NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Sexually Harassed Multiple Women, Reveals Bombshell Report

Trigger Warning: This story contains details of sexual abuse that may be disturbing to readers.

An explosive report by New York state Attorney General Letitia James revealed that Governor Andrew Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women. The report also mentioned that Cuomo retaliated against a former employee who complained publicly about his conduct, according to CNBC.

It was revealed that Cuomo assaulted current and former state employees, including a State Trooper on his protective detail, as well as a number of women outside of state government.

James, on August 3, 2021, said her investigation found that Cuomo engaged in "unwelcome and nonconsensual touching," and made comments of a "suggestive" sexual nature, adding that the conduct created a "hostile work environment for women." She added that Cuomo had also violated multiple federal and state laws because of the assaults.

One unnamed state employee revealed that Cuomo put his hand on, patted, and then grabbed her buttocks during an event in New York back in September 2019. The very next day, she sent an e-mail regarding the Governor's inappropriate touching.

Another unnamed executive assistant said that Cuomo touched and grabbed her buttocks which hugging before asking her "multiple times about whether she had cheated or would cheat on her husband, and asking her to help find him a girlfriend." Initially, she kept the incident to herself, but then she reported the matter to senior staff in the Executive Chamber after Cuomo claimed he "never touched anyone inappropriately" during a March 3 press conference.

"I believe women. And I believe these 11 women," said James.

The report also mentioned former aide Lindsey Boylan who claimed in February that he engaged in inappropriate gestures, including an unwanted kiss. Right after she went public with the allegations, the investigation found that Cuomo and Executive Chamber "actively engaged in an effort to discredit her, including by disseminating to the press confidential internal documents that painted her in a negative light," including a draft of an op-ed disparaging Boylan which was circulated to current and former Executive Chamber employees.

Although the article was ultimately not published, the report said that the governor "personally participated in drafting" it.

The report further noted that Cuomo made specific denials of conduct made by the women who recalled it clearly. But investigators "found his denials to lack credibility and to be inconsistent with the weight of evidence obtained during our investigation."

During the course of the investigation, officials reviewed 74,000 pieces of evidence and spoke to 179 individuals, and found a "deeply disturbing yet clear picture." While investigators repeatedly described the governor's conduct as "unlawful," a footnote in the report said that it hadn't led to a conclusion "whether the conduct amounts to or should be the subject of criminal prosecution."

Meanwhile, Cuomo denied the allegations against him, in a video statement released a while after the report. Cuomo said, “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.”

Within hours of the report being made public, the governor lost support from most of his allies and he is now facing increasing pressure from his party—including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden, and two US senators of New York—to resign. If he doesn't, the consequence of the Attorney's report will be determined by the State Assembly which has already initiated an impeachment inquiry, according to New York Times.

"It is abundantly clear to me that the governor has lost the confidence of the Assembly Democratic majority and that he can no longer remain in office," said Speaker Carl E. Heastie of the situation.

References:

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/03/ny-gov-andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-report.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/03/politics/andrew-cuomo-new-york-report/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/nyregion/cuomo-guilty.html

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Spencer Platt