A former aide for New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing her, claiming she covered up sexual harassment and a sexual assault by her former chief of staff, according to court documents.
Sofia Quintanar, 33, alleges that Ibrahim Khan “stuck his tongue down her throat” during a Nov. 17, 2021, fundraiser at a Brooklyn bar, the lawsuit states. She alleges that James covered up the alleged assault and then made misleading statements to the media “that he was on vacation, or with a sick relative when in fact, he had been suspended for nearly two months,” the lawsuit said.
“With the filing of this complaint, I hope to increase the visibility and strength of women of color having a voice in the #MeToo movement,” Quintanar said in a statement. “We are less likely to come forward in these situations because those in positions of power have historically thought less of us.
TRUMP SUES NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL, CLAIMS HER ‘WAR OF INTIMIDATION’ AND ‘OBSESSIVE PURSUIT’ IS ILLEGAL
New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference at the office of the Attorney General on September 21 in New York. She is being sued along with her former chief of staff, Ibrahim Khan, over coverup allegations.
(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“While I fear the effect that this might have on my career, I know that fear should never stand in the way of doing what is right,” she added. “I hope I can give other survivors the courage to find their voice and hold those in positions of power responsible for their actions when they demonstrate the belief that they are above the law.”
Khan resigned earlier this month after James announced she had hired an outside law firm to investigate sexual harassment allegations against him. The probe concluded he had engaged in sexual misconduct, James said.
Quintanar’s lawsuit also claims that James allowed another staffer in 2019 to resign under similar circumstances.
She was hired as a deputy press secretary for…
