Governor Kathy Hochul's press secretary, Avi Small, has been suspended amid an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. The New York Times reported that Small allegedly inappropriately touched another male staffer during a staff retreat in Albany on June 16.

Small has been a key aide to Governor Hochul since she assumed office in 2021, following the resignation of former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The alleged incident occurred during an all-staff retreat that included a softball game. It remains unclear exactly where the misconduct is alleged to have taken place.

Governor Hochul's office confirmed the suspension, emphasizing her zero-tolerance policy for misconduct. "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," said Anthony Hogrebe, a spokesperson for the governor, in a statement to CBS6 Albany.

The investigation is being conducted by outside counsel, as per the procedures implemented by Governor Hochul to address allegations of misconduct. Small, who has declined to comment on the situation, was not informed of the specifics of the complaint when placed on leave, according to Spectrum News.