Via: CNBC
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women and then retaliated against a former employee who complained publicly about his conduct, according to a bombshell report released Tuesday by state Attorney General Letitia James.
The monthslong probe concluded that Cuomo “sexually harassed multiple women and in doing so violated federal and state law,” James said at a press conference. Her office noted, however, that there were no specific penalties tied to the report.
The 165-page report, which comprises interviews with 179 witnesses and a review of tens of thousands of documents, also said that Cuomo’s office was riddled with fear and intimidation and was a hostile work environment for many staffers.
The findings reveal “a deeply disturbing, yet clear, picture,” James said, describing Cuomo’s office as “a toxic workplace.”
The announcement came about two weeks after Cuomo was interviewed by investigators retained by James’ office for the probe. Cuomo was reportedly questioned for 11 hours.
Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins reiterated her prior calls for Cuomo to resign. “It should be clear to everyone that he can no longer serve as Governor,” she said in a statement.
Mariann Wang, a lawyer for two accusers, Alyssa McGrath and Virginia Limmiatis, said in a statement, “Cuomo’s misogyny and abuse cannot be denied.”
“He has been doing this for years, without any repercussions. He should not be in charge of our government and should not be in any position of power over anyone else,” Wang’s statement said.
Debra Katz, an attorney for former Cuomo aide Charlotte Bennett, echoed Wang, saying Cuomo and other complicit staff “must resign immediately.”
“If he does not, the New York State Assembly must accept the Attorney General’s findings and begin taking the appropriate steps to remove him from office,” Katz said in a statement.
Cuomo has defended himself against all the allegations and has repeatedly rebuffed calls for his resignation, though he has apologized for making some women feel uncomfortable.
“I never harassed anyone, I never assaulted anyone, I never abused anyone,” Cuomo said in March. “I’m not going to resign.”
In a video statement shared later Tuesday after the report came out, Cuomo maintained that “the facts are much different than what has been portrayed.”
“I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” Cuomo said. “I am 63 years old. I’ve lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am.”
Via:NBC
New York Attorney General Letitia James and the team of attorneys selected to investigate allegations of sexual harassment made against Gov. Andrew Cuomo have completed their investigation and released a public report of their findings.
The attorney general’s report, which has been made available to the public for the first time, found that the sexual harassment faced by nearly a dozen women is in violation of state and federal law.
The governor “sexually harassed current and former new york state employees by engaging in unwelcome and non-consensual touching and making numerous offensive comments of a sexually suggestive nature that created a hostile work environment for women,” the attorney general stated.
James said the 165-page report on the investigation details the inner-workings of the governor’s office, his harassment of multiple women, including an effort in at least one instance to retaliate against one of those women, and details what is described as a toxic work environment in and around the governor’s chambers.
Addressing the attorney general’s report mere hours later, Cuomo, in a 15-minute speech that appeared to be pre-taped, sought to cast blame for his swirling controversies on the press and a “toxic” political system.
The Investigation
The attorney general’s probe was initially focused on the claims of sexual harassment by a couple of former staffers. Over time though, the investigation ballooned to include allegations from more than half a dozen women and reports from dozens of current and former staffers of mistreatment while working in Albany.
James selected former acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim and employment discrimination attorney Anne L. Clark to lead the office’s investigations.
The investigatory team had subpoena power to examine relevant documents, records, and data relating to the case and conduct interviews and formal depositions. They were instructed to give weekly reports to the state attorney general and produce a written final report of their findings, now released to the public.
Additionally, their probe looked into whether Cuomo had members of his family get prioritized, special access to COVID testing during the early stages of the pandemic last year, and potential misuse of state resources to produce and promote his published book covering the COVID-19 pandemic; the latter investigation made at the request of State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
The probe is not a criminal one, but the report released by the attorney general could significantly influence the state legislature’s impeachment inquiry.
In late July, the governor publicly questioned the neutrality of both Kim and Clark at a press conference. Cuomo said he had “concerns as to the independence of the reviewers,” without providing any further details to support his comments.
The chair of the New York Assembly’s judiciary committee, Charles Lavine, wrote a letter to Cuomo warning his office to stop disparaging the investigators. At the time, Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, had been implying on social media that James’ investigation was motivated by a desire to run for governor.
Around the same time, Cuomo had been scheduled to meet with the team of investigators in Albany as the probe moved into its fifth month. A number of the governor’s accusers have also given sworn depositions to the investigators.
Cuomo himself had appointed a special prosecutor in 2018 to explore allegations that former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, abused four women during what were supposed to be romantic encounters. The special prosecutor ultimately didn’t bring any charges. In a twist of fate, Cuomo at the time called on Schneiderman to resign over the public allegations of assault.
Cuomo championed a landmark 2019 state law that made it easier for sexual harassment victims to prove their case in court. Alleged victims no longer have to meet the high bar of proving sexual harassment is “severe and pervasive.”
Meanwhile, New York state regulations say sexual harassment includes unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature — from unwanted flirtation to sexual jokes — that creates an offensive work environment, regardless of a perpetrator’s intent.
The Allegations
Accusations range from groping under a woman’s shirt and planting unwanted kisses, to asking unwelcome personal questions about sex and dating — including whether an employee would have sex with an older man.
A former aide to the governor, Charlotte Bennett, said Cuomo quizzed her about her sex life, asked if she felt age made a difference in relationships and said he was fine dating “anyone above the age of 22.” Bennett said she believed he was gauging her interest in an affair. Cuomo has denied making advances on Bennett.
Bennett’s allegations came only a few days after former senior staffer Lindsey Boylan published an explosive blog post in which she alleged the governor invited her to play strip poker during a flight, among other alleged sexual advances. On one occasion in 2016, she claimed that Cuomo blocked her exit from a room and kissed her.
In addition to sexual harassment claims from Boylan and Bennett, a former executive assistant and health policy adviser, Anna Ruch, said the governor touched the small of her exposed back and asked if he could kiss her within moments of meeting at a wedding in 2019.
A photo from the event shows Cuomo with his hands around Ruch’s face. She said he made her feel “uncomfortable and embarrassed” when he asked to kiss her.
