AP Photo/Hans Pennink
- The former NY governor Andrew Cuomo is the subject of a sexual misconduct investigation.
- A criminal summons against Cuomo was made public on Thursday.
- Cuomo criticized the timing; it came a day before NY AG Letitia James declared her run for governor.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said the case against former New York governor Andrew Cuomo is a "solid" one, at a Friday press briefing, a day after a criminal summons against Cuomo was made public prematurely.
The summons stems from allegations by a former executive assistant to Cuomo who accused him of "forcible touching."
Cuomo had repeatedly denied the allegations.
"We have an overwhelming amount of evidence. We have a victim who has been cooperating fully every day, every step of the way," Sheriff Apple said.
"As far as a conviction … it's really going to come down to a jury, a judge, and the district attorney's office."
Cuomo and his attorney, Rita Glavin have taken issue with the investigation into the former governor's alleged conduct, suggesting some law-enforcement officials involved in the case have acted with political animus.
"What Sheriff Apple did say about doing a 'separate' investigation from the DA, with 'our victim,' speaks volumes about his professed objectivity," Glavin said.
"We expect clear-headed people will make better decisions going forward, but should this case move forward we are prepared to vigorously defend the Governor and challenge every aspect of the specious, inconsistent and uncorroborated allegations made against him."
The summons was leaked Thursday via social media much earlier than the sheriff expected, he said.
"We didn't want everybody to know exactly what we were doing because we didn't want all this, the circus," Apple said Friday, adding that he believed "somebody from court leaked the document immediately."
Apple continued: "I don't think those documents should have been released until after an arraignment."
"Things in criminal investigations don't always go how you want."
Cuomo's arraignment is set for November 17.
"It's my hope that he shows up," Apple said. If he doesn't show up, a criminal arrest warrant may be issued for the former governor.