New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed current and former state employees, creating a hostile work environment for women in violation of state and federal law, state Attorney General Letitia James announced today.
In a 165-page report, investigators laid out a devastating portrait of behavior by the Democratic governor, substantiating an allegation that Cuomo embraced an executive assistant and reached under her blouse to grab her breast. Witnesses also described an environment in the governor’s office that was abusive and vindictive, with one of the women who came forward targeted for retaliation through the release of her personnel file, investigators said.
In all, the independent probe found that Cuomo harassed 11 women, including a state trooper whom the governor arranged to be put on his detail.
“This investigation has revealed conduct that corrodes the very fabric and character of our state government,” James (D) said at a news conference.
President Biden today said Cuomo should resign in wake of the report, and if that doesn’t happen the state legislature could impeach him.
“I think he’ll probably end up being prosecuted, too,” Biden told ABC News in an interview that aired March 16.
The findings were the result of a months-long investigation and interviews with 179 people, including women who accused the governor of misconduct, Cuomo himself and a coterie of his top advisers.
The probe was launched after multiple women accused Cuomo of inappropriate personal comments or unwelcome physical contact.
James deflected questions from reporters about whether Cuomo should resign, saying “that decision is ultimately up to the governor of the state of New York.” She said her office was not making any criminal referrals but noted that the report was publicly available.
In a video address Tuesday afternoon, Cuomo said he would continue serving as governor and defended himself as a champion of women and victims of sexual harassment. “The facts are much different than what has been portrayed,” he said.
“That’s not who I am,” the governor said of the depiction in the attorney general’s report.
Cuomo denied the claim that he groped an executive assistant’s breast. “That never happened,” he said. He said other complainants sought to “unfairly characterize and weaponize everyday interactions,” noting his tendency to greet women and men warmly.
After months of asking New Yorkers to withhold judgment until the attorney general’s report was released, his office released an extensive rebuttal document, calling the probe “an utterly biased investigation” that “willfully ignored evidence.”
The document included eight pages of photographs of Cuomo kissing and hugging other officials in public, and a second exhibit filled with photographs of other prominent Democratic officials, including President Biden, Vice President Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former president Barack Obama doing the same.
The governor also said he would bring in an “expert” to provide him and his office with sexual harassment training.
But the extent of the political fallout for Cuomo remains to be seen. In the wake of the report Tuesday, three House Democrats from New York called on the governor to step down, joining about a dozen from the delegation who had previously done so.
“We commend the brave women who came forward and spoke truth to power,” Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, Thomas Suozzi and Gregory W. Meeks said in a statement. “The time has come for Governor Andrew Cuomo to do the right thing for the people of New York State and resign.”
The state’s two Democratic senators, Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, also reiterated their calls for his resignation.
“No elected official is above the law,” they said in a statement. “The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”
The article appeared in The Washington Post.