Avi Small, the press secretary for Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, has been placed on leave following a serious sexual harassment claim from a fellow staff member.
The incident reportedly occurred during an all-staff retreat held in Albany on June 16, 2025.
This development adds pressure on Hochul, who has positioned herself as a reformer determined to eradicate workplace misconduct within her administration.
Small, a trusted aide who has risen quickly through the ranks since Hochul took office in 2021, was promoted from deputy press secretary to press secretary in mid-2023.
Prior to his tenure in Albany, Small worked on former President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and served New York Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, establishing strong Democratic credentials, according to OANN.
The timing of the alleged incident coincided with the retreat, which included activities such as a softball game, but exact details of the misconduct location remain unclear.
Hochul has built much of her public image around confronting and correcting the toxic workplace culture that plagued her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, who resigned amid a scandal involving multiple sexual harassment allegations.
From her first days in office, Hochul pledged a strict zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct and implemented sweeping reforms to protect employees.
These include mandatory in-person harassment training, the creation of a human resources office within the governor’s administration and the introduction of anonymous reporting channels for staff.
Despite these efforts, this latest accusation puts those promises to the test, The New York Times reports.
A statement from Hochul’s office reaffirmed its stance, with spokesperson Anthony Hogrebe declaring, “Governor Hochul has zero tolerance for misconduct by any New York State employee and has instituted the strongest workplace protections and training policies in state history.”
Hogrebe added that once the complaint was received, the employee in question was promptly placed on leave pending an investigation.
The press secretary himself has declined to comment publicly on the matter.
Reports indicate that Small was not initially informed about the specific nature of the complaint when he was placed on administrative leave last week.
The governor’s office confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide further details.
Small’s presence alongside Hochul at meetings in Boston on the day of the alleged incident raises further questions, according to The Times.
Both were in attendance at a gathering of Northeast governors and Canadian officials, with Small returning to Albany later that day.
This timeline is under scrutiny as investigators piece together the circumstances surrounding the allegation.
Hochul introduced reforms aimed at addressing misconduct concerns.
Since assuming office, her administration has focused on employee safety and accountability, including engaging an external law firm to review claims of discrimination and harassment.
Executive chamber staff have participated in training on harassment policies and human resources staff are required to report potential violations promptly, regardless of whether complainants come forward.
Despite these reforms, Hochul faces skepticism from critics who question whether her administration can fully shake the shadow cast by Cuomo’s misconduct scandals.
Hochul herself promised early on that anyone implicated in such behavior would face swift consequences, stating publicly, “Anyone who crosses the line, they’re going to have to deal with me. There’s no tolerance for anyone who abuses their positions.”
The ongoing investigation into Small’s conduct will serve as an important measure of the administration’s commitment to addressing workplace misconduct.
The post Top Aide to New York Gov Hochul Suspended After Sexual Harassment Allegation Sparks Internal Investigation appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Gloriel Howard
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