Hochul defends handling of sexual harassment, toxic workplace complaints against ex-press secretary

ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul is defending her office’s handling of toxic workplace and sexual harassment complaints against her former press secretary, framing the turmoil as the “system working.”

Avi Small had been serving as Hochul’s press secretary since 2022 before he resigned last week after being suspended during an investigation into a complaint that he inappropriately touched a staffer at a bar in Albany following a work event last month.

Small was previously the subject of a toxic workplace complaint in 2024, where it was alleged he locked a staffer in a closet, per Politico, though he was allowed to keep his role following an outside investigation.

“I think what you’re misunderstanding is that the culture was changed, the system worked,” Hochul insisted to reporters Friday.

“I would actually expect a different analysis from the press on how we have handled this versus what you witnessed probably over decades here in Albany, so I’m proud of that,” she added.

Hochul took over in 2021 following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation amid a slough of scandals, including allegations of sexual harassment, which he continues to deny.

The newly minted governor, at the time, pledged she would never tolerate a toxic workplace environment under her watch.

Hochul said Friday she was “not going to speak on specifics” of the complaints against Small.

Small had first joined the team as a deputy press secretary in 2021 after Hochul took office. He was particularly close with the governor, per sources, and her public schedules show he regularly traveled with her for events around the Empire State.