Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Sexual Assault Accuser Drops Federal Lawsuit

A former collaborator who accused an ex-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for sexual harassment withdrew its federal lawsuit towards him, in line with courtroom data.

A discover of voluntary dismissal with out prejudice was filed Monday, December 9 by the legal professionals of Charlotte Bennett, who filed an motion towards her former boss in 2022.

Bennet dropped his lawsuit on the eve of his deposition, Bennett's legal professional, Debra Katz of Katz Banks Kumin, wrote in a release.

FORMER GOVERNMENT CUOMO HITS BIDEN FOR FORGIVENESS “SAD”, ​​“HYPOCRITICAL”: PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF IT”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo prepares to board a helicopter after saying his resignation, August 10, 2021, in New York. (AP Photograph/Seth Wenig, file)

Richard Azzopardi, a consultant for Cuomo, praised Bennett's choice, saying his claims had “falsely defamed” the previous governor “for years.”

“Ms. Bennett's choice to drop her baseless lawsuit should be seen as a whole capitulation and a determined try and keep away from being confronted with mountains of exculpatory findings – together with contemporaneous texts and movies that the workplace from the Legal professional Common has by no means obtained – which fully refutes his allegations towards Governor Cuomo,” he mentioned in a press release to Fox Information Digital.

“After years of falsely slandering Governor Cuomo, Ms. Bennett out of the blue withdrew her federal lawsuit on the eve of her deposition to keep away from having to confess beneath oath that her allegations have been false and that her assertions had no foundation.” , he declared. “If New York State offers in to its public stress marketing campaign and reaches an settlement, it won’t be on the deserves and will require the discharge of all proof in order that New Yorkers lastly know the reality: Governor Cuomo has by no means sexually harassed anybody. »

Charlotte Bennett, former well being coverage aide to former Governor Andrew Cuomo, pauses throughout an interview in New York on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. (AP Photograph/John Minchillo, file)

In a press release published on their websiteBennett's legal professionals mentioned they selected to dismiss the case to finish Cuomo's continued harassment of their consumer.

“Mr. Cuomo used these authorized proceedings to punish Ms. Bennett and others who spoke out about his habits. sexual harassmentand trigger him much more hurt, all on the expense of New York taxpayers,” Katz wrote. “By dismissing the federal case, we subsequently hope that our consumer will be capable of resolve this dispute and at last be made complete for all damages. Mr. Cuomo and his brokers provoked it.”

His legal professionals mentioned Bennett would proceed to “search justice” by submitting a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court docket towards the state of New York.

ANDREW CUOMO FILES ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST NY AG LETITIA JAMES FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION

“On behalf of Ms. Bennett, and in help of all those that have skilled sexual harassment by the hands of highly effective males like former Governor Cuomo, we are going to proceed to hunt justice in our motion towards the State of New York… » Katz mentioned. “By dismissing the federal case, we subsequently hope that our consumer will be capable of resolve this dispute and at last be compensated for all of the injury that Mr. Cuomo and his brokers have brought about her.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo arrives on his helicopter after saying his resignation in Manhattan, New York, United States, August 10, 2021. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs/file photograph)

Bennett mentioned within the lawsuit that Cuomo “subjected her to sexualized feedback about her look” and “assigned her demeaning and humiliating duties.”

She additionally mentioned the previous governor allegedly “subjected her to invasive and undesirable questions on her private life, romantic and sexual relationships, and her historical past as a survivor of sexual assault.”

On Bennett's first full day on the job, Might 16, 2019, the lawsuit alleged that Cuomo “known as her into his workplace” and requested her a sequence of questions, which in the end involved private relationships. Cuomo allegedly requested the brand new worker if she at the moment had a boyfriend and requested her how lengthy her longest one was romantic relationship.

ANDREW CUOMO SUES NY AG TO COVER LEGAL COSTS IN HARASSMENT LAWSUIT

Bennett's lawsuit describes the questions as each “inappropriate” and says they made her “uncomfortable.”

After Cuomo reportedly requested Bennett to begin touring with him, he requested her a sequence of questions on her private life, to which she responded “weightlifting, skiing and running“.

Cuomo then reportedly requested how a lot weight Bennett may bench press in addition to what number of push-ups she was able to doing. He then challenged her to a “push-up contest,” in line with the lawsuit.

Bennett additionally alleges that Cuomo made “sexual advances” towards her and cited an incident that occurred on June 25, 2020.

She mentioned within the lawsuit that whereas Cuomo was discussing a proposal on police reform, he mentioned the best way Charlotte's masks moved out and in when she breathed reminded him of the monsters within the film “Predator.”

The lawsuit says Cuomo allegedly went on to say, “If I have been beneath investigation for sexual harassment, I must say I advised her she seemed like a monster.”

She alleges within the go well with that former chief of workers Jill DesRosiers; former secretary Melissa DeRosa; and Particular Advisor Judith Mogul all “aided and abetted” sexual harassment.

When Bennett reported Cuomo's alleged sexual harassment to DesRosiers, the lawsuit alleges, she was moved to a “decrease place” on the Govt Chamber's well being coverage staff.

The lawsuit additionally alleges that Cuomo “launched into a marketing campaign to publicly solid doubt” on the allegations made by Bennett and different girls after cooperating with the investigation led by state Legal professional Common Letitia James.

Bennett, in line with the lawsuit, experiments “almost debilitating anxiety,” signs of despair, and commenced affected by a “persistent neurological dysfunction” on account of what she says was a “direct consequence” of Cuomo's alleged harassment.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Bennett mentioned in a press release that his profession as a public official was affected on account of Cuomo's alleged sexual harassment.

“My profession as a public servant was abruptly lower brief on account of sexual harassment and retaliation by Governor Cuomo and his prime aides towards me after I complained about Governor Cuomo's misconduct. All of them have to be held accountable for his or her actions,” Bennett mentioned.