Roberta Kaplan, chairwoman of the anti-harassment advocacy group Time’s Up, has resigned after facing allegations she attempted to discredit one of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s accusers.
Kaplan resigned from her position in Time’s Up on Monday, citing conflict between her professional work as a lawyer and her involvement in the nonprofit group. Her withdrawal from the organization follows her inclusion in the state attorney general’s report on allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo by approximately a dozen women.
In New York Attorney General Letitia James’s report, investigators claimed Kaplan helped draft an op-ed letter from Cuomo’s office meant to discredit the governor’s original accuser, Lindsey Boylan.
TOP CUOMO AIDE RESIGNS AFTER REPORT DETAILS ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AGAINST GOVERNOR
“Unfortunately, recent events have made it clear that even our apparent allies in the fight to advance women can turn out to be abusers. We have felt the raw, personal and profound pain of that betrayal. It has raised important questions about how and why Times Up does what it does, as well as demands on the part of advocates and staff for a kind of radical transparency,” Kaplan wrote in the resignation letter, obtained by the New York Times.
Kaplan, who helped found the organization’s legal fund four years ago, said that the transparency demanded in leading Time’s Up would be impossible for her to comply with, saying that as a lawyer, she cannot completely divulge details of her work.
“Simply put, the standards that apply to lawyers are different from and more stringent than ethical norms that apply to others — and I believe those standards are essential not only for the profession as a whole, but also for the administration of justice. As a result, I cannot offer the degree of transparency about my firm’s matters now being demanded, since that would be contrary to my responsibilities as a lawyer,” she said.
An open letter published on Monday and signed by clients and members of Time’s Up lambasted the organization for working with accused harassers and dismissing various reports of sexual harassment.
“TIME’S UP has abandoned the very people it was supposed to champion. The board continues to fail to heed the outcry from survivors. TIME’S UP is failing all survivors,” the authors wrote.
Kaplan was mentioned by name and accused of using her position to help Cuomo dodge and “retaliate” against his accusers.
“In the detailed report, Kaplan and Tchen, in their roles at TIME’S UP, weaponized their knowledge of survivors experiences to help Governor Cuomo and his office retaliate against at least one of nearly a dozen women who were courageous in speaking up about the myriad of ways he abused his power and violated their bodies in the workplace,” the letter read.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, a Time’s Up representative called Kaplan’s resignation “the right and appropriate thing to do.”
“We hold ourselves accountable. The events of the last week have made it clear that our process should be evaluated and we intend to do just that,” the representative said. “We need more transparency about our vision of change-making, and we need a more inclusive process to engage the broader survivor community, many of whom have spent years doing the noble work of fighting for women.”
“Robbie Kaplan, board co-chair, has stepped down from the board. We and she agree that is the right and appropriate thing to do,” the statement added.
Kaplan is not the only Cuomo ally who has stepped down amid the sexual harassment investigation.
Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo’s secretary and top aide, announced her resignation on Sunday night. DeRosa has also been implicated in drafting the unpublished op-ed letter meant to discredit and smear Boylan.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve the people of New York for the past 10 years. New Yorkers’ resilience, strength, and optimism through the most difficult times has inspired me every day,” DeRosa wrote. “Personally, the past 2 years have been emotionally and mentally trying. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such talented and committed colleagues on behalf of our state.”
DeRosa did not mention her inclusion in James’s report or the unpublished op-ed written to discredit Boylan.
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Cuomo has faced overwhelming pressure from both Republican and Democratic officials who have called for his resignation, including from President Joe Biden. The president has also speculated that the governor could end up prosecuted for misconduct. The governor so far refuses to step down.
Time’s Up did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
