OAN Staff Abril Elfi
5:25 PM – Wednesday, July 2, 2025
A top aide of New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul has been suspended following sexual harassment claims.
According to a New York Times report, Hochul press secretary Avi Small is now on leave after another staffer accused him of “inappropriate touching” during an outing at McGeary’s Pub in Albany, New York, on June 16th, after a retreat for the governor’s team, according to Politico.
Small joined Hochul’s staff shortly after she became governor in 2021, and he was promoted from deputy press secretary to press secretary in mid‑2023.
Small also previously worked on former Democrat President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and for New York Democrat Senator Brad Hoylman‑Sigal, according to incoming reports.
“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,” Hochul spokesperson Anthony Hogrebe wrote in a statement.
“While we cannot comment on an open investigation, as soon as a complaint was brought to the Chamber, the employee in question was placed on leave,” Hogrebe continued.
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