Tipsheet

Human Rights Campaign Fires President Over Involvement in Cuomo Scandal

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  September 07, 2021 10:00 AM

The Human Rights Campaign announced Monday the termination of its president, Alphonso David, over the results of an internal investigation into his alleged efforts assisting former Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his sexual harassment scandal.

“As outlined in the New York Attorney General report, Mr. David engaged in a number of activities in December 2020, while HRC President, to assist Governor Cuomo’s team in responding to allegations by Ms. Boylan of sexual harassment,” the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization said in a statement. “This conduct in assisting Governor Cuomo’s team, while president of HRC, was in violation of HRC’s Conflict of Interest policy and the mission of HRC.”

Specifically, David disclosed personal information related to alleged Cuomo victim Lindsey Boylan after it was requested by former top secretary of state, Melissa DeRosa, who then passed it along to media outlets to tarnish Boylan’s reputation. […]

David also offered edits to a public statement disparaging Boylan and offered to collect signatures from other staffers, though the statement was never ultimately released.

David did not inform his organization that he was providing consultation to Cuomo, however, individuals familiar with HRC’s actions told the New York Times. (National Review)

After the completion of the investigation, HRC and HRC Foundation Boards of Directors voted to terminate David for violating his contract.

David, in turn, challenged HRC’s claims, arguing that the group would not provide a copy of the investigation’s report to him or anyone else. He then claimed HRC changed its tune and said the investigation isn’t complete.

“After I demanded truth and transparency, the HRC board co-chairs … elected to hide in darkness,” he wrote in a statement on Twitter. “They unjustly provided notice of termination to me in order to end my fight for the integrity of the review process and for what is right. I asked for the report, they refused. They lied about producing the report. Now that they are being called to task, they tried to shut me up.”

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HRC acknowledged the statements David had been publishing on Twitter, saying they “included significant untruths about the investigation and his status with the organization.”

David vowed to challenge his termination. 

“As a Black, gay man who has spent his whole life fighting for civil and human rights, they cannot shut me up,” David’s statement continued. “Expect a legal challenge.”