I mean it was he was like cupping my breast. "An Executive Chamber staff member noted that she believed Executive Assistant #1 [Brittany Commisso] and Ms. McGrath had wanted a picture with the Governor at the party and were proud of the ones taken." AG report p. 20, footnote#123. El proceso legal en contra del todava Gobernador de Nueva York, Andrew Cuomo, contina. Me and my team went through the emails for that day. Her estranged husband and his family are involved in Democratic politics in the Albany area. Because he refused to pay me child support, Brittany testified. Letter Page#1 and Page#2. Commisso describes her coat as a long winter coat with a zipper and a belt. His actions toward her, she said, made her uncomfortable. Then they started to be hugs with kisses on the cheek. The mom of one, who began working in the Executive Chamber in 2019, recalled hearing rumors that Cuomo was saying we were having an affair and that was going to be his defense., She suggested that should her husband file court papers alleging adultery, that would help the governor and I think that is absolutely disgusting.. She said that Mr. Cuomo groped her again in November 2020, when she was helping him in his Executive Mansion office. Legal Statement. He said: I dont care and slammed the door shut. They ignored it. A footnote in the report notes that Commisso did not remember the exact date of the incident, but said it was around November 16, 2020. Brittany Commisso reported Cuomo to the Albany County sheriff's office last week, days after an investigation by the state attorney general's office found she was among 11 women whom the . The Special Counsel took notes of that call, contemporaneous evidence that the Report did not include, but which was provided by Rita Glavin in her Submission on October 20, 2021. The 165-page report, in which Ms. Commisso is referred to as Executive Assistant #1, found that Mr. Cuomo harassed 11 women, most of them current or former state employees. We may also provide notice to you in other ways at our discretion, such as through the contact information you have provided. Ms. Commisso said that she was at the Executive Mansion on Dec. 31, 2019 to help the governor with his upcoming State of the State address. Brittany Commisso was identified as "Executive Assistant #1" in James report accusing Cuomo of sexually harassing 11 women, including current and former state employees, from 2013 to 2020 in violation of state and federal law. Commisso is a close friend of another accuser, Alyssa McGrath since high school. Commisso, known as. These are the facts. I showed him them. I would have to lose my mind to do such a thing. Cuomo has denied touching women inappropriately, but apologized if his behavior was misinterpreted, while his attorneys have questioned the fairness and impartiality of the attorney generals investigation. Im trying to get a better picture of it.A. It is the first time she has been named publicly. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. I remember going downstairs and escorting myself out and going to my car and sitting there for a second and going, OK, I have to now go back into the Capitol, go back to my desk and do my job and pretend that, like, that didnt just happen. "I was embarrassed," she said. Brittany Commisso's claims were first detailed in a report which found Mr Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. If Cuomo wanted the photo or wanted to exercise power, he would have used his phone. (Screenshot from Submission to AG, p 88). But to me and the other women that he did this to, well, it was not normal," she said. On page 190 Commisso also testified that she is not getting child support from her husband. Around November 2019, when she started to assist Mr. Cuomo at the Executive Mansion, the governor would comment on her appearance, the attorney generals report said. Family, Parents, Siblings, Education. I could only assume that is coming from Cuomos attorneys or his people., While this is all going on these rumors are going around and being told to me, she said, and now Im learning that they were possibly trying to work with my ex-husband to try to get him to, like he said, do his dirty work.. Commisso Jr. did not respond to a request for comment. Times Union Interview, April 7, 2021: It was a weekday in late November. On the recording her husband, who filed for divorce in January, implied that he knows that we had an affair, Commisso said. Frank J. Commisso Democrat for Mayor Facebook Page, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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"What he did to me was a crime," Ms Commisso, 32, said about alleged instances of . There are troopers that are outside of the mansion and there are some mansion staff. After finishing her draft of the speech, she said, Mr. Cuomo suggested the two of them take a selfie. I apologize, I dont remember the actual specifics of the material.Q. Commissos father, Frank Commisso Sr., also a Democrat, has been a member of the Albany County Legislature since 1983. Let me ask you a few questions about that. The governor needs to be held accountable. I didnt want it. She said that Mr. Cuomo then slammed the door shut, and slipped his hand under her shirt and grabbed her breast. Commisso, now 32, alleges that the governor groped her for the first time on December 31, 2019. Brittany Commisso, Cuomo's Executive Assistant, Comes Forward for the First Time In her first public interview about the governor, Commisso said she believes Cuomo's treatment of her "was a crime" A politician, attorney, and novelist from the United States named Andrew is charged of pestering women sexually. The governor has repeatedly denied that ever took place and quite frankly, when she first raised this in early March, he was stunned.. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. He then returned and slid his hand up her blouse, grabbed her breast over her bra. You put it back up before he came around and groped you; is that right?A. I remember my blouse, I dont remember exactly which color it was though. Rita Glavin, Cuomos lawyer, in a letter last month demanding that Albany Sheriff Craig Apple, preserve all records in the criminal probe, asked that any communications involving Commisso and his son be retained. "He was to my left. And it was certainly not consensual.". To attack this investigation andattempt to undermine and politicize this process takes away from the bravery displayed by these women. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He broke the law., Commisso added, I didnt say anything this whole time. The couple tied the knots in 2016, at their native in Albany, with close people as attendees. Commisso Testimony Pages 141 143:I remember going up to his office. Then the investigators start asking questions about her coat because wearing a coat doesnt fit her narrative of Cuomo sliding his hand instantly and in .2 seconds under her blouse. The accusation that he had his hands around their ribcages below their breasts is absurd. The Truth Will Be Out. Brittany was born and brought up in Albany, United States of America. She has provided several variations of her breast groping story that differ significantly in what happened when it happened, and why she was in the Mansion (see details further below). Sexual harassment is completely different," she said. Brittany Commisso, who was previously only identified as "Executive Assistant #1," has accused Cuomo of multiple instances of sexual harassment and told CBS's "This Morning" and the Albany Times . Im, like, swearing in my mind. Commisso alleges that in late 2020, Cuomo hugged her, reached under her blouse, and grabbed her breast in the Executive Mansion. One of the women who accused New YorkGov. A Mommy Blog. Cuomo has denied that he ever touched Commisso inappropriately, including when they took the selfie. She said as they were posing for the photo, Cuomo moved his hand to grab her butt cheek and then rubbed it for "at least five seconds.". This indicates she was looking for a financial settlement and/or judgment. "I have to tell you it was at the moment I was in such shock that I could just tell you that I just remember looking down seeing his hand, seeing the top of my bra and I remember it was like a little even the cup the kind of bra that I had to the point I could tell you doesnt really fit me properly, it was a little loose, I just remember seeing exactly that. Cuomo resigned on Tuesday. After the AG announced the findings of her result and published the report, Rita Glavin provided a detailed timeline of activities on November 16, 2020, which shows that the incident could not have happened that day. Her interview with the news show and newspaper comes almost a week after Attorney General Letitia James released the report into sexual misconduct and sexual harassment accusations against Cuomo, a Democrat who has been New Yorks governor since 2011. Brittany Commisso, the executive assistant who claims that New York Gov. The New York State Assembly Judiciary Committee is expected to complete its impeachment probe later this week. Ms. Commisso also criticized the governor for saying in his defense that he commonly hugs, kisses and touches people in an effort to put them at ease. ", Cuomo has denied this accusation as well, saying, "to touch a woman's breasts, who I hardly know, in the mansion with 10 staff around, with my family in the mansion, to say, 'I don't care who sees us.' Commisso sent the selfie to her friend McGrath when still next to Cuomo. In essence she has accused Governor Cuomo of sexual assault. I believe it was my black coat that has a zipper on it and I think it has a belt with it too.Q. (AG report p. 17-18). ", Commisso called the governor's response "disgusting. This Disclaimer is a legally binding agreement between you (User, you or your) and this Website operator (Operator, we, us or our). Andrew M. Cuomo has accused of lying about an incident in which she said he groped her breast at the Executive Mansion, revealed. She first claimed this happened on November 16, 2020. Heres what you need to know about Brittany Commisso and her accusations against Cuomo: Cuomo is accused in the report of engaging in a pattern of inappropriate conduct with Commisso since about late 2019, according to the attorney generals report. By accessing and using the Website and Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Disclaimer. Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct, suggested to investigators that allies of the disgraced politician tried to meddle in her divorce. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. All the entrants and exit records and this womans story which is stated as fact in the report is false. To me and the other women that he did this to, oh, it was not normal, Ms. Commisso said. Brittany Commisso is a 32-year-old American Executive Assistant #1 from New York who was born in 1989. She was identified only as "Executive Assistant. This image provided by CBS This Morning/Times Union shows Brittany Commisso, left, answering questions during an interview with CBS correspondent Jericka Duncan on CBS This Morning, Sunday, Aug. 8 . Story tips can be sent to Jessica.Chasmar@fox.com. Commisso whose groping allegationled to a misdemeanor criminal complaint being filedagainstthe former governor last month implied that her estranged husband may have been manipulated by Cuomo insiders into erroneously believing she and Cuomo had a consensual affair. In her CBS interview, Commisso claimed that after the butt grope they sat down on the couch, where she felt safer, when in fact it puts her in a more vulnerable position. Early in 2020, when McGrath and Commisso assisted the governor in preparing the State of the State books, they told Cuomo about planning a trip to Florida in April. Brittany Commisso, going on camera for the first time, said Cuomo is lying. Andrew M. Cuomo, spoke publicly for the first time about her allegations. Both her and Cuomos forehead wrinkles are clearly smoothened out / significantly reduced and his hairline moved back by doing so. She said youre crazy and pulled away. In her testimony on May 17, 2021, she claimed she deleted them because she didnt want Cuomo to see how shaky and nervous she was. I told them.. Andrew Cuomoof sexual assault in state Attorney General Letitia James explosive report last week revealed her identity in a new interview, saying the Democratic governor "broke the law" and must be held accountable. Clip is edited. Those troopers that are there, they are not there to protect me. Finally, after asking about details of her blouse, they stop saying its fine before she can make it worse and omit this whole crucial part of her testimony and the fact that she wore a coat completely. Brian Premo, the attorney representing Brittany Commisso, did not respond to a request for comment. ", "And, but then I also after a couple of months and processing this whole thing, I do want her to know that she has a voice," Commisso said. And it unfortunately turned into a nightmare," she said. He then said And I told them I wasnt going to do that scumbag Cuomos dirty work, she recalled. Commisso claims Cuomo told her to send the picture to McGrath but not to share it with anyone else. Market data provided by Factset. I remember just being told to go in there and literally take whatever he had on his notes app and to put it into his text messages and send it to Stephanie. Representation: Any views or opinions represented on the Website belong solely to the content creators and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the Operator or creators may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. ", CUOMO EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT COMES FORWARD, ALLEGES NY GOVERNOR 'BROKE THE LAW'. ", Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said on Saturday that his office will undertake a criminal investigation based on Commisso's complaint. 289 Followers, 220 Following, 24 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Frank Commisso Jr. (@commissoforalbany) Brittany, Frank's wife, is one of 11 women who have accused the Governor of inappropriate sexual behavior at work. "The governor knows that what he did to me and what he did to these 10 other women, whether it be a comment or an actual physical contact, was sexual harassment. Brittany Commisso speaks during an interview that aired on CBS This Morning on August 9. The governor has denied all of the accusations and has strongly repudiated the allegations from Ms. Commisso. It was, it was I don't have the words. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said at a press conference that the accusations made against Cuomo by Commisso could lead to an arrest on misdemeanor charges. She began working in the governors office as an executive assistant in December 2017. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CBS After graduating from SUNY Albany with a degree in. She spoke in late 2020 and early 2021 to her supervisors about having to leave early,. Commisso, who is 32, has a 6-year-old daughter and is in divorce proceedings with her husband, who once ran for mayor of Albany, said Cuomo groped her twice. But . They are in fact so close that McGrath was listed as Commissos emergency contact at work. "And, yes, you did. She walked out and he walked back into his office. Cuomo allegedly endured harassment, An investigator says that an executive assistant of Governor Andrew Cuomo endured a series of inappropriate encounters with Governor Andrew Cuomo. Brittany Commisso is "Executive Assistant #1 in the AG's report and "Ms. X" in the Position Statement, but she has since revealed her identity. More Monday at 7a, only on CBS. Rita Glavin, an attorney for the governor,said Fridaythat emails allegedly undermining Commissos story were not included in James' investigation. assistant mingle mamas, inquiring multiple times about whether she had cheated or would cheat on her husband and asking her to help find him a girlfriend., The report states, These offensive interactions, among others, culminated in an incident at the executive mansion in November 2020 when the governor, during another close hug with Executive Assistant #1, reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast. None of this is evidence of any wrongdoing on Cuomos side. Commisso's accusations of increasingly inappropriate advances included Cuomo sneaking his hand down to her butt and rubbing it, during an embrace for a selfie that he suggested they take . Education of Brittany Commisso She has completed high school. Commisso left that job for an opportunity to work for a top official at a state agency, but returned to the Executive Chamber in 2019, when, according to public records, she was hired as a $62,000-a-year administrative assistant a title she still holds to this day. On March 9 and March 10, 2021, Times Union reported that according to an anonymous source an unnamed current female employee (Commisso) accused Cuomo of groping her at the Governors mansion. And the interactions she described and the timing of it dont match up at all.. "I exactly remember looking down, seeing his hand, which is a large hand, thinking to myself, 'Oh, my God. This is inconsistent with the narrative that she was nervously shaking and sent the photo to McGrath in real-time. I definitely remember wearing a blouse that when you looked down you could see the top of my bra. On August 5, Brittany Commisso filed a criminal complaint at the Sheriffs Office (instead of the Police Department), 10 days before she had her next court date regarding her divorce. This statement was hidden in a footnote of the report. Cuomo accuser Brittany Commisso alleges the N.Y. governor groped her in the executive mansion: 'He thinks he's untouchable' Last Updated: Aug. 10, 2021 at 3:43 p.m. In no event will the Operator, or its partners, employees or agents, be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information on the Website, or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. If he was doing anything inappropriate, he would not leave a photo of it as evidence on the phone of his victim. An updated version of this Disclaimer will be effective immediately upon the posting of the revised Disclaimer unless otherwise specified. The New York State Assembly will decide whether to impeach Cuomo. Brittany Damino Commisso has worked in various roles in the local and state government, according to her now-deleted LinkedIn profile. Any suggestion that attempts to undermine the credibility of these women or this investigation is unfortunate., Anne Clark: Meet the Lawyer Who Led the Cuomo Sexual Harassment Investigation, Brittany Commisso: Cuomo Executive Assistant #1 Speaks Out Publicly, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Former Cuomo assistant Brittany Commisso said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" in a preview clip from "CBS This Morning" that what Gov. Changes and amendments: We reserve the right to modify this Disclaimer or its terms related to the Website and Services at any time at our discretion. Commisso has accused Cuomo of groping her. Cuomo to resign gains momentum among notable Democrats, Gavin Newsom loves bashing Texas; here's what Texas Republicans have to say about that, Presidential candidate Nikki Haley heckled by Trump supporters at CPAC: 'We love Trump! Brittany Commisso's Early Life She was born on August 13 in 1988. But she claimed that Frank, a former Albany Common Council member who works for the New York State and Local Retirement System, then tried to use the affair claim as a way to get out of paying child support for their daughter allegedly threatening to amend his no-fault divorce filing to one saying she had been unfaithful. During her interview with CBS News and the Albany Times-Union, Commisso said, It was the right thing to do. Commisso said that she did not consider any of this behavior normal or acceptable. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This salary is 7 percent lower than average and 21 percent higher than median salary in Executive Chamber. Neither she nor her hubby appear to currently use social media. I broke down. 3 different dates: After the AG report was released on August 3, 2021, Cuomos lawyer presented evidence showing that the alleged incident could have not happened on that date. Commissos estranged husband ran unsuccessfully for Albany mayor in 2017 as a Democrat. Commisso Jr., also a Democrat, unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Albany in 2017. Andrew M. Cuomo of groping her in the Executive Mansion and filed a criminal complaint against him, forcefully rebutted the governors claims that she initiated or welcomed physical contact between them, in an interview that aired on Monday. Brittany Commisso was born in the United States of America in 1989 to their parents. I would never on my own get up and initiate a hug with the governor," she insisted. Radio Host Tony Katz and Former Biden Campaign Surrogate Kevin Walling discuss calls for NY Gov. The staffer who accused Governor Andrew Cuomo of groping her in the Executive Mansion and other harassing behavior has come forward: Brittany Commisso, executive assistant to the . A suggestion that she said she accepted because she thought he would no longer be able to touch her rear end if she were sitting down. It worked. And I thought to myself, that probably wasn't the best thing to say," Commisso said. She is generally described as a bubbly, outgoing person. Brittany Commisso one of the previously unnamed 11 women who New York Gov. All information on the Website is provided as is, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Commisso said this made her so nervous that her hands began to shake, making it difficult for her to even take the picture. Her husband filed for divorce, and a summons with notice is recorded at Albany County Clerk on February 22, 2021, with Brittany Commisso as the defendant. Commisso claims she was afraid a staffer might walk in and get the wrong idea, but that after she said that, Cuomo "shut the door so hard to the point where I thought for sure, someone downstairs must think if they heard that, 'what is going on?'". Powered by. Cuomo testified that he did hug her, but that she was the initiator, and he went along to avoid her feeling awkwardly. Then there was at one point a hug, and then when he went to go kiss me on the cheek, he quickly turned his head and he kissed me on the lips.". "He cupped my breast," Commisso told investigators. And in November 2020, she said she and the governor were alone in his office at the executive mansion when he slid his hand up her blouse and grabbed her breast over her bra.