Sheriff addresses Cuomo complaint, New York AG to run for governor

Oct 29, 2021

Ben Burke Producer

By Ben Burke (Producer)

On Friday, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple attempted to clear up confusion surrounding a criminal complaint filed against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The complaint, first reported Thursday, accused the former governor of putting his hand under a woman’s shirt on Dec. 7, 2020.

“A criminal summons was issued. I would have liked to at that point had a deeper conversation with the district attorney. I would have liked to have reached out to Ms. (Rita) Glavin, Cuomo’s attorney, and explain what was going on,” Sheriff Apple said at a Friday news conference, part of which is shown in the video above. “But needless to say, the document was signed, the document was leaked. So again, things don’t always work out as planned.”

Also at the news conference, Sheriff Apple said he was confident in the strength of the complaint against Cuomo, saying “investigators have sifted through hundreds of documents, if not thousands, executed several search warrants and interviewed numerous witnesses”. He also dismissed the idea that the complaint was an attempt by his office to conduct a political hit job.

“How is the Albany County sheriff doing the political hit job? That’s ridiculous,” Apple said. “We are an apolitical organization. Maybe you folks aren’t from the area, but the people in the area, they’re pretty sure that it’s not a hit job.”

The criminal complaint comes over two months after Cuomo resigned in the wake of a state attorney general report that found Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women. That attorney general, Letitia James, announced Friday she would be running for governor.

“I’m running for Governor of New York because I have the experience, vision, and courage to take on the powerful on behalf of all New Yorkers,” James said in her announcement on Twitter. In a campaign video shown in above, James cited her 76 lawsuits against the Trump administration as one of several accomplishments she has made as AG that would prepare her for the governorship.

“I’ve gone after the drug companies for fueling the opioid crisis. I fought for better conditions and transparency in nursing homes,” James said in the campaign video. “I’ve taken action to divest our pension funds from fossil fuels. I’ve held accountable those who mistreat and harass women in the workplace, no matter how powerful the offenders. I fought for affordable housing and worked to eliminate the NRA.”

Craig Apple, Albany County Sheriff: “Our investigators have sifted through hundreds of documents, if not thousands, executed several search warrants and interviewed numerous witnesses, including our victim. As a result of all that information, a packet was sent down to Albany City Court for review. As a result of that review a criminal summons was issued.”

“A criminal summons was issued. I would have liked to at that point had a deeper conversation with the district attorney. I would have liked to have reached out to Ms. (Rita) Glavin, Cuomo’s attorney, and explain what was going on. But needless to say, the document was signed, the document was leaked. So again, things don’t always work out as planned.”

“I don’t think those documents should have been released until after an arraignment. And I just that’s my opinion. I think there’s a lot of other people that agree with it. But it happens.”

“I’ve never been accused on Twitter all night about, this is a political hit job. How is the Albany County sheriff doing the political hit job? That’s ridiculous. We are an apolitical organization. Maybe you folks aren’t from the area, but the people in the area, they’re pretty sure that it’s not a hit job. We do our investigations. We’re a very professional agency and I took an oath and we took a complaint and we followed through with it and we did like every other police, the police department and Sheriff’s Office should have done.”

“That’s where we are today. Mr. Cuomo is scheduled to appear November 17 in Albany City Court, at which time he will be processed and assumingly released.”

“I don’t know if it will go to trial. I think we have an overwhelming amount of evidence. We have a victim who’s been cooperating fully every day, every step of the way. As far as conviction or something to that effect, that’s really going to come down to is it a jury, is it a judge, as well as the district attorney’s office.”

VOICE-OVER: “Growing up in Brooklyn, she learned an important lesson from her parents to speak out, to speak the truth and to speak for those who don’t always have a voice.”

Letitia James, (D) New York Candidate for Governor: “I’m Letitia James, and I’ve spent my career guided by a simple principle – stand up to the powerful on behalf of the vulnerable, to be a force for change. I’ve gone after the drug companies for fueling the opioid crisis. I fought for better conditions and transparency in nursing homes. I’ve sued the Trump administration 76 times. But who’s counting? I’ve taken action to divest our pension funds from fossil fuels. I’ve held accountable those who mistreat and harass women in the workplace, no matter how powerful the offenders. I fought for affordable housing and worked to eliminate the NRA. Today, I am announcing my campaign to be your next governor.”

VOICE-OVER: “Letitia James is running for governor, for good paying jobs, a health care system that puts people ahead of profits, to protect the environment, make housing more affordable and lift up our schools in every neighborhood.”

Letitia James, (D) New York Candidate for Governor: “We can do this if we stand up and speak out together.”