A sexual harassment allegation against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was reported to Albany police.
As the Times Union reported, an unidentified aide said she was called to Cuomo’s residence at the Executive Mansion last year to assist him with a cell phone issue. During the visit, she claims the governor closed the door and proceeded to reach under her blouse “to fondle her.”
According to Beth Garvey, the governor’s acting counsel, the woman was advised to reach out to her local police department as a matter of state policy, but she declined to press charges.
“In this case the person is represented by counsel and when counsel confirmed the client did not want to make a report, the state notified the police department and gave them the attorney’s information,” Garvey said, adding the decision was in compliance with New York State law.
Cuomo has since denied the allegation. “I have never done anything like this,” he said in a statement. “The details of this report are gut-wrenching.”
The governor is currently under investigation following sexual abuse accusations from two other women/former employees. One in particular, Lindsey Boylan — a candidate for Manhattan borough president — revealed that Cuomo kissed her at his Manhattan office and asked her to play strip poker during a flight on a private plane. He denied those allegations as well.
In the wake of the most recent accusation, 59 State Democrats — 19 senators and assembly members — wrote a letter expressing their desire for the governor to leave office.
“In light of the Governor’s admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths, he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, rendering him ineffective in this time of most urgent need,” the letter said. “It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign.”
Cuomo, however, maintained he won’t give up his responsibilities. He wants the public to wait for the results of the ongoing probe.