Roberta Kaplan, who helped Cuomo, quits Time’s Up

Roberta A. Kaplan, the president of Time’s Up and co-founder of its legal defense fund, resigned from the organization on Monday amid criticism of its ties to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and his involvement in an effort to discredit an woman who had accused him of sexual harassment.

In a report from the state attorney general’s office, which found that Mr Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, most of them current or former state employees, investigators said Ms Kaplan reviewed a draft letter derogatory opinion that aimed at attacking the character of Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to publicly accuse Mr. Cuomo of sexual harassment.

Ms Kaplan, in a letter submitting her resignation from the group, founded to promote gender equality and combat sexual abuse, said her work as a practicing lawyer meant she could not openly answer questions on his involvement with Mr. Cuomo or Melissa DeRosa. , a former senior governor who Ms. Kaplan represented in the attorney general’s investigation.

“So I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that an active practice of law is no longer compatible with serving on the Board of Directors of Time’s Up at this time and I am hereby resigning,” Ms. Kaplan said. .

Ms DeRosa, who investigators said had led the efforts against Ms Boylan, announced her resignation from the Cuomo administration on Sunday.

The op-ed in which Ms Kaplan was involved was never published. It was part of a larger effort in which Cuomo and his aides sought advice from former administration officials, including Alphonso David, chairman of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization in the country. country ; Tina Tchen, Managing Director of Time’s Up; and the governor’s brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.

All of these characters have been criticized for their connection to Mr. Cuomo, but the criticisms against Ms. Chen and Ms. Kaplan have been particularly acute given Time’s Up’s mission.

On Monday morning, a group of sexual harassment and assault survivors posted an open letter to Time’s Up board, claiming the organization had betrayed its ideals. “TIME’S UP has abandoned the very people it was meant to stand up for,” said the letter, which was posted on Medium. “The council continues to ignore the outcry from survivors. Time’s Up causes all survivors to fail.

In her resignation letter, Ms. Kaplan acknowledged the seriousness of the findings of the attorney general’s report. “Unfortunately, recent events have made it clear that even our apparent allies in the struggle for the advancement of women can turn out to be aggressors.”

Ms Kaplan, a prominent lawyer who helped win the battle to legalize same-sex marriage, represented Time’s Up’s promise, founded in the wake of Harvey Weinstein’s revelations: that prominent women could use their relationships and their influence to harden protections and advance gender equality.

But the allegations against Mr. Cuomo – an ally of the organization that has worked with them to strengthen laws in New York City – have called that case into question.

Ms. Kaplan was in a particularly awkward position. Ms. DeRosa is represented by Ms. Kaplan’s office, and Ms. DeRosa testified during the Attorney General’s investigation that Ms. Kaplan was her lawyer. Asked by The New York Times if she had ever advised Ms DeRosa beyond the op-ed, Ms Kaplan declined to respond.

“Today is a very sad day,” Ms. Kaplan said in an email to The Times. “I will miss the time spent with this board and our fellowship so much. By going together, I hope they can stick together and continue this important work.