Human Rights Campaign Fires President Alphonso David Amid Links To Cuomo

The Human Rights Campaign fired its president, Alphonso David, amid reports about his close ties to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned last month amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment.

The HRC, the country’s biggest LGBTQ advocacy group, said it fired David for cause after its board determined he had violated his contract. The termination is effective immediately. 

“Yesterday and today, Mr. David released a statement that included significant untruths about the investigation and his status with the organization,” the group said in a statement posted to Twitter. “At HRC, we are fighting to bring full equality and liberation to LGBTQ+ People everywhere. That includes fighting on behalf of all victims of sexual harassment and assault.”

David was the group’s first Black president and had served in his role since 2019 after working as Cuomo’s chief legal counsel and secretary on civil rights. He became embroiled in the scandal emanating from the governor’s office after a report into the then-governor’s behavior by the New York attorney general mentioned him dozens of times, saying he had advised Cuomo on how to respond to some of the allegations against him.

The report, by Attorney General Letitia James, described 11 damning allegations of sexual harassment by Cuomo.

David had refused to resign after two of the HRC’s board chairs asked him to consider stepping down, The Washington Post reported. He said on Twitter Sunday that an investigation into his ties to Cuomo showed “no indication of wrongdoing on my part,” although the HRC disputed that characterization.