Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo has filed a defamation swimsuit in opposition to sex-harass accuser Charlotte Bennett — earlier than Albany might go a legislation to hinder such circumstances concentrating on alleged victims.
Cuomo’s swimsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court docket on Friday, stated Bennett and her lawyer, Debra Katz, issued damning statements in opposition to the previous governor-turned-mayoral candidate even after Bennett voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit in opposition to him in federal courtroom in December.
“Bennett reposted her agents’ tweet, which has garnered more than 90,000 views, was false and defamatory, and Bennett made it knowing full well that it was false and intending to cause harm to Governor Cuomo,” Cuomo’s swimsuit stated.
An investigative report commissioned by state Legal professional Normal Letitia James had discovered that Cuomo engaged in misconduct in opposition to as many as 11 ladies, together with Bennett and a state trooper, however the swimsuit claims the probe was successful job and not one of the accusations have held up in civil or legal courtroom.
“Despite Bennett’s gamesmanship in withdrawing her federal lawsuit before she was required to admit under oath that she had lied about her interactions with Governor Cuomo, Governor Cuomo fully intends to clear his name and to ensure that Bennett and her agents never again repeat the falsehood that he sexually harassed Bennett,” based on the swimsuit, which was filed by Cuomo legal professionals Theresa Trzaskoma and Rita Glavin.
On the identical day Cuomo’s lawsuit was filed, it surfaced that the state had settled a swimsuit Bennett slapped in opposition to New York claiming it failed to guard her.
The taxpayer-funded settlement was for $450,000 — a part of a greater than $9 million tab shelled out to defend Cuomo and the state in opposition to Bennett’s claims.
Cuomo had beforehand filed a discover threatening to sue Bennett — and he then adopted by.
The swimsuit seemed to be a marked departure from feedback he made in February 2021, when he stated, “I by no means meant to offend anybody or trigger any hurt.
“I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable,” Cuomo stated on the time.
“It was unintentional, and I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it, and frankly, I’m embarrassed by it, and that’s not easy to say. But that’s the truth.”
One other mayoral candidate, former metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer, had beforehand filed a defamation swimsuit in opposition to Jean Kim, who labored on his 2001 marketing campaign for public advocate. Stringer claimed she leveled “fake” sexual-abuse allegations in opposition to him.
Proposed laws is at present being championed in Albany that goals to make it tougher for accused intercourse harassers to sue their alleged victims for defamation.
The proposed Converse Your Fact Act would require the accused to pay for all of the authorized bills of the defendants in the event that they misplaced their defamation/libel case.
California has authorised such a legislation, and 15 different states are contemplating it.
The proposed New York measure, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan) and Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas (D-Queens), is being reviewed in committee.
A separate invoice seeks to guard all alleged victims of employment discrimination together with harassment from libel or defamation fits after they file inside complaints concerning the abuse they’re experiencing.
That measure is sponsored by state Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (D-Brooklyn).
“This is a tactic abusers use against their victims time and time again. They’re trying to silence victims,” Gounardes stated of such lawsuits.
The senator stated Cuomo’s swimsuit in opposition to Bennett is “precisely the kind of case this invoice tries to guard in opposition to.
“It happened countless times before Cuomo and will happen countless times after him,” Gounardes stated.
His invoice handed the state Senate, and motion is pending within the Meeting Judiciary Committee.
California legal professional Victoria Burke spearheaded a marketing campaign for the legislation’s passage in her house state after she reported being sexually abused in 2019 and was suggested to not discuss publicly due to a possible retaliatory defamation swimsuit.
“The legal action is not used to win — it’s used to silence, to intimidate,” Burke stated.
Forcing the plaintiffs to pay the “survivors” authorized charges will discourage such fits and degree the taking part in area, she stated.
Erica Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group established by former state legislative staffers, stated such a legislation in opposition to these fits is required.
“Men are continuing to retaliate against women who are trying to hold them accountable,” Vladimer stated. “The legislation would protect workers who deserve a safe workplace.”
Cuomo’s marketing campaign dismissed the payments as making an attempt to discourage individuals who’ve been falsely smeared of wrongdoing of clearing their identify and failing to carry false accusers accountable.
“Every New Yorker — regardless of if you agree with them politically — should have a right to to defend themselves against discredited claims, which is exactly what Ms. Bennett’s statements were, and why she dropped her sham lawsuit against Governor Cuomo days before she was set to be deposed under oath in the face of damning evidence that proved her claims were meritless,” stated Cuomo marketing campaign spokesman Richard Azzopardi.
Bennett initially filed her federal lawsuit in September 2022 in opposition to Cuomo, his high lieutenant Melissa DeRosa and two different aides — however dropped that case in December simply days earlier than she was set to provide a sworn deposition about her claims.
Cuomo claimed he was framed.
“I said when it started from the beginning that [the sex lawsuit] was all political, and that’s the way it turned out,” Cuomo, 67, advised The Publish exterior Calvary Baptist Church in Jamaica, Queens, on Sunday.
“I was dropped from the suit, so it was up to the state. The state did a settlement, which was basically settling a nuisance suit — sometimes it [costs] more to litigate than to settle. But it was all politics,” he stated.
The Stringer marketing campaign declined touch upon the laws.
Bennett’s camp didn’t reply to a Publish request for remark.
