Prosecutor Drops Groping Charges Against Former NY Governor Cuomo

[TTL News 313]

Quote

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo won’t face criminal prosecution over an allegation that he fondled an aide, after a prosecutor said Tuesday he couldn’t prove the case.

Three days before the Democratic ex-governor was due to answer the misdemeanor charge in court, Albany County District Attorney David Soares asked a judge to dismiss a criminal complaint the county sheriff filed in October.

“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,” Soares said in a statement, adding he was “deeply troubled” by the allegation.

Soares, a Democrat, didn’t detail why he felt it would be tough to win a conviction.

In a letter to the judge, he said “statutory elements of New York law make this case impossible to prove.” He added that multiple government inquiries into Cuomo’s conduct had created “technical and procedural hurdles” regarding prosecutors’ obligations to disclose evidence to the defense.

Soares said his office considered other potential criminal charges, but none fit the allegations.

Cuomo, who has vehemently denied the allegation, had no immediate comment on the development, first reported by The Times-Union of Albany.

 

Read the rest here.

[Ann 268]

No real surprise here.  

[Chris 2,199]

1 hour ago, Ann said:

No real surprise here.  

I know, shocker. 

So does this mean he'll be able to reap all the benefits of having held office like retirement and all that? Or does it not work that way for governors, and they get it no matter what?

I mean, aside from this guy who seems untouchable. 

 

[Ann 268]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

I know, shocker. 

So does this mean he'll be able to reap all the benefits of having held office like retirement and all that? Or does it not work that way for governors, and they get it no matter what?

I mean, aside from this guy who seems untouchable. 

 

Unfortunately, he’ll probably get everything…..except what he deserves.

[MsKreed 1,199]

4 hours ago, Chris said:

So does this mean he'll be able to reap all the benefits of having held office like retirement and all that? Or does it not work that way for governors, and they get it no matter what?

In 2011, the state legislature passed (and Cuomo signed) an ethics reform bill that will eventually strip some public officials of pensions if they a=re convicted of using their office to commit a felony. But the people who passed it made sure they were grand-fathered out of it themselves.

 

https://www.osc.state.ny.us/retirement/members/forfeiture-benefits-convicted-felons

Quote

Under the Public Integrity Reform Act* members convicted of a felony related to their public service may have their retirement benefits reduced or revoked. The law became effective on November 13, 2011, and affects members who join the Employees’ Retirement System on or after this date.

 

[Chris 2,199]

Naturally.