NEW YORK —

New York state should pay former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's legal bills as he defends himself against a lawsuit accusing him of sexually harassing a state trooper, a judge ruled Friday.

Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Letitia James in August arguing that she violated state law by denying him public assistance for his defense. Cuomo said the trooper's allegations stem from a time when "he was acting within the scope of his employment or duties."

The unidentified trooper filed a lawsuit last year, asking a federal court to find that Cuomo and others violated her civil rights. She was on Cuomo's security detail and had told investigators he allegedly subjected her to sexual remarks and on occasion ran his hand or fingers across her stomach and her back. The suit seeks damages for "severe mental anguish and emotional distress."

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Shlomo Hagler noted that Cuomo has denied the allegations. The judge said it's for a judge or jury to determine if Cuomo sexually harassed the state trooper, and that his state-funded defense can't be denied, according to the New York Post.

"From the very beginning, every action Tish James has taken concerning Governor Cuomo has amounted to a politicized abuse of power and every time one of them goes before a court of law, it unravels," Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said in a prepared statement.

A spokesperson for the attorney general said in a prepared release that "while we disagree with the judge's decision, we respect it. We are reviewing the decision and any potential next steps."

Cuomo resigned in August of 2021 after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment, saying he had subjected them to unwanted kisses or touches, made insinuating remarks about their looks and sex lives or created a hostile work environment.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A judge has dismissed the only criminal charge filed against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in connection with the sexual harassment allegations that drove him from office.

The expected procedural move had been requested by prosecutors and came as they, Cuomo and his lawyers made a virtual appearance Friday before a judge in Albany City Court.

Cuomo didn't speak during the brief hearing.

He was briefly visible on the videoconference, wearing a black mask.

Cuomo had denied the allegation that he groped an aide in 2020.

The Albany district attorney had said he found the aide credible but believed he couldn't prove her allegations in court.

The judge's decision comes three days after Albany County DA David Soares decided to drop the charge after his office "concluded that we cannot meet our burden at trial."

Cuomo was charged after a criminal complaint was filed by the Albany County sheriff on Oct. 28.

Cuomo resigned from office in August after the state attorney general released a report that found he sexually harassed multiple women.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Albany's top prosecutor says he is set to drop a criminal charge accusing former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of fondling an aide.

"While we found the complainant in this case cooperative and credible, after review of all the available evidence we have concluded that we cannot meet our burden at trial," Albany County DA David Soares said in a statement. "As such we have notified the Court that we are declining to prosecute this matter and requesting the charges filed by the Albany County Sheriff be dismissed."

Soares' decision Tuesday comes three days before the Democratic ex-governor was due to answer the misdemeanor charge in court.

The charges stemmed from a criminal complaint filed by the Albany County sheriff on Oct. 28 that accuses Cuomo of forcible touching. Soares had said previously that the complaint was "potentially defective."

Tuesday's announcement came after prosecutors elsewhere in the state late last month chose not to pursue charges against Cuomo over his behavior toward women.

Cuomo has denied the allegations.

Cuomo resigned as governor in August, weeks after a report from the state attorney general found several instances in which Cuomo touched women inappropriately or sexually harassed them. That report also claimed Cuomo fostered a hostile work environment for his staff.

Cuomo also faced allegations that he attempted to cover up a series of nursing home deaths as he touted his state's successes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALBANY, N.Y. —

A criminal complaint filed by a police investigator with a court in Albany has accused former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of committing a misdemeanor sex crime, though there were reports Friday that the document might have been submitted in error.

The brief complaint, filed by an investigator with the Albany County Sheriff's Office, accused Cuomo of putting his hand under a woman's shirt on Dec. 7, 2020. The document didn't name the woman but Cuomo had been publicly accused of groping an aide, Brittany Commisso, at the executive mansion in Albany last year.

The Albany County district attorney’s office and Albany County Sheriff did not immediately return messages but the Times Union, of Albany, quoted unnamed officials as saying the complaint had been issued "prematurely" by the court and that a final decision hadn't been made about whether Cuomo would face charges.

Related video above: Full video of Andrew Cuomo announcing resignation.

Cuomo's lawyer and spokesperson didn't immediately return messages seeking comment.

Commisso, who was an executive assistant for Cuomo, says he reached under her shirt and fondled her when they were alone in a room at the governor's mansion in Albany late last year.

She said Cuomo pulled her in for a hug as she prepared to leave the governor’s office at the mansion. When she told him, "you’re going to get us in trouble," Cuomo replied, "I don’t care," and slammed the door shut, according to her account. Commisso said Cuomo slid his hand up her blouse and grabbed her breast.

Cuomo has adamantly denied groping her, saying once, "I would have to lose my mind to do such a thing."

The Associated Press doesn’t usually identify alleged sexual assault victims unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Commisso has done in newspaper and television interviews.

Commisso filed a complaint with the county sheriff in August in the same week a report from state Attorney General Letitia James concluded the Democratic governor sexually harassed 11 women and worked to retaliate against one of his accusers. Other accusations outlined in the report range from planting unwanted kisses to asking unwelcome personal questions about sex and dating.

Cuomo announced his resignation a week after the release of the blistering report, marking a dramatic downfall for the third-term governor who had been seen as a beacon of sturdy competence during his daily COVID-19 briefings in 2020.

Commisso was referred to as "Executive Assistant #1" in the report but publicly revealed her identity after its release. She is the only woman mentioned in the attorney general's report known to have filed a criminal complaint.

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple at the time promised a "very comprehensive" investigation in partnership Albany County District Attorney David Soares.

Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin has said that Commisso's "story changed over time."

The complaint filed by the sheriff's department investigator said evidence in the case included police blackberry messages, cell phone records, building security records and a text message from Cuomo's mobile phone.

District attorneys in Oswego, Manhattan, suburban Westchester and Nassau counties also had said they asked for investigative materials from the attorney general’s inquiry to see if any of the allegations could result in criminal charges.

Also, the Assembly Judiciary Committee is completing a wide-ranging impeachment investigation of Cuomo that began before he resigned. The also were looking at the administration’s handling of COVID-19 data and efforts to rush COVID-19 testing for Cuomo’s inner circle in spring 2020.

With Kathy Hochul officially taking over the reins as New York's governor, a historic number of women are currently leading U.S. states — a push towards equality and representation that could continue into next year’s midterm elections.

There are now nine women serving as governor in the U.S. That ties a record that was set in 2004 and matched in 2007 and 2019, but it’s still well shy of gender proportionality.

Taking over on short notice for a scandal-plagued predecessor in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Hochul began her tenure Tuesday with more than enough challenges for a new administration. She also began with an historic opportunity: Hochul is the first woman to hold one of the most prominent governorships in the U.S.

“New York as a whole has been a tough place for women to break into the highest levels, because there is very much a tight set of powerful gatekeepers," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

"And unfortunately — even in 2021 — women are still seen, in effect, as newcomers,” she said.

A century after women gained the right to vote, 19 states still have never been led by a woman. That includes some of the most populous states, such as California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Even if it succeeds, California's recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom next month doesn't appear likely to elevate a woman to the state's top job.

Hochul had served as New York's lieutenant governor until succeeding fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo, who resigned after a decade in office. Cuomo had faced a potential impeachment battle after an attorney general's investigation said he had sexually harassed or inappropriately touched 11 women. Among other things, Cuomo also had faced a legislative investigation into whether he misled the public last year about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

Hochul already has announced she will seek a full four-year term in 2022.

Next year could be a pivotal one for women running for governor. Democratic Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon will be the only female incumbent barred from seeking re-election by term limits. Six male governors also will be term-limited, opening a path to office for fresh candidates from both parties.

In Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey can't run again, the field already has several candidates who are women, including Republican state Treasurer Kimberly Yee and Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. Arizona already holds the record for the most women who have served as governor — four. Kansas has had three.

In Arkansas, which has never had a woman serve as governor, a high-profile Republican primary pits Attorney General Leslie Rutledge against Sarah Sanders, press secretary for former President Donald Trump and daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee. The incumbent, Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, will be termed out.

In 2018, women's political advocates also thought they were primed for success with a record number of candidates for governor. But they did not ultimately set a new record for victories.

Women currently hold 18% of governors' offices — significantly less than this year's new records of 27% of U.S. congressional seats and 31% of state legislative seats. In addition, Vice President Kamala Harris also became the first woman in that role this year.

Part of the challenge in electing women as governors is overcoming stereotypes of men as stronger, more decisive leaders, Walsh said.

Another challenge is deepening the pool of women willing to enter politics, said Wendy Doyle, president and CEO of the Kansas City, Missouri-based nonprofit United WE.

The organization is coordinating an effort to get more women appointed to positions on state, county and city boards and commissions. It's working with local officials in California, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. The idea is that some women appointed to positions eventually will run for elected offices.

“It’s a long game,” Doyle said. "But we’ve got to build the pipeline; we’ve got to build the bench.”

ALBANY, N.Y. — The speaker of the New York State Assembly, Carl Heastie, announced Friday that lawmakers will suspend their impeachment investigation following Gov. Andrew Cuomo's resignation effective August 25.

Heastie says the decision was made after consulting with Chair Charles Lavine and majority colleagues.

According to Heastie, the decision was made for two reasons.

First, the purpose of the investigation was to determine whether the governor should remain in office and his resignation answers that directive.

Second, Heastie said Chair Lavine advised that it is the belief that the constitution does not authorize the legislature to impeach and remove an elected official who is no longer in office.

Heastie said he has asked Chair Lavine to turn over all the evidence the committee has gathered to relevant investigatory authorities.

This story was originally published by Anthony Reyes at WKBW.

Video above: Biden respects Cuomo's decision to step down

Kathy Hochul, a western New York Democrat unfamiliar to many people in the state even after six years as its lieutenant governor, was set to begin reintroducing herself to the public Wednesday as she prepared to take the reins of power after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he would resign from office.

Hochul, 62, in two weeks will become the state's first female governor, following a remarkable transition period in which Cuomo has said he will stay on and work to ease her into a job that he dominated over his three terms in office.

She stayed out of public sight Tuesday but said in a statement that she was “prepared to lead.” Hochul planned to hold her first news conference Wednesday afternoon at the State Capitol, in the very room where Cuomo became a familiar face to people across the U.S. and beyond for his televised briefings on New York's fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuomo, 63, announced Tuesday that he would step down rather than face a likely impeachment trial over allegations that he sexually harassed at least 11 women, including one who accused him of groping her breast.

Cuomo has continued to deny that he touched anyone inappropriately, and said his instinct was to fight back against claims he felt were unfair or fabricated. But he said that with the state still in a pandemic crisis, it was best for him to step aside so the state’s leaders could “get back to governing.”

That job will fall to Hochul, who served briefly in Congress representing a Buffalo-area district, but purposely kept a modest profile as lieutenant governor in a state where Cuomo commanded — and demanded — the spotlight.

A seasoned veteran of retail politics, Hochul shares some of Cuomo's centrist politics, but is a stylistic contrast with a governor famous for his love of steamrolling opponents and holding grudges, state political veterans say. She's well-liked by colleagues, who say voters shouldn't confuse her quiet approach under Cuomo with a lack of confidence or competence.

“Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will be an extraordinary governor,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, another upstate political veteran, told reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. “She understands the complexities and needs of our state, having been both a congresswoman and having been lieutenant governor for the last several years.”

It remains to be seen how involved Cuomo will be in state government over the next two weeks, or how he'll manage handing over authority — something he rarely ceded during his time in office.

His circle of advisers has shrunk, but his closest aide and policymaking partner — Melissa DeRosa — made a surprise return to Cuomo's side after having announced her resignation from the administration Sunday. The governor's office said she will remain in her job as secretary to the governor until Cuomo departs.

Leaders in the state legislature have yet to say whether they plan on dropping an impeachment investigation that has been ongoing since March, and which had been expected to conclude in the coming weeks.

In addition to examining his conduct with women, lawyers hired by the state Assembly had been investigating whether the administration' manipulated data on COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and whether Cuomo improperly got help from his staff writing a book about the pandemic.

Republicans have urged the Democratic-controlled legislature to go ahead with impeachment, possibly to prevent Cuomo from running for office again.

ALBANY, N.Y. —

New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke Wednesday for the first time since Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, promising a smooth transition as she prepares to assume the state's highest office.

In a televised address, the 62-year-old Democrat assured viewers that work of building a new administration had "already begun" with a series of meetings with local and federal legislators. Hochul is slated to officially become the state's 57th governor in just under two weeks, an intermediate period set by Cuomo.

While she described her placement into the role as unexpected, she repeatedly cited her preparedness.

"I'm prepared to take office, as any lieutenant governor is from the very first hour you're sworn in," she said. "The promise I make to all New Yorkers, right here and right now — I will fight like hell for you every single day."

When an investigation into the Cuomo administration was referenced by reporters, Hochul made a point to distance herself from the personal actions and culture alleged in the attorney general's report.

"I think it's fairly clear that the governor and I are not close — physically or otherwise," she said, noting her ties to upstate. "No one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment."

Still, she thanked the current governor for his service to the state, noting that his resignation was "appropriate and in the best interests of the state of New York."

Cuomo made the decision to step aside after a state attorney general's report concluded he sexually harassed at least 11 women, including some among state employees. It also listed alleged an instance of threatened retaliation against a former employee who threatened to speak out against the office.

Hochul's plans for the upcoming weeks include meeting with state cabinet officials and forming a solidified plan for her administration that will then be delivered to the public. Among her noted priorities are pandemic safety, a return to the classroom and employment across the state.

The incoming governor has longstanding ties across the state. Raised in Buffalo, she later graduated from Syracuse University in 1980 before entering public service.

Hochul served as the Erie County, New York, deputy court clerk in the early 2000s. She was appointed by then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer to take over as Erie County court clerk after her predecessor left office. Hochul later ran for the seat and won.

Hochul has been a part of several high-profile controversies over the course of her political career. In 2007, she openly opposed Spitzer’s proposal to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for and receive a New York driver’s license. She said at the time that she’d have any undocumented immigrants who applied for a driver’s license arrested.

In 2018, she changed her position and said she supported a similar driver’s license program.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The New York State Legislature has reached a deal to repeal Governor Andrew Cuomo's emergency powers.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie made the announcement Tuesday.

The legislature will pass legislation repealing the temporary emergency powers that were granted to Cuomo at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will allow current directives related to preserving the public health to continue.

“I think everyone understands where we were back in March and where we are now. We certainly see the need for a quick response but also want to move toward a system of increased oversight, and review. The public deserves to have checks and balances. Our proposal would create a system with increased input while at the same time ensuring New Yorkers continue to be protected,” Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins said.

A third woman spoke publicly, recounting an encounter she had with the governor. The woman, Anna Ruch, gave an account of meeting Cuomo at a September 2019 wedding in a report released by the New York Times on Monday.

Ruch told the Times that Cuomo put his hands on her cheeks and asked if he could kiss her. Ruch told the Times she pulled away as the governor drew closer. The Times said that the account was corroborated by a friend.

The Times shared a photo of Cuomo’s two hands on Ruch’s face.

“I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,” said Ruch. “I turned my head away and didn’t have words in that moment.”

Unlike two previous accounts of harassment, Ruch has not been employed by the governor. Ruch is a former member of the Obama administration and was employed by President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.

On Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a formal investigation into the governor’s conduct

After initially denying the first accusations against him, Cuomo admitted to "flirtation."

“I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that," Cuomo said.

On Saturday, the New York Times released an account from Charlotte Bennett, who claimed the governor asked “questions about her sex life, whether she was monogamous in her relationships and if she had ever had sex with older men.”

Bennett left the governor’s office last November, and said the harassment came last spring during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared,” Bennett told the New York Times. “And was wondering how I was going to get out of it and assumed it was the end of my job.”

Another former staffer, Lindsey Boylan, said in a Wednesday post Cuomo kissed her on the lips without her consent.

“I’m compelled to tell my story because no woman should feel forced to hide their experiences of workplace intimidation, harassment and humiliation — not by the Governor or anyone else,” Boylan said.

Meanwhile, Cuomo is facing heat from Democrats, including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who called on Cuomo to resign.

“I don't see how anyone can function as a governor and have the trust of the people and the respect of the people if they purposefully covered up the deaths of thousands of our seniors, our elders, family members, beloved family members who are gone,” de Blasio said. “If you cover that up, or if you did things for reasons that had to do with politics or contributions and if you've sexually harassed young women in your employment, these are disqualifying realities.”

The two top Democrats in New York's legislature withdrew their support for Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday amid mounting allegations of sexual harassment and undercounting COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins became the first senior Democrat in the state to say the three-term governor should resign. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie stopped short of demanding that Cuomo quit, but said in a statement that "it is time for the Governor to seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York."

On Saturday, another woman who worked for Cuomo publicly accused him of inappropriate behavior, on the heels of other allegations in recent weeks.

"Every day there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government," Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. "New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign."

Her push for his resignation came shortly after a Sunday press conference where Cuomo said it would be "anti-democratic" for him to step down.

"They don't override the people's will, they don't get to override elections," Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters when asked about members of his own party calling for him to step down. "I was elected by the people of New York state. I wasn't elected by politicians."

In a brief conversation Sunday prior to the press conference, Cuomo told Stewart-Cousins that he wouldn't quit and they would have to impeach him if they wanted him out of office, according to a person who was briefed by someone who was on the call. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the call was intended to be private.

Cuomo said the next six months will determine how successfully New York emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. "I'm not going to be distracted because there is too much to do for the people," he said, noting that the state must pass a budget within three weeks and administer 15 million more COVID-19 vaccines.

Asked about Ana Liss, who told The Wall Street Journal in a story published Saturday that when she worked as a policy aide to the governor between 2013 and 2015, Cuomo called her "sweetheart," kissed her hand and asked personal questions including whether she had a boyfriend, Cuomo said such talk was "my way of doing friendly banter."

He acknowledged that societal norms have evolved and noted: "I never meant to make anyone feel any uncomfortable."

Liss told the Journal she initially thought of Cuomo's behavior as harmless and never made a formal complaint about it, but it increasingly bothered her and she felt it was patronizing.

"It's not appropriate, really, in any setting," she said. "I wish that he took me seriously."

Karen Hinton, a former press aide to Cuomo when he served as the federal housing secretary under President Bill Clinton, detailed an uncomfortable hotel room interaction she had with Cuomo in a story published Saturday in The Washington Post. Hinton, said that as she got up to leave, he gave her a hug that was "very long, too long, too tight, too intimate."

She described the encounter not as sexual harassment but as a "power play" for "manipulation and control." She was no longer an aide to Cuomo at the time.

Asked Sunday about Hinton's account Cuomo said it was "not true" and noted that the two had been longtime political adversaries.

Cuomo's workplace conduct has been under intense scrutiny in recent days as several women have publicly told of feeling sexually harassed, or at least made to feel demeaned and uncomfortable by him. The state's attorney general is investigating.

Former adviser Lindsey Boylan, 36, said he made inappropriate comments on her appearance, once kissed her on the lips at the end of a meeting and suggested a game of strip poker as they sat with other aides on a jet flight. Another former aide, 25-year-old Charlotte Bennett, said Cuomo asked if she ever had sex with older men and made other comments she interpreted as gauging her interest in an affair.

Another woman, who did not work for the state, described Cuomo putting his hands on her face and asking if he could kiss her after they met at a wedding.

In a news conference last week, Cuomo denied ever touching anyone inappropriately, but apologized for behaving in a way that he now realized had upset people. He said he'd made jokes and asked personal questions in an attempt to be playful and frequently greeted people with hugs and kisses, as his father, Mario Cuomo, had done when he was governor.

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AP reporter Michael Balsamo contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.

ALBANY, N.Y. —

It could take “months” to determine whether Gov. Andrew Cuomo should be impeached after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct and questions remain about his administration's undercounting COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, the chair of the state Assembly's judiciary committee said Tuesday.

Chair Charles Lavine said lawyers on behalf of the committee will meet with witnesses and examine documents to “assess whether there’s evidence that the governor has engaged in conduct that justifies articles of impeachment.” A team of lawyers from Manhattan law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is leading the investigation.

“Given the breadth and seriousness of the issues under investigation, we expect that the timing will be in terms of months rather than weeks,” Lavine said in a judiciary committee meeting, which was streamed in an audio-only broadcast Tuesday morning.

New York has only impeached a governor once in 1913. The state's constitution doesn't define an impeachable offense, and it doesn't require the Assembly to investigate a governor before voting to send articles of impeachment to the Senate.

Key issues for the legislative impeachment probe remain unresolved including how long the investigation will take, whether lawmakers will hold public hearings, if the committee will release a report with its findings to the public and how the committee will decide what constitutes an impeachable offense.

The majority of state lawmakers and members of New York's Congressional Delegation have called on Cuomo to resign as he faces allegations of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and suppressing data to downplay the number of nursing homes residents who died of COVID-19.

The governor has denied touching anyone inappropriately and apologized if he made anyone feel uncomfortable. He has also said his administration should have released data earlier but wanted to verify each death.

Dozens of lawmakers have raised concern over the governor's acknowledgement that he “unintentionally” offended others with his behavior, as well as his top aide's statement that the administration didn't release data about nursing home resident deaths to lawmakers because of fear that former President Trump's administration would “use it against us.”

Few Assembly Democrats are publicly calling for impeachment now, as federal prosecutors scrutinize the Cuomo administration's handling of nursing home data and the state attorney general's office investigates sexual harassment and misconduct allegations.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said an investigation addresses demands from several dozen Assembly Democrats who have said they want to await the results of ongoing investigations before calling on the governor to resign or be impeached.

"We are dealing with life, liberty, reputations, legacies, et cetera,” said Assembly member Latrice Walker.

But critics are raising concerns that the investigation is buying time for Cuomo, and that the choice of the law firm leading the judiciary committee's investigation is a conflict of interest because of ties to the three-term Democratic governor.

Former partner Dennis Glazer is a Cuomo political appointee who receives a retirement pension from the firm. He's also married to the state's chief judge, Janet DiFiore, who would sit on the impeachment court in the Senate.

Both Lavine and Davis Polk & Wardwell attorney Martine Beamon said they reviewed potential conflicts of interest and decided there aren't any. Neither spoke in detail about what led to that decision.

The firm's lawyers said that Glazer hasn't had any involvement in the firm's business or activities since his 2012 retirement.