NY Governor Hochul Defends Remarks on Cornell Fraternity Case Amid Bias Claims

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has defended her public statements concerning a civil lawsuit filed by a woman alleging sexual assault by members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell University, pushing back against accusations that her remarks could compromise an impartial investigation.

During a gubernatorial debate, Hochul was questioned about her prior assertions that the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, was "failed at every turn." Hochul stated she is not prosecuting the case but emphasized her belief that fraternity members are attempting to conceal their actions, citing evidence such as text messages. She reiterated her call for an independent investigation, which is currently underway, and criticized the initial decision by the district attorney to not interview the alleged victim.

"I come from a family of prosecutors. You should know enough to interview a victim of a crime and not just dismiss it," Hochul said. She appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor in the case after the district attorney's office initially declined to press criminal charges due to insufficient evidence. The case has since been reopened.

Hochul's earlier statements on social media platform X expressed solidarity with the accuser, stating, "What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I'm holding her in my heart and in my prayers."

Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman challenged Hochul during the debate, questioning why she did not initiate an investigation when the district attorney first dropped the case two years ago. Hochul responded by deflecting blame for the initial handling of the situation, attributing it to a fraternity matter.

The lawsuit details allegations that in October 2024, one of the accused fraternity members invited Doe to the Chi Phi house. She claims she was pressured into consuming ketamine and was given marijuana and alcohol before being subjected to repeated sexual assaults by seven fraternity members who entered the room. The complaint also alleges that one of the accused, Jonathan Newell, posted to a "Chi Phi Actives" Snapchat group during the assault, referring to Doe as "free p***y" upstairs.

Following the filing of the lawsuit, numerous text messages between Doe and fraternity members have surfaced, reportedly shedding light on events that transpired after the alleged incident. In September, Hochul released a statement calling the allegations "horrifying" and supporting the district attorney's decision to reopen the criminal investigation. She also called for an independent review of Cornell University's response to the matter.

The seven men accused in the lawsuit—Umar Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretzschmar—have denied the allegations. Lee and Lopes have formally requested the court to remove Attorney General James from the case, citing bias from both James and Hochul due to their public statements.