New York state trooper files suit alleging former Gov. Andrew Cuomo inappropriately touched her

By Sonia Moghe, CNN

An unnamed New York state trooper who was part of former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s protective detail and told investigators he touched her inappropriately has filed a lawsuit against Cuomo, former Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, and her employer, New York State Police.

In the suit, the trooper, who is only identified as “Trooper 1,” alleges that Cuomo sexually harassed her, requesting her to be assigned to the unit that protected him “after seeing and talking to her for only a few minutes” and asking for service requirements for the job to be changed so that the trooper “could be close to him.”

“As with his other victims, the Governor used his physical proximity to Trooper 1 to touch her inappropriately,” the suit states.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi responded to the lawsuit Thursday.

“If kissing someone on the cheek, patting someone on the back or stomach or waving hello at a public event on New Year’s Eve is actionable then we are all in trouble,” Azzopardi said in a statement. “Gov Cuomo will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop — we look forward to justice in a court of law.”

An attorney for DeRosa said the case was not viable and called the suit “beyond frivolous.”

“We are only aware of this case from Twitter, but according to the trooper’s own testimony, Melissa’s only interaction with her was to say ‘hello and goodbye,'” attorney Paul Schetman said.

CNN has reached out to the New York State Police for comment.

An attorney for the trooper said that she has sought mental health treatment as a result of her experiences with Cuomo, which the attorney described as “deeply humiliating.” She has filed a separate motion to remain anonymous in the case.

“We’re asking the press to respect our client’s privacy as she goes through this difficult time and in an effort to protect her rights,” her attorney, Valdi Licul, told CNN.

Cuomo resigned last August over a series of sexual harassment allegations and a damaging report from the state attorney general’s office.

The new lawsuit contains new claims about what New York State Police allegedly knew about the then-governor’s purported conduct and alleges the trooper was told by a supervisor not to disclose inappropriate behavior to anyone.

‘Enabled by the machinery of the state’

In August 2019, the suit alleges, the trooper was driving Cuomo to an event when the governor asked her why she didn’t “wear a dress.”

The suit claims the trooper replied that “it would be impossible for her to carry a gun in a dress.” After the governor continued to ask her about it, the suit claims, the head of the governor’s protective detail interjected that she “was dressed accordingly.”

The suit claims that Trooper 1 was shocked by the interaction and spoke to another trooper in the governor’s detail about the interaction.

“Immediately, she received a message from the head of the PSU (governor’s detail) who had been present for the entire interaction,” the suit alleges.

The message simply said, “stays in truck,” which the trooper’s attorney claims was a clear order that she “not disclose to anyone the Governor’s inappropriate comment.”

“Fearing official discipline, Trooper 1 did not mention the incident to anyone else at the time,” the suit states.

Allegations of harassment

The suit quotes from testimony Trooper 1 gave to two independent investigators hired by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office to look into sexual misconduct by the former governor. Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. Multiple district attorneys who considered whether to file criminal charges against the former governor said they would not charge him criminally, while also saying the victims who accused Cuomo of misconduct were credible.

The suit alleges that Cuomo touched the trooper inappropriately, including at the Belmont racetrack in Long Island in 2019, alleging that he “placed the palm of his hand on her belly button and slid it across her waist to her right hip, where her gun was holstered.”

The suit also claims Cuomo sought the trooper out to give her unwanted attention as recently as June 2021. The trooper alleges Cuomo repeatedly asked her for a kiss and kissed her on the cheek.

‘Attacked by … the governor’s closest advisors’

The trooper’s complaint states that women who had the courage to complain about the Cuomo’s alleged behavior were “attacked by a cadre of the Governor’s closest advisors.”

Among them, the trooper accuses DeRosa of concealing Cuomo’s harassment, saying she was “specifically involved in hiding the Governor’s behavior.” DeRosa tweeted in November that she “barely knew” the trooper and alleged the trooper “has already attempted to extort me for money.”

As part of the filing of the lawsuit, Trooper 1 also requested to remain anonymous, saying that Cuomo and DeRosa “have been on a warpath of retaliation,” with activities including sharing a victim’s confidential information with reporters and secretly recording conversations with victims, among other alleged acts. The trooper said she would suffer significant psychological harm if she is forced to reveal her identity to the public.

“Moreover, the Governor and DeRosa have shown through their conduct over the past several years that they will use every tool at their disposal to lash out at those who challenge their abuses,” a court filing states.

An attorney for the trooper stated that she has sought mental health treatment as a result of her experiences with Cuomo, which the attorney described as “deeply humiliating.”

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