ex-gov. Andrew Cuomo has filed a honour-loss lawsuit against Charlotte Bennett, accuser of sex harass. Albany was able to pass the law and prevent such incidents targeting alleged victims.
Cuomo’s case, filed Friday in the Manhattan Supreme Court, said Bennett and her attorney Debra Katz had issued a cautious statement against a humanitarian candidate who has turned to governor, even after Bennett voluntarily dismissed the case against him in federal court in December.
“Bennett reposted an agent’s tweet that had received over 90,000 views, falsely and defamatory, and Bennett knew well enough that it was false and intended to harm Governor Cuomo,” the Cuomo lawsuit said.
An investigation report commissioned by state attorney general Letitia James found Cuomo misconduct against as many as 11 women, including Bennett and a state trooper, but argues that the lawsuit is a hit job for the investigation and has not been charged in civil or criminal courts.
“Before Bennett admits he lied about his interactions with Governor Cuomo, she is fully intended to clear his name and ensure that Bennet and her agents never repeat the falsehood that he sexually harassed Bennett again,” Gravin.
The same day, Cuomo’s lawsuit was filed, and it emerged that the state had decided to file a lawsuit in which Bennett slapped her against New York, alleging that Bennett couldn’t protect her.
The taxpayer-funded settlement was $450,000. This is part of a $9 million tab that was fired to protect Cuomo and the state against Bennett’s claims.
Cuomo had previously filed a notice threatening to sue Bennett.
The lawsuit appeared to be a significant deviation from the comments he made in February 2021.
“I understand now that I acted in a way that made people uncomfortable,” Cuomo said at the time.
“It wasn’t intentional and I really apologize deeply. I feel bad about it. Frankly, I’m embarrassed by it. It’s not easy. But it’s true.”
Another mayoral candidate, former City Director Scott Stringer, had previously filed a honour-loss lawsuit against Jan Kim, who worked on the 2001 public advocate campaign. Stringer allegedly she levelled the “fake” sexual abuse allegations against him.
The proposed law is currently defended in Albany and aims to make it more difficult for accused sex harassers to sue a victim of abusive delinquent.
The proposed Speak Your Truth Act will require that the defendant pay all legal fees for the defendant if he loses a defamation/honor-case loss case.
California has approved such laws, and 15 other states are considering it.
The proposed New York measures sponsored by State Sen. Brad Hoyleman Cigar (D-Manhattan) and Congresswoman Jessica Gonzalez Rojas (D-Keynes) have been reviewed by the committee.
Another bill seeks to protect all victims of employment discrimination, including harassment from honour-lib loss and honour-impair lawsuits after filing internal complaints about the abuse they are experiencing.
The scale is sponsored by State Sen. Andrew Goonald (D-Brooklyn) and Rep. Joe Anne Simon (D-Brooklyn).
“This is a tactic that abusers use against victims over and over again. They are trying to silence the victim,” Gounardes said of such a lawsuit.
The senator said Cuomo’s lawsuit against Bennett was “the very type of case this bill is trying to protect.”
“It happens a few times before Cuomo and countless times after him,” Goonardes said.
His bill passed a state senator and the lawsuit is pending before the Congressional Judiciary Committee.
California attorney Victoria Burke led a campaign to pass laws in her hometown after reporting that she was sexually abused in 2019, and was advised not to speak publicly due to the possibility of a retaliatory fraud lawsuit.
“Legal measures are not used to win, they are used to be silent and threatened,” Burke said.
She said compulsing plaintiffs to pay legal fees for “survivors” would disappoint such cases and level the arena.
Erika Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group, established by former state legislative officials, said such laws are necessary for these cases.
“Men are continuing to retaliate against women who are trying to take responsibility,” Vladimar said. “This law will protect workers who deserve a safe workplace.”
Cuomo’s campaign has sought to dismiss the bill, dismiss the names and discourage those who were mistakenly smeared from not holding false accusers accountable.
“Regardless of whether they agree politically or not, all New Yorkers should have the right to protect themselves from claims that Bennett’s statement is not accurately trusted, and that her claim is Merritman’s claim that is why she abandoned the reason for abolishing Governor Cuomo’s days.
Bennett originally filed federal lawsuits in September 2022 against Cuomo, Lieutenant Colonel Melissa Delosa and two other aides, but dropped the case before it was set up in December to take oath on her claims.
Cuomo claimed he was framed.
“I said this when it first started [the sex lawsuit] Cuomo, 67, told a post outside Calvary Baptist Church in Jamaica on Sunday.
“I was dropped from the lawsuit, so it was up to the state. The state settled. [costs] To file a lawsuit rather than to settle it. But it was all politics,” he said.
The Stringer Campaign declined to comment on the law.
Bennett’s camp did not respond to mail requests for comments.
