Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday refused to say whether he would resign from office — or would still run for re-election — despite multiple allegations of sexual harassment including unwanted touching and inappropriate comments.
During a virtual event in Harlem, Cuomo was asked about the ongoing investigations launched by state Attorney General Letitia James and the state Assembly into reports that he sexually harassed women.
Reporters were once again banned from attending the event in person, as the Cuomo administration has continued to cite COVID-19 restrictions as reason to keep the public out, despite several elected officials and association leaders being present.
“What you’ve already said that you’ve done, which is: touching people, sometimes kissing them, hugging them, being friendly, that type of thing and supportive … if that is all the investigations show, and they [consider] that under the definition of executive chamber handbook as sexual harassment, would you resign then or not run for re-election? If they just [see] what you said you’ve already done?” reporter Michael Gormley of Long Island’s Newsday newspaper asked via Zoom.
Cuomo responded: “On the review, what I’ve said there a number of times, Michael, is, let the review proceed and then there’ll be a lot to talk about in the review.”
“There’s a lot that I want to talk about in the review. You know there’s been one side of the story,” he continued.
“And then the attorney general, I refer to do it — pick people to do an independent review. That’s the referral on this matter. And then the legislature started a review. So there will be a lot to talk about on this situation.”
The third-term Democrat has previously admitted to — and apologized for — what he has said, arguing that while at work, he thinks he is “being playful,” makes “jokes” and “on occasion, tease people in what I think is a good-natured way.”
He has also said he is sorry if some of his past actions “have been misinterpreted as unwanted flirtation.”
Charlotte Bennett, a 25-year-old woman and former executive chamber staff member, accused the 63-year-old governor of making inappropriate remarks to her during a workday, leaving her with the conclusion that he “wanted to sleep with” her.
She has also said the governor probed her about her history as a sexual assault survivor, asked about her own sexual history and asked her to find him a girlfriend.
Bennett has since left employment under the Cuomo administration and has been cooperating with investigators hired by James’ office.
Cuomo’s office has also criticized James for launching a probe, accusing her of a “political pile-on,” since besides investigating the sexual harassment allegations, her office has opened a criminal inquiry into the governor’s book deal.
Reports allege Cuomo directed state employees and used state resources to work on his pandemic-era book released last fall, “American Crisis.”
Gormley similarly asked Cuomo about the issue on Friday: “Do you keep a record of when your employees in the [executive] chamber are working on their own time? Is there a record of when they’re on their own time or when they’re on the state time?”
“There are employee attendance records. I don’t know exactly what they are. But there are employee attendance records,” answered Cuomo.
The New York Times reported the governor was offered more than $4 million for the manuscript, and that top aides assisted with the editing process.
Some aides — including secretary to the governor Melissa DeRosa and SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras — were instrumental in the book’s production, and in some cases helped scrub controversial sections, particularly pertaining to nursing homes.
The state Assembly Judiciary Committee handling the chamber’s impeachment inquiry into Cuomo has also said it is including information about the book deal and use of state resources in its probe.
