A high-profile group supporting the #MeToo movement, TimesUp, is under fire for reportedly running interference for disgraced New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) after he was accused of sexual misconduct. The group's involvement was revealed in New York Attorney General Letitia James' report on the investigation into Cuomo's conduct. TimesUp co-founder Roberta Kaplan assisted in the governor's denial strategy to push back against former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan's allegations against the governor.
The AG's report said that the aides and advisers crafted a letter that "denied the legitimacy of Ms. Boylan's allegations, impugned her credibility, and attacked her claims as politically motivated," the report said. James' investigation found that this effort was representative of "unlawful retaliation." Via The Washington Post:
Days after the first accusation of misconduct surfaced last year against New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D), his staff began reaching out to a prominent advocate for sexual harassment victims and the head of the largest gay rights group for guidance as they mulled how to discredit his accuser.
This week, an independent investigation commissioned by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that the subsequent effort by the governor’s office to undermine the credibility of former Cuomo adviser Lindsey Boylan — by leaking her private employee records and circulating a draft of a letter that impugned her credibility — amounted to “unlawful retaliation.”
Attorney Roberta Kaplan, a co-founder of Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, and Alphonso David, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, are now facing questions about their role in Cuomo’s aggressive effort to fight back against his accusers. (WaPo)
TimesUp was founded to work toward "a world where everyone is safe and respected at work. A world where women have an equal shot at success and security. A world where no one lives in fear of sexual harassment or assault."