Report: Cuomo staff prepared letter attacking credibility of an accuser

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and his staff drew up a letter attacking the credibility of an ex-aide who accused him of sexual harassment and circulated it in a bid to get other women to endorse it, according to a report published Tuesday.

The New York Times reported the governor himself was involved in creating the letter about Lindsey Boylan and emailing it to some of his former advisers for review. The Times, which reviewed the letter, said it was unclear how many were asked to sign the letter and that it was never released.

Boylan was the first of several ex-staffers to accuse the third-term Democrat of sexual harassment, which has resulted in an investigation led by Attorney General Letitia James. Cuomo also is facing a federal investigation of his administration’s handling of nursing homes amid the pandemic and an Assembly impeachment inquiry focusing on nursing homes, sexual harassment and bridge construction.

Boylan first made general claims on Twitter in December, which was when the Cuomo administration began drafting the letter, according to the Times. She then made more detailed allegations in February, spurring other former employees to come forward.

When Boylan made more detailed claims, the administration released some of her personnel records to media outlets, outlining unprofessional behavior that reportedly triggered her resignation in 2018.

Beth Garvey, Cuomo’s counsel, told the Times on Tuesday: "It is within a government entity’s discretion to share redacted employment records, including in instances when members of the media ask for such public information and when it is for the purpose of correcting inaccurate or misleading statements." She declined to comment further.