Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has initiated legal action against Charlotte Bennett, a former aide who previously accused him of sexual harassment. Cuomo's claim alleges defamation stemming from statements Bennett made after voluntarily dismissing her federal lawsuit against him. The legal notice, filed on Thursday, seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged harm caused by Bennett's assertions.
The core of Cuomo's argument revolves around a December 9, 2024, statement by Bennett and her representatives, which reiterated the sexual harassment allegations. Cuomo contends that this statement, widely disseminated online, was knowingly false and intended to damage his reputation. The notice highlights the statement's visibility, noting it garnered over 90,000 views.
Bennett's accusations were part of a series of allegations that led to Cuomo's resignation in 2021. At the time, Cuomo denied the allegations, attributing some of his actions to misinterpretations of his demeanor and generational differences in communication styles. He apologized for any discomfort he caused but maintained he never intentionally crossed a line.
Bennett dropped her 2022 lawsuit against Cuomo shortly before her scheduled deposition. Her lawyer, Debra Katz, claimed Cuomo's legal tactics aimed to harass and humiliate Bennett, involving excessive discovery requests for personal medical records. Katz argued that Cuomo's actions were a deliberate attempt to smear Bennett and divert attention from the New York Attorney General's findings that corroborated Bennett's claims, along with those of several other women.
Cuomo's representative, Richard Azzopardi, celebrated the lawsuit's dismissal, portraying it as an attempt by Bennett to avoid admitting her allegations were false. He suggested that any potential settlement by New York State should necessitate the public release of all evidence to clear Cuomo's name.
Katz responded to Cuomo's notice of claim, dismissing it as meritless and characterizing it as a tactic to silence accusers. Cuomo's notice further alleges that Bennett strategically used their interactions to advance her career, and that her accusations caused significant harm to him.
