The Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
announced on Monday an independent review of HRC President Alphonso
David over his mentions in a sexual misconduct report on New York
Governor Andrew Cuomo.
New York Attorney General Letitia James
released the report last week. In it, she concluded that Cuomo had
sexually harassed 11 women employees. Cuomo has denied the charges
and refused calls to resign.
David has also refused calls to step
down over his mentions in the report.
The report has already claimed one LGBT
casualty. According to the AP, lawyer Roberta Kaplan, who
successfully argued before the Supreme Court against the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA), stepped down from the board of “Time's Up.”
Kaplan and David are described in the
report as aiding Cuomo by working to discredit his victims. Kaplan
reviewed an op-ed that was never published.
David worked in New York state
government for 12 years and was appointed by Cuomo to serve as
Counsel to the Governor.
In her report, James discusses David's
role in providing personnel files on a former Cuomo advisor, Lindsey
Boylan. The files were leaked to the press in an attempt to discredit
her. David also helped draft a letter that questioned Boylan's
motivations for coming forward. The letter was never published.
David has said that he was “legally
obligated” to provide the files on Boylan and “was not involved”
in their release. He also has said that he refused to sign the
letter questioning Boylan's motives and “never agreed to circulate
it.”
The internal review will be conducted
by Sidney Austin LLP.
In an email given to the
Washington
Blade, David said that he “fully endorses” the review and
reiterated that he has called for Cuomo to resign over the
allegations.
HRC last week renewed David's contract
for another five years.