ALBANY, NY — Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller Joseph Hernandez today sharply criticized Comptroller Tom DiNapoli after reports revealed that his office quietly spent $1.2 million in taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a former longtime employee.
According to a recent New York Post report, an employee in DiNapoli’s office filed a lawsuit alleging he was subjected to repeated inappropriate sexual comments and a hostile workplace environment. Rather than publicly address the claims and implement transparent reforms, DiNapoli quietly settled the case for $350,000.
Additionally, DiNapoli spent more than $900,000 on private law firms to represent his office in this case. This includes $729,760.11 to the firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, $175,469.51 to O’Connell and Aronowitz.
Hernandez said the most troubling aspect of the controversy is not only the alleged conduct, but the fact that taxpayers were left to cover the cost.
“The State Comptroller’s office exists to protect taxpayer dollars, not cover up an office scandal with $1.2 million of taxpayer money,” Hernandez said. “New Yorkers expect the highest degree of ethics and integrity from the State Comptroller and his office—once again, Tom DiNapoli has failed.”
The Office of the State Comptroller employs more than 2,700 people statewide and operates on a budget funded entirely by taxpayers. Hernandez said that DiNapoli’s failure to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace distracts from the office’s core mission, and erodes public trust.
“For 19 years, Tom DiNapoli has served as State Comptroller and has failed to be the independent watchdog New York taxpayers need. Instead, he quietly wasted nearly $1.2 million of taxpayer money on a sexual harassment lawsuit,” said Hernandez.
At a time when Governor Hochul has proposed a massive $260 billion state budget, and major programs like Medicaid demand real oversight, Hernandez said the State Comptroller’s office should be laser-focused on protecting public funds.
“This shows that Tom DiNapoli is not taking his job seriously and that it’s time for a change,” Hernandez added. “While millions of families are struggling to afford everyday necessities, the State Comptroller’s office is writing checks behind closed doors. That is unacceptable.”
If elected, Hernandez pledged to institute stricter management standards, increase transparency around legal settlements, and refocus the office on its core constitutional mission: auditing waste, reviewing contracts, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.
“Forty years in Albany is long enough,” Hernandez said. “New York needs new leadership, real transparency, and a State Comptroller who treats every taxpayer dollar like it matters, because it does.”