New York attorney general questions Cuomo senior adviser in sexual harassment probe: report

New York Attorney General Letitia James has questioned Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D-N.Y.) senior adviser regarding the sexual harassment allegations brought against the governor, sources familiar with the issue told The Wall Street Journal.

Investigators questioned Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo’s top senior adviser, in a move sources tell the Journal could signal an upcoming conclusion of the probe since Azzopardi was expected to be one of the last people interviewed. 

The probe began in March after multiple women, both former and current employees of the governor, came out against Cuomo and said he sexually harassed them. 

Cuomo has denied all allegations of sexual harassment and says he’s never touched a woman inappropriately.

People who have spoken with investigators told the Journal the questions related to the working environment in Cuomo’s office and comments that were heard about women and minorities.

The women accusing Cuomo of these acts have been testifying under oath for hours the past few weeks, the Journal reported.

Investigators are also looking into phone calls Azzopardi and other senior officials made to former employees after Lindsey Boylan came forward with the first accusation against Cuomo in December, sources told the Journal.

The women who received the phone calls reportedly felt intimated by the contact.

Investigators are determining if Cuomo threatened to retaliate against any woman who tried to come out against him.

The attorney general’s office is also looking into allegations that Cuomo used COVID-19 vaccine access in exchange for political support.

Cuomo has denied those allegations, as well.

Multiple women have come out against Cuomo since Boylan’s allegations in December. The allegations range from inappropriate comments to touching the women without consent. 

Republicans and Democrats alike have called on Cuomo to step down, but he has refused.