According to a report published Tuesday by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women and created a “toxic” workplace for women.
Following what’s already been a controversy couple of months for Cuomo, the scathing conclusion to her civil investigation of the harassment complaints have sparked a political inferno around him.
Biden Says Cuomo Must Go
Cuomo must resign, according to President Joe Biden. New York lawmakers from both sides have slammed Cuomo’s conduct and are debating whether more action must be brought against him. Cuomo rejects the claims and has not shown any sign of resigning in the wake of them.
Can’t wait to hear @WhoopiGoldberg’s thoughts about her buddy @NYGovCuomo (she helped raise millions of dollars for his re-election campaign) @TheView
https://t.co/yvSPUWnVyF— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) August 4, 2021
Cuomo allegedly engaged in a pattern of improper conduct, including inappropriate teasing and sexually suggestive statements, according to the detectives.
Cuomo mistreated many women, both present and past members of staff, according to the inspectors; women from outside Cuomo’s department also claimed misconduct by the governor.
The study included the stories of 11 women in total, some of whom detailed claims that had not been publicly disclosed before. Other people’s claims (as well as contemporary documentation such as notes, letters, and texts written shortly after the claimed abuse happened) were reported to back up the accusations.
Don Lemon started talking about Andrew Cuomo the second that his brother got off the air pic.twitter.com/Pd1e7QgogL
— Jordan Lancaster (@jordylancaster) August 4, 2021
Cuomo Set Everything Up so He Could Do as He Pleased
Cuomo created a “destructive” office climate, according to the report; this enabled his alleged abusive conduct to go unnoticed. It also drew attention to alleged retribution against the victims.
Investigators also came to the conclusion that the upper chamber’s atmosphere of threats and terror, tolerated the governor’s frequent flirting and gender-based remarks; the atmosphere also contributed to the environment that allowed harassment to occur.
As per the article, several women told detectives about Cuomo touching them inappropriately. Cuomo once moved his finger down a woman’s neck while in an elevator. As per the allegations, he ran his hand down her belly button to her right hip when she was holding a door open for him.
New details emerge about how CNN anchor Chris Cuomo advised New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo amid sex harassment inquiry. https://t.co/zAEan6ba4D
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 4, 2021
Cuomo allegedly groped another woman’s backside amid embraces and a photograph, according to another complainant. The investigation also recounted an allegation made by the Albany Times Union that Cuomo went beneath her top and touched her breast during an altercation at the governor’s mansion.
Cuomo allegedly places his fingers on, touched, and then grasped her buttocks while at a September 2019 function, as per a separate complainant alluded to in the document as a state agency employee.
According to the investigation, a lady named Anna Ruch claimed Cuomo stroked a section of her back revealed by a hole in her dress.
“Wow, you’re aggressive,” he said when she grasped his wrists to remove his hands, as per the complaint. She was also filmed with Cuomo’s fingers on her face, making her appear uneasy.
Cuomo made improper statements to several of the women, including asking regarding their sex lives. The New York governor also made comments about their beauty, and giving them names like “sweetheart” or “darling,” according to the detectives.
