It appears that another liberal man has been accused of inappropriate treatment of a staffer. A senior official in Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration resigned Friday following allegations of sexual harassment, deepening scrutiny of workplace conduct inside the governor’s office. Avi Small, who had served as Hochul’s press secretary since July 2023, stepped down after a female colleague accused him of inappropriate touching during a June 16 staff retreat in Albany, according to individuals familiar with the matter.
The complaint triggered an internal investigation that began shortly after the incident and has reportedly been concluded, although officials have not yet released its findings. Small was placed on administrative leave June 25, just days after the allegation surfaced.
The New York Times reported that “Mr. Small, 32, joined Ms. Hochul’s office months after she became governor and soon emerged as one of her most trusted aides, often by her side at the State Capitol and at events across New York.
After she won election to a full term in 2022, Ms. Hochul cut ties with a top campaign aide, Adam Sullivan, after The Times chronicled a toxic work environment under him; The Times later reported that he had been fired by a Democratic group years earlier amid sexual harassment complaints from colleagues.
Mr. Small was promoted to press secretary for Ms. Hochul in 2023, managing a small team in New York City and Albany. One former press aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said he had filed a complaint with the state’s Office of Employee Relations against Mr. Small.
He said Mr. Small had regularly made him feel uncomfortable, blurring the lines between the professional and personal.
Upon learning that the aide, who is in his 20s, lived with his parents, Mr. Small asked where he and his boyfriend had sex, the aide recalled. He added that Mr. Small had been rude to subordinates and yelled at them. After accepting another job, the aide met with human resources and filed the complaint, which was reviewed by The Times.
In a resignation letter obtained by Politico, he thanked the governor and his colleagues for nearly four years of public service but did not address the allegations. He has not commented publicly.
This is not the first time questions have arisen about Small’s conduct. In early 2024, he was the subject of a separate internal review over repeated complaints that he had berated and intimidated junior staff. According to sources, the investigation found that Small had engaged in behavior that included scolding subordinates in private settings—including one incident in a supply closet—and discussing personal matters in a manner deemed inappropriate by multiple employees. Though the review did not result in a formal disciplinary finding, officials said corrective measures were taken at the time.
The governor’s office has declined to elaborate on the nature of the allegation or the conclusions of the current investigation, citing its policy not to comment on personnel matters. Still, Small’s abrupt exit threatens to test Hochul’s credibility on workplace accountability just as she prepares for a 2026 re-election bid.
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