Ex-aide accusing NY AG Letitia James’ former chief of staff of sexual assault says he also blocked her hire

The ex-staffer accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James’ former chief of staff of forcibly sticking his tongue down her throat also claims he blocked her from working on James’ recent re-election campaign, according to her bombshell lawsuit.

Sofia Quintanar, 33, alleges that Ibrahim Khan — who was allowed to resign after being slapped with multiple sexual harassment complaints — effectively killed her bid to work as a press representative on the campaign, which ended with James cruising to victory in November.

The claim is detailed in Quintanar’s Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit from last week accusing Kahn of forcibly kissing her outside a Brooklyn bar in November 2021 and James of covering up her longtime staffer’s alleged sexual misconduct.

Quintanar said she informally inquired about working on press and communications strategy for the James campaign in September — shortly before she reported her harassment-abuse complaint against Khan, the suit states.

While she was interested in the position, the suit says Quintanar was also “anxious” that it would require her to work with Khan, who, as James’ chief of staff and longtime political adviser, had input with her campaign.

As a “trusted adviser” to James he would undoubtedly have “to interact with Quintanar on a regular basis,” the filing states.

According to the suit, Quintanar was “ambivalent” about the potential job, as she had not yet disclosed “Khan’s assault” at the Nov. 17, 2021 fundraiser to a mentor who had suggested she would be perfect for the position.

“Quintanar was under a cloud as she waited to hear back about this opportunity, knowing it could put her back in touch with Khan,” the court document states.

“Shortly thereafter, Quintanar learned that Khan had personally interfered with her application.”

Khan allegedly told the campaign that he personally didn’t mind having Quintanar on board — but advised she “didn’t get along well enough with another high-level government aide, effectively killing the opportunity for Quintanar,” according to the suit.

Later in September, Quintanar told her mentor that Khan assaulted her and that he also had allegedly assaulted another staffer “while she was employed by Attorney General James,” the lawsuit states.

Quintanar and her mentor then informed James’ campaign manager of her complaint against Khan, which prompted James to hire an outside law firm that conducted an independent investigation into the allegation.

The lawsuit claims James and her office covered up the allegations and made “misleading statements to the press” that “[Khan] was on vacation or with a sick relative” when he was actually suspended for two months pending the investigation into the claims.

Following the probe, the AG’s office concluded on Dec. 2 that Khan had engaged in sexual harassment and misconduct involving two former staffers.

Still, Khan was allowed to resign on Nov. 22, ahead of the conclusion of the investigation, with pay through until the end of the year. He had received nearly a $30,000 pay raise in March, bumping in his salary from $205,663 to $235,000.

The complaints against Khan were filed before Election Day and kept quiet as James cruised to victory, sources previously told The Post.

The Post also exclusively reported that another staffer assigned to the AG’s press office, Enny Pichardo, resigned in “lieu of termination” in 2019″ after being accused of harassment in the office.

In another irony, James — who was then running for governor before she backed out and instead ran for and won re-election as attorney general — attended and spoke at the event at the Someday Bar where Khan allegedly “assaulted” Quintanar, according to the lawsuit.

James made headlines after her investigative report of Andrew Cuomo concluded the then-three term governor had harassed or mistreated a slew of women, forcing his resignation under the threat of impeachment last year. Cuomo has denied wrongdoing despite his departure.

Khan declined comment. James had no immediate comment.

An AG spokesperson, in responding to the Quintanar suit last week, said, “We took the allegations brought to our office seriously and engaged in decisive, prompt, and appropriate action.”