A former aide is suing New York Lawyer Basic Letitia James claiming that her workplace lined for her former chief of employees who ‘forcibly ‘caught his tongue down her throat’ at a 2021 fundraiser.
James has publicly backed Ibrahim Khan’s accusers however ex-staffer Sofia Quintanar, 33, alleges the AG regarded the opposite manner whereas he sexually harassed her and different girls.
Quintanar claims that Khan – who served James as chief of employees for a decade – was stated to be ‘on trip or with a sick relative’ when he was the truth is suspended pending investigation.
Khan, who has been a high advisor to James for almost a decade, stepped down amid the probe, which comes a yr after her investigation into harassment allegations in opposition to then-Governor Andrew Cuomo resulted in his resignation.
He was allowed to resign on November 22 – earlier than the investigation ended – and remains to be being paid by way of the tip of the yr.
Sofia Quintanar, 33 alleges James regarded the opposite manner with Ibrahim Khan, saying that the lawyer common would lie about his whereabouts whereas serving a suspension for his behavio
Ibrahim Khan, who has been a high advisor to New York AG Letitia James for almost a decade, stepped down amid an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct
Quintanar claims that Khan – who served James as chief of employees for a decade – was stated by James’ workplace to be ‘on trip or with a sick relative’ throughout a suspension pending investigation
Quintanar particularly alleges that Khan ‘forcefully shoved his tongue down her throat at a political fundraiser in Brooklyn’ on November 17, 2021, throughout James’ transient run for governor of New York.
The go well with is for unspecified damages and contains James’ workplace and marketing campaign in accusations of negligence, discrimination and retaliation.
It additionally accuses James of permitting a press officer to stop ‘underneath related circumstances’ in 2019.
Quintanar labored as deputy press secretary for James in 2020, leaving to work on Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown’s write-in re-election marketing campaign in the summertime of 2021.
She was on the lookout for a brand new job in direction of the tip of the marketing campaign, which led to her attending the fundraiser the place Khan allegedly assaulted her.
The go well with says that Khan initially purchased her and a good friend drinks earlier than luring her exterior, claiming it was too loud indoors, when he ‘rested the load of his hand on Quintanar’s shoulder, and shoved his face ahead aggressively to kiss her, with out saying a phrase.’
Then, he ‘caught his tongue down her throat, nonetheless holding her shoulder.’
Khan then tried to kiss Quintanar – who requested him questions on his marriage and youngsters – earlier than she backed away, however alleged that Khan ‘continued to observe’ her and her good friend till she left.
In a press release, she stated: ‘Whereas I worry the impact that this may need on my profession, I do know that worry ought to by no means stand in the way in which of doing what is correct. I hope I can provide different survivors the braveness to seek out their voice and maintain these in positions of energy chargeable for their actions after they show the idea that they’re above the legislation.’
The complaints have been filed previous to James’ profitable re-election bid for lawyer common, in keeping with the New York Publish.
Quintanar labored as deputy press secretary for James in 2020, leaving to work on Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown’s write-in re-election marketing campaign in the summertime of 2021
The go well with says that Khan initially purchased her and a good friend drinks earlier than luring her exterior, claiming it was too loud indoors, when he ‘rested the load of his hand on Quintanar’s shoulder, and shoved his face ahead aggressively to kiss her, with out saying a phrase’
The investigation into Khan lined no less than two girls’s sexual harassment allegations, one among which included claims of undesirable kissing and inappropriate touching, the New York Occasions first reported.
Khan defended himself in a press release to the Occasions, claiming the allegations have been discovered to be unsubstantiated, and saying he was stepping down for unrelated causes.
A spokesperson for James confirmed Khan’s resignation following an investigation into ‘misconduct’ in a press release to DailyMail.com, however declined to touch upon the allegations or the findings of the probe.
James later spoke to NY1 in regards to the allegations: ‘I am offended. I am offended as a result of he was my chief of employees for ten years. Deeply dissatisfied in him. And there’s no excuse for his conduct in any respect. None by any means. I consider these girls.’
She stated that the allegations surfaced in October, which is the final time she recalled talking to Khan.
Nonetheless, Khan had beforehand been {accused} of forcibly kissing a lady at a bar in 2014, when James was public advocate.
James claimed the allegation didn’t get to her till 2017 and that they handed it over to officers, who discovered the allegations have been ‘unsubstantiated.’
She claimed to not know why the allegation didn’t come to her sooner.
A spokesman for James stated of the go well with: ‘We took the allegations dropped at our workplace significantly and engaged in decisive, immediate, and acceptable motion.’
New York’s high Democrats have defended James, with Mayor Eric Adams saying final week: ‘I do not suppose I do know a greater advocate for ladies than Tish James. Tish James is an actual voice for ladies in management. And I believe she is extraordinarily able to investigating.’
Governor Kathy Hochul believes James adopted correct process, telling NY1: ‘We have to be clear in condemning sexual harassment wherever it arises. There must be accountability. And it is my understanding that steps have been taken for that.’
The allegations are notably delicate for James following her high-profile investigation of comparable claims in opposition to Cuomo.
Her August 2021 report concluded the Democrat had engaged in undesirable groping, kissing and sexual feedback. Cuomo denied touching anybody inappropriately.
The allegations are notably delicate for James following her high-profile investigation of comparable sexual misconduct claims in opposition to Andrew Cuomo
Khan has been a high aide to James since her days as New York Metropolis’s Public Advocate almost a decade in the past.
He was her marketing campaign supervisor for her profitable run for state lawyer common in 2018, after which joined her workplace as chief of employees.
James, who deserted a short-lived run for New York governor in favor of searching for one other time period as high state prosecutor, was reelected final month and can start her second time period on January 1.
Requested about Khan’s resignation on Friday, a spokesperson for James stated: ‘The Workplace of Lawyer Basic has protocols in place to completely examine any allegation of misconduct.’
James’ August 2021 report concluded then-Governor Cuomo had engaged in undesirable groping, kissing and sexual feedback. Cuomo denied touching anybody inappropriately
‘The workplace takes these issues with the utmost seriousness, and this example is not any completely different. An unbiased, neutral investigation was carried out, and the worker has since resigned,’ the assertion added.
Khan didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, however insisted in a press release to the Occasions that his departure was unrelated to the misconduct probe.
‘I have been slated to go away the workplace for the non-public sector on the finish of this yr,’ he stated within the assertion, claiming his departure was tied to the tip of James’ first time period.
‘That is unrelated to an investigation which, however, discovered no official office misconduct,’ including he ‘is pleased with all we’ve got achieved over these previous 4 years in serving New Yorkers.’
Khan’s declare that the probe didn’t substantiate the allegations couldn’t be instantly confirmed, and the OAG’s workplace declined to explain the findings when requested.
One of many feminine accusers informed the Occasions that she was informed Friday that her allegation of inappropriate touching and undesirable kissing had been substantiated.
An individual conversant in the matter informed DailyMail.com that the incidents in query came about greater than a yr in the past, however have been solely dropped at the eye of the lawyer common’s workplace in latest weeks.
The supply stated that ladies making the claims weren’t staff of the Workplace of Lawyer Basic on the time of the alleged misconduct.
The particular person stated that not one of the allegations have been delivered on to the lawyer common’s workplace by the ladies concerned, however relatively have been handed although a sequence of ‘political consultants’ akin to a sport of ‘phone’.
As soon as the allegations surfaced, an outdoor legislation agency was introduced in to conduct an unbiased investigation.
The ‘substantive portion’ of the investigation is already concluded, in keeping with the supply, who declined to touch upon any findings that emerged.
