One of the founding members of a pro-MeToo group actively worked with the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) to help him smear and discredit one of his victims after she came forward with sexual harassment allegations, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
Roberta Kaplan, a cofounder of “Time’s Up,” was cited in the bombshell report by New York State Attorney General Letitia James (D-N.Y.) as having provided advice to the Cuomo Administration regarding an op-ed that Cuomo wrote earlier this year, in which the governor attacked Lindsay Boylan, his first accuser. Kaplan, along with Time’s Up CEO Tina Tchen, ultimately signed off on the op-ed, which was never published. According to the report, the op-ed would have “denied the legitimacy of Ms. Boylan’s allegations, impugned her credibility, and attacked her claims as politically motivated.”
Time’s Up was founded by Kaplan and Tchen, a former Obama Administration official, in 2018 following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and assault against film producer Harvey Weinstein, which was widely credited as the birth of the “#MeToo” movement. The group aims to provide assistance to victims in coming forward with accusations against high-profile figures. Although the movement has succeeded in bringing charges against individuals who were most likely guilty, such as Weinstein and former Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), it has also led to the fabrication of false allegations purely for political purposes, including against U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore (R-Ala.) and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
In addition to providing advice on Cuomo’s op-ed, Kaplan also serves as legal counsel for top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa, who played a central role in the Cuomo Administration’s efforts to cover up the true number of COVID deaths in nursing homes on Cuomo’s watch.
Attorney General James released her report in a press conference on Tuesday, confirming that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women, some of whom were still current employees of his administration. Although she ultimately did not have the authority to press charges, the report has led to renewed and nearly universal calls for Cuomo to resign. Among others who have called on the governor to step down are Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Speaker of the New York State Assembly Carl Heastie (D-N.Y.) has said that Cuomo is no longer fit for office, and hinted that the legislature will move to impeach him. Nevertheless, Cuomo has remained defiant and insisted that he never harassed or inappropriately touched anyone.