Cuomo’s attorney, who was a central figure in the sexual misconduct investigation, is set to resign.
A top attorney for Governor Andrew Cuomo and a key figure in the investigation into the governor’s alleged sexual misconduct is expected to resign next week, officials said.
Special Counsel Judith Mogul’s departure would come just two weeks after Cuomo was reportedly questioned by the state’s top lawyer about widespread sexual harassment allegations that surfaced late last year.
One of the Democrat’s accusers — former aid Charlotte Bennett, 26 — testified that she complained to Mogul and then-chief of staff Jill DesRosiers last summer about alleged Cuomo harassment and was told by unnamed officials that no investigation was necessary because the governor’s conduct never progressed beyond the “grooming” stage.
The former aid claimed that the governor assigned her the task of “finding” the 63-year-old a girlfriend and inquiring as to whether she had sex with older men, allegations the governor denied.
Bennett stated that she was transferred to another position within the Capitol building after making a detailed complaint to Mogul and DesRosiers about the alleged harassment.
Her lawyer, Debra Katz, later accused the retiring attorney of mishandling the situation, writing to the AG in March that the Executive Chamber failed to “adequately address Ms. Bennett’s allegations” and that “the chief of staff and special counsel exploited Charlotte’s fear and manipulated her.”
Ten additional women have publicly accused Cuomo of misconduct, and the allegations of sexual harassment are being investigated by State Attorney General Letitia James and the State Assembly, which is conducting a broad impeachment investigation.
Mogul’s departure, according to a senior advisor to the three-term governor, has been planned for more than a year, and she will be replaced by newly appointed Special Counsel for Public Integrity Victor Olds.
Judy left a prominent career in the private sector – and previously as an Assistant US Attorney – to serve the people of New York, Richard Azzopardi told The Post in a statement.
“While she had previously stated her intention to leave government in the spring of 2020, she selflessly extended her state service for more than a year to assist in the pandemic response – for which we are grateful. Judy is an extraordinary attorney, public servant, and friend, and we wish her the best in her next chapter.”
Among her accomplishments, Azzopardi noted, was her work on gun violence and pandemic response initiatives.
According to The New York Times, Mogul, 62, has already been interrogated about alleged sexual misconduct and a toxic work environment in the governor’s office.
Joon Kim, a former United States Attorney in Manhattan, and Anne Clark, a prominent employment lawyer, are leading the investigation.
