Andrew Cuomo won’t face criminal charges over allegations that he groped an aide, after the Albany District Attorney dropped a criminal complaint against the former New York governor, Politico reports. Cuomo had been set to go to court on Friday to face the charges. DA David Soares said he found the allegations by a woman who said Cuomo touched her breast at the governor’s mansion credible, but did not believe he would be able to prove a crime to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He asked for a misdemeanor complaint brought by the Albany County sheriff in October to be dismissed. There was trouble from the start with the case, including a lack of coordination between the sheriff and the DA. The move makes it unlikely Cuomo will ultimately face any criminal liability for his alleged misconduct toward women.
A DA in Westchester said she found credible evidence of incidents alleged in the county where Cuomo lived — kisses on the cheek of an on-duty female state trooper and of a school employee without consent at a public event also — but could not prove a crime. Brittany Commisso, the woman who charged Cuomo groped her while she was on the job at the governor’s mansion, criticized the decision, telling the New York Post: “I think it’s deterring women from coming forward.” While there won’t be a criminal prosecution, a civil case is still likely: Soares said his decision does not close the door on “any possible civil liability,” and Commisso’s attorney said she plans to pursue a civil action.