Cuomo attorney says sheriff leaked grand jury secrets in sex crime probe

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo arrives to depart in his helicopter after announcing his resignation in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., August 10, 2021. REUTERS

LOS ANGELES — An attorney for Andrew Cuomo on Saturday suggested the county sheriff’s office that has filed a misdemeanor sex complaint against the former New York governor leaked secret grand jury testimony to the press.

In a letter to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, attorney Rita Glavin served formal notice demanding that all records related to the sheriff’s office investigation of Cuomo be preserved, in a probe Cuomo described on Saturday as “rogue”.

On Friday Apple rejected accusations from Cuomo’s camp that his investigation was politically motivated. Cuomo’s attorney called the timing of Thursday’s criminal complaint “suspect”, as it was made on the eve of New York Attorney General Letitia James’s announcement that she was running for New York governor.

Cuomo resigned in August amid multiple sexual harassment allegations. He and James are both Democrats but are political rivals. James’s office is conducting a separate investigation of Cuomo.

The criminal complaint filed on Thursday charges Cuomo with forcible touching by groping a female aide under her blouse inside the Executive Mansion. The complaint did not name the woman but she has identified herself as Brittany Commisso, who worked as one of Cuomo’s executive assistants.

In Saturday’s letter, Glavin demanded that Apple preserve all communications between his office and that of James, state lawmakers, journalists and Commisso.

“We will be asking for an investigation of unlawful grand jury leaks, and we are also exploring legal remedies for such leaks,” Glavin wrote to Apple.