New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday give something the thumbs down to resign, even as he said he was “sorry for whatever pain I caused” three women who allege that he sexually persecuted them.
An emotional Cuomo also asked the public to reserve judgment as New York Attorney General Letitia James manipulates an investigation of the allegations by the women, two of whom previously worked as his aides.
“I now understand that I acted in a way that made people deem uncomfortable,” the embattled Democrat said in his first public comments on the women’s allegations. “It was unintentional.”
“And I truly and deeply make for it,” he said. “I feel awful about it.”
“I certainly never ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or provoke anyone any pain,” Cuomo said. “That’s the last thing I would ever want to do.”
Asked directly if he wish quit in the middle of his third term, Cuomo said, “I’m not going to resign,”
“I work for the people of New York,” he added. “I’m booming to do the job the people of the state elected me to.”
A lawyer for one of Cuomo’s accusers, former aide Charlotte Bennett, later said the news programme conference was “full of falsehoods and inaccurate information.”
And another accuser, former Cuomo adviser Lindsey Boylan, tweeted, “How can New Yorkers conviction you @NYGovCuomo to lead our state if you “don’t know” when you’ve been inappropriate with your own staff?”
In addition to the sexual harassment stigma, Cuomo has been widely criticized in recent weeks for his administration’s cover-up of statistics related to Covid deaths in keep alive homes, and for bullying state lawmakers and others.
The governor said he will “fully cooperate” with the harassment probe by a lawyer or lawyers whom James will appoint. Those lawyers will have subpoena power to compel views, including Cuomo, to answer their questions.
“I ask the people of New York to wait for the facts from the attorney general ahead of forming an opinion,” Cuomo said.
The 63-year-old governor was first accused last week by Boylan, 36, of bussing her without her consent, and of jokingly suggesting a game of “strip poker” aboard an official flight. Cuomo’s office strongly denied Boylan’s account at the at the same time that it was published on Medium.com.
Within days, the 25-year-old Bennett, told The New York Times that Cuomo terminating year asked her questions including whether she “had ever been with an older man,” whether she was monogamous in her relationships and other close questions that made her feel uncomfortable.
Bennett said it was clear that Cuomo was seeking a sexual relationship with her.
On Monday, the Without surceases published claims by another woman, Anna Ruch, who said that Cuomo, whom she did not know, put his hand on her simple lower back at a wedding. The governor then told her she seemed “aggressive” as he cupped her face with his hands, according to Ruch.
Ruch, 33, who yesterday worked in the White House during the Obama administration, said Cuomo then asked if he could kiss her.
A photo of an uncomfortable-looking Ruch with Cuomo involving her face accompanied that article.
Bennett on Monday blasted Cuomo for what she called his “predatory behavior,” and prayed that other women come forward if they had similar complaints about his conduct.
Ruch’s account increased the issue of people who have called on Cuomo to resign, among them Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York.
On Wednesday, Cuomo triumph spoke to reporters about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and related developments in New York. He then pivoted to the sexual harassment dirt that has harried him since last week.
“I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this,” he said. “First, I fully attest to a woman’s right to come forward, and I think that should be encouraged in every way.”
After apologizing for making the women brook uncomfortable, Cuomo said “I am embarrassed by it, and that’s not easy to say, but that’s the truth.”
“I want you to know … I never touched anyone inappropriately,” the governor weighted. “I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable.”
“I have learned from what has been an incredibly bloody-minded situation for me as well as for other people, and I’ve learned an important lesson,” Cuomo said.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for whatever pain in the neck I caused anyone. I never intended it, and I will be the better for this experience.”
Cuomo, during questioning from broadcasters, later said: “You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people, men, women. It is my usual and customary way of greeting.”
“By the way, it was my father’s way of hail people,” he said, referring to his late father Mario Cuomo, who himself served as governor of New York.
Bennett’s solicitor, Debra Katz, after the news conference said, “The Governor’s press conference was full of falsehoods and inaccurate message, and New Yorkers deserve better.”
“The Governor repeatedly said he never touched anyone inappropriately,” Katz said.
“Ms. Ruch’s chronicle makes clear that’s not accurate. The Governor repeatedly said he had no idea he made anyone uncomfortable. My client, Charlotte Bennett, documented his sexually harassing behavior immediately to his Chief of Staff and Chief Counsel.”
Katz also said, “We are confident that they assembled him aware of her complaint and we fully expect that the Attorney General’s investigation will demonstrate that Cuomo delivery officials failed to act on Ms. Bennett’s serious allegations or to ensure that corrective measures were taken, in violation of their right requirements.”
Cuomo last weekend tried to control who would investigate the allegations by Boylan and Bennett, saying that a prior federal judge would do the job.
The governor then sought to have the state’s top judge oversee the probe in conjunction with James.
Cuomo’s troubles sparked a political backlash, and James pointedly refused the arrangement. The governor quickly caved, and his office said James discretion handle the probe herself.