eventually led to Cuomo tendering his resignation as state governor.

In the intervening months, Cuomo has more or less shied away from the spotlight, even after his brother, CNN journalist Chris Cuomo, was fired from the network in part for purportedly advising the ex-governor regarding the misconduct allegations. But now, according to a January 4 report by The New York Times, it seems Cuomo can breathe easy after an announcement from the Albany district attorney's office regarding one reported incident.

As Albany newspaper the Times Union reported on January 3, the New York state capital's district attorney's office announced it would not move forward with charges against Andrew Cuomo involving an allegation made by a former aide, who claimed the then-governor groped her while under his employ. 

In a follow-up from The New York Times, Albany District Attorney Eric Soares issued a statement highlighting that the reason the D.A.'s office chose not to move forward with prosecuting Cuomo had nothing to do with the veracity of the aide's claims. "While many have an opinion regarding the allegations against the former governor, the Albany County D.A.'s Office is the only one who has a burden to prove the elements of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt," Soares said. "While we found the complainant in this case cooperative and credible, after review of all the available evidence we have concluded that we cannot meet our burden at trial."

News of the dropped investigation came the same day as the Manhattan district attorney's office announced it would not move forward in charging Cuomo for the alleged cover-up of COVID-19-related nursing home deaths, per ABC News. Cuomo nor his representatives have commented on the Albany district attorney's decision as of this writing.