Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued subpoenas to five of the 11 women who accused him of sexual harassment as he prepares his defense in a federal lawsuit. The subpoenas were sent to Lindsey Boylan, Brittany Commisso, Virginia Limmiatis, Ana Liss, and Alyssa McGrath between late March and April, according to attorneys involved in the case who spoke with The Wall Street Journal.
Cuomo, 65, resigned in August 2021 after state lawmakers geared up to impeach and remove him from office due to a series of sexual misconduct allegations that were investigated by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The subpoenas request that Cuomo's accusers provide depositions regarding their allegations against him and submit records of communications they had with investigators and reporters before publicly disclosing their claims.
The subpoenas are part of Cuomo's defense strategy in a civil lawsuit filed by an anonymous state trooper, referred to as Trooper 1, who accused the former governor of inappropriately touching her on her stomach and back while she was assigned to his security detail. The plaintiff alleged that Cuomo's behavior was part of a pattern of harassment that targeted multiple other women.
Cuomo has denied any inappropriate touching and apologized if he made anyone feel uncomfortable. He has claimed that the investigations leading to his resignation were politically motivated and portrayed himself as a victim of "cancel culture."
Cuomo's attorney, Rita Glavin, told WSJ Wednesday that obtaining depositions and records from accusers was "part of routine discovery," noting that her client has not yet had the opportunity to question these women.
Boylan's attorney, Julie Gerchik, said her client has already participated in two investigations. "The extreme nature of this latest subpoena directed at my client demonstrates that Mr. Cuomo has no qualms about continuing his harassment of the women he abused and is using taxpayer dollars to do so," Gerchik told the outlet.
The discovery process in the case is set to conclude in July. Cuomo's legal team previously attempted to subpoena James' office and the state Assembly for records, but their efforts were met with objections, and a decision on that matter is still pending.
Last month, Cuomo filed a lawsuit asserting that a state ethics watchdog lacks the legal authority to recover the $5 million he earned from a controversial book deal. Cuomo is seeking a court order to halt the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying In Government's efforts to seize the money before a June 12 hearing regarding allegations that he improperly used state resources to write his 2020 best-seller, "American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic."
Cuomo, who has been making public appearances and hosting a weekly podcast in an effort to restore his damaged reputation, faces a separate federal lawsuit filed by his former aide Charlotte Bennett, who accused him of asking inappropriate questions about her sex life and confiding in her that he was "lonely." Cuomo has previously apologized for making Bennett feel uncomfortable but denied some of her allegations.