Gov. Kathy Hochul on March 2, 2025.
Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s press secretary was suspended this week whereas the governor’s workplace investigates an allegation of sexual harassment towards him.
The New York Occasions reported that press secretary Avi Small is beneath investigation after a male staffer accused Small of inappropriately touching him. Small has labored in Hochul’s press workplace since quickly after she turned governor, following former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation within the wake of a sexual harassment scandal.
Hochul’s communications director, Anthony Hogrebe, mentioned in a press release to New York News that the incident was investigated as quickly because it was delivered to the governor’s workplace, often known as the Govt Chamber.
“Governor Hochul has zero tolerance for misconduct by any New York State employee, and has instituted the strongest workplace protections and training policies in State history,” Hogrebe wrote. “While we cannot comment on an open investigation, as soon as a complaint was brought to the Chamber the employee in question was placed on leave.”
Hogrebe didn’t identify the worker, and New York News has been unable to independently confirm the Occasions’ reporting.
Hochul began her time period as governor in 2021, pledging to reform how the Govt Chamber treats sexual harassment, when New York was nonetheless reeling from the a number of investigations accusing Cuomo of harassment.
“No one who was named as doing anything unethical in the report will remain in my administration,” Hochul mentioned in an August 2021 press convention. “At the end of my term, whenever it ends, no one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment.”
Cuomo beforehand apologized for his conduct, however appeared much less remorseful throughout his marketing campaign for mayor. Regardless of the sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo was the longstanding frontrunner within the Democratic major, in the end coming in second.
After Cuomo’s resignation, Hochul’s workplace retained an out of doors regulation agency, Calcagni Kanefsky, LLP, to independently examine claims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, in response to a 2021 announcement. Beneath the brand new coverage, staff can file confidential complaints to the regulation agency, which then “will recommend appropriate discipline and corrective action” after the investigation.
The governor’s workplace didn’t reply to New York News’s inquiry as as to whether Calcagni Kanefsky, LLP, is dealing with Smalls’ case.
Hochul additionally applied new insurance policies for dealing with sexual harassment, together with mandating in-person coaching for her whole workers and firing all staff named within the investigation towards Cuomo.
“My administration is going to be open, transparent and an environment where people can just do their jobs without fear of harassment,” Hochul mentioned on “CBS This Morning” in August 2021. “Anyone who crosses the line, they’re going to have to deal with me. There’s no tolerance for anyone who abuses their positions.”
