Cuomo sues former aide Charlotte Bennett for defamation

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to sue one of the women who accused him of harassment for defamation. He gave legal notice against former aide Charlotte Bennett in Manhattan state Supreme Court on Thursday. The legal action comes after Bennett dropped her federal lawsuit against Cuomo earlier this month ahead of her scheduled deposition.

In the summons, attorneys for Cuomo cite a Dec. 9 statement from Bennett and her attorney, Debra Katz. Katz’s law firm shared the statement on X and Bennett reposted it. The statement included direct quotes from both Bennett and Katz, along with a preface stating that Cuomo had “sexually harassed" Bennet. The complaint from Cuomo said that the statement was “false and defamatory, and Bennett made it knowing full well that it was false and intending to cause harm to Governor Cuomo.” According to the filing, Cuomo is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Bennett was one of several women who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment or misconduct before he resigned. The former governor has denied the allegations and maintained his innocence in multiple court cases. Bennett filed a federal lawsuit against Cuomo in 2022 over the alleged harassment but voluntarily withdrew the lawsuit earlier this month. She is still pursuing a separate lawsuit against New York state. Cuomo also faces a lawsuit from an unnamed state trooper for separate alleged behavior, which is ongoing.

Cuomo has never been found guilty of any misconduct in court. Nonbinding reports from the state attorney general’s office and the federal Department of Justice concluded that allegations against him were credible. A report conducted by outside investigators on behalf of the state attorney general’s office, which was released in 2021 shortly before Cuomo resigned, found that the claims of 11 women who accused Cuomo of misconduct were “credible.” At the start of this year, the DOJ settled with the Executive Chamber after a federal investigation concluded that Cuomo had harassed 13 women, although Cuomo was not a party to that agreement. Cuomo has disputed both reports.

Bennett’s attorney dismissed the new legal action. “This case has no merit,” Debra Katz told City & State. “There is a long history of using defamation lawsuits to silence and punish accusers of sexual harassment. It is shameful that Mr. Cuomo has apparently now chosen to go down that path.”

Representatives for Cuomo declined to comment on the legal action.

Read the full legal filing below: