Cuomo accuser Charlotte Bennett mentioned on Wednesday the embattled governor ‘nonetheless would not get it’ as she repeated requires him to resign or be impeached after watching him deny the findings of the Lawyer Normal’s bombshell sexual harassment report yesterday and demand once more that he’s harmless.
Cuomo was discovered to have sexually harassed a minimum of 11 ladies, together with Bennett, by a crew of investigators put collectively by Lawyer Normal Letitia James. She doesn’t have the authorized scope to cost him criminally, however the Albany District Lawyer mentioned he has launched an investigation and is inviting ladies to return ahead.
Everybody from NYC Mayor Invoice de Blasio to President Joe Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi – a few of Cuomo’s most trusted Democratic allies – is telling him it is time to resign however he’s clinging on, insisting he is the sufferer of a politicized assault by James and that his accusers both lied about him or misinterpreted his ‘heat’ for sexual predatoriness.
On Good Morning America on Wednesday, Bennett – who labored as an aide for Cuomo in 2019 – mentioned his ‘apology’ to her that was televised yesterday was ‘not a lot of an apology in any respect’.
She and her legal professional are calling on the New York State Legislature – which is on summer time break – to be reconvened to start out impeachment proceedings towards him, saying it is ‘clear’ he will not go quietly and have to be faraway from workplace.
‘Primarily based on his apology which was not a lot of an apology in any respect, he is not residing in actuality. It is as much as us to take motion. It’s the accountability of Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie to question him instantly. He’s a hazard,’ Bennett mentioned.
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On Good Morning America on Wednesday, Bennett – who labored as an aide for Cuomo in 2019 – mentioned his ‘apology’ to her that was televised yesterday was ‘not a lot of an apology in any respect’.
New York Speaker Carl Heastie, who would oversee impeachment proceedings towards Cuomo, launched this assertion on Tuesday saying an investigation was underway and would conclude ‘expeditiously’. Critics say the legislature must act quick to take away the Governor, who has ‘misplaced the arrogance’ of his friends
Heastie launched a press release on Wednesday confirming that an impeachment investigation was underway and that it might conclude ‘expeditiously’ however impeachment articles are but to be drawn up.
The bulk must impeach him earlier than he would step down. In that occasion, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul would stand into serve out the rest of Cuomo’s present time period – which ends in November 2022 – earlier than a re-election.
She was amongst critics who informed him he wanted to step down on Tuesday. There may be but to be a distinguished voice of help for the Governor.
Cuomo, in his pre-recorded video in response to the AG’s report, mentioned the ladies had both mistaken his feedback as nefarious, lied about him or exaggerated.
The one apology he issued was to Bennett and it was in response to her grievance that after she confided in him about being a sexual assault survivor, he introduced it as much as her in numerous conversations afterwards and reminded her of it.
He mentioned that he was solely drawing from previous expertise, when he helped an unnamed feminine relative overcome a sexual assault of her personal.
Bennett mentioned on Wednesday that the Governor blamed his victims and that the ‘line of questioning’ was ‘inappropriate’.
‘The sufferer blaming just isn’t OK. When there are two ladies there are greater than two… we all know that. He has been a longtime political determine for thus lengthy and he guidelines by worry. He’s scary. I used to be scared – I did not know the place to show,’ she mentioned.
The substantiated extra severe allegations like that of an unidentified feminine assistant who mentioned Cuomo groped her breast at his Albany mansion in November final 12 months, and that of an unnamed State Trooper who claims he assigned her to his protecting safety element regardless of her being inexperienced then subjected her to a torrent of abuse which included ‘operating his hand down her again from her neck and saying “hey you”‘ once they have been in an elevator collectively.
One other state employee, who additionally is not named within the report, mentioned he ran his arms over her ‘stomach’.
Bennett’s legal professional Debra Katz mentioned: ‘At this level it is on the New York Legislature to take decisive motion to question him.
The Governor is clearly not residing in actuality, he is refusing to step down. His efficiency yesterday was belligerent and made it clear he is unfit to serve.
‘He nonetheless doesn’t get it. Shockingly, he even blamed his mom yesterday for instructing him to kiss individuals in appropriately.’
She was referring to Cuomo’s excuse that he’s handsy with individuals as a result of he comes from a tactile Italian household.
To show that trait, he included a picture montage in his pre-taped response yesterday that confirmed him hugging and kissing women and men in public, together with Rev. Al Sharpton and Invoice Clinton.
In March, when the AG launched her investigation into Cuomo, Biden mentioned that if he was discovered culpable, Cuomo ought to stand down.
Yesterday, when requested once more concerning the report, Biden mentioned he ‘stands by’ his earlier assertion and believes he ought to resign.
Along with the potential felony expenses by Albany DA David Soares, Cuomo can be going through civil lawsuits from the 11 ladies.
He talked about one to be filed by the chief assistant who says he groped her breast, which he mentioned was within the works already.
In his rebuttal to the ladies, his legal professional issued an 85 web page denial of their claims.
The report contains images of Cuomo with ladies – some whose faces have been muzzed, some whose weren’t – as proof of how tactile he’s
Extra images of Cuomo with ladies at his occasions, together with his arms over their waists. His crew says he’s tactile with everybody
The Governor’s CNN host brother Chris – who was revealed as considered one of his advisors within the report – ignored the topic on his present on Tuesday. He’s pictured returning to New York Metropolis from the Hamptons on Monday night time, the day earlier than the report emerged
The sexual harassment report comes after Cuomo – as soon as a pandemic hero who the world seemed to for management due to his dealing with of the COVID-19 catastrophe in New York – was stripped of his emergency powers due to his administration’s skewing of nursing dwelling dying numbers.
His administration wasn’t counting nursing dwelling deaths as that however relatively as hospital deaths for a while, which appeared that fewer individuals have been contracting COVID in nursing properties and dying from it than was the case.
It was related as a result of he had signed a controversial order that pressured nursing properties to just accept COVID-recovering sufferers, even once they have been nonetheless contagious, in an effort to not overwhelm the state’s hospitals.
Critics say he deliberately hid the true variety of deaths to underplay the consequences of that order.
He has additionally been slammed for writing a sanctimonious memoir titled Classes in Management and releasing it final October – simply earlier than NY instances and deaths soared once more in a second wave of an infection and earlier than vaccines have been out there.
He’s anticipated to have made thousands and thousands from the advance of that e-book and he gave every of his three daughters $300,000 every from it.
On the time, he’d saved companies closed for months with out rationalization.
Cuomo’s workplace is but to launch his schedule for Wednesday. He’s understood to be holed up on the Governor’s Mansion in Albany.
THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CUOMO THAT THE AG REPORT SAYS ARE TRUE – GROPING, UNWANTED HUGGING AND KISSING, INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS AND RETALIATING AGAINST ACCUSER WHO SPOKE OUT
‘Govt Assistant One’
The report says Cuomo groped ‘Govt Assistant One’ repeatedly sexually harassed her when she labored for him by subjecting her to ‘shut and intimate hugs’, ‘kisses on the cheeks and brow’, ‘a minimum of one kiss on the lips’ and ‘touching her butt’.
He allegedly referred to her and one different assistant as ‘mingle mamas’ and requested her repeatedly if she would ever cheat on her husband.
In November 2020, he allegedly groped her breast on the Govt Mansion in Albany.
‘For over three months, Govt Assistant #1 saved this groping incident to herself and deliberate to take it ‘to the grave,’ however discovered herself changing into emotional (in a method that was seen to her colleagues within the Govt Chamber) whereas watching the Governor state, at a press convention on March 3, 2021, that he had by no means ‘touched anybody inappropriately.’
She then confided in sure of her colleagues, who in flip reported her allegations to senior employees within the Govt Chamber, the report says.
State Trooper #1
The report says Cuomo sexually harassed a state trooper, known as Trooper #1, who he employed onto his protecting element, bending the three-year expertise requirement.
As soon as she was on his crew, he allegedly ‘sexually harassed her on various events’ by ‘operating his hand throughout her abdomen from her stomach button to her proper hip whereas she held a door open for him at an occasion’, ‘operating his finger down her again’ whereas they have been in an elevator collectively and saying ‘hey you’, kissing her on the cheek.
He additionally allegedly requested her to assist him discover a girlfriend and mentioned he wished somebody who ‘appreciated ache’, and requested her why she wished to get married, saying ‘your intercourse drive goes down’.
‘Trooper #1 discovered these interactions with the Governor not solely offensive and uncomfortable, however markedly completely different from the way in which the Governor interacted with members of the PSU who have been males, and he or she conveyed these incidents contemporaneously to colleagues,’ the report reads.
Charlotte Bennett
Charlotte Bennett
Bennett labored briefly for Cuomo as an aide.
AG Letitia James says her allegations that Cuomo harassed her with a collection of feedback are corroborated.
Amongst his alleged remarks are questions on if she’d date older males, asking her assist to discover a girlfriend, and apparently quizzing her on a sexual assault she had endured.
One of many different feedback that he made was that he wished to journey into the mountains with ladies.
State Entity Worker #1
The unidentified worker mentioned she attended an occasion with Cuomo in September 2019.
After giving a speech, Cuomo is alleged to have posed for photos together with her. Whereas the image was being taken, he ‘grabbed her butt’.
‘The worker was shocked and mentioned it with various mates, household and associates,’ the report says.
She additionally ‘memorialized the Governor’s inappropriate touching’ contemporaneously, however the report would not say how.
State Entity Worker #2 – Physician who gave Cuomo his COVID check on digital camera
One of many ladies whose allegations have been corroborated was the physician who carried out his COVID-19 check at considered one of his March 2020 press conferences.
She says that when he informed her, in entrance of cameras ‘good to see you physician, you make that robe look good,’ it was sexual harassment.
One of many ladies whose allegations have been corroborated was the physician who carried out his COVID-19 check at considered one of his March 2020 press conferences.
She says that when he informed her, in entrance of cameras ‘good to see you physician, you make that robe look good,’ it was sexual harassment.
The investigators agreed. In addition they mentioned that earlier than the check, he requested her to not swab him so laborious that it ‘hit his mind’.
She replied that she’d be ‘mild however correct’ and he mentioned ‘I’ve heard that earlier than.’
The physician mentioned his comment was ‘implied in a sexual nature’.
Virginia Limmiatis
Virginia Liammiatis labored for Nationwide Grid and was sporting a t-shirt with the corporate’s title written throughout her chest when she says she met Cuomo.
He ran his ‘two fingers throughout her chest, urgent down on every of the letters as he did so and studying out the title of the corporate as he went’.
The report says he then ‘leaned in, together with his face near her cheek, and mentioned ‘I will say I see a spider in your shoulder’ earlier than brushing the world between her shoulder and her breasts’.
‘Ms. Limmiatis got here ahead on this investigation after she heard the Governor state, throughout the March 3, 2021 press convention, that he had by no means touched anybody inappropriately.
Nationwide Grid employee Virginia Limmiatis (left) who mentioned he touched her chest whereas operating his hand throughout her t-shirt. Lindsey Boylan (proper)
‘As Ms. Limmiatis testified to us, ‘He’s mendacity once more.
‘He touched me inappropriately. I’m compelled to return ahead to inform the reality… I did not know the right way to report what he did to me on the time and was burdened by disgrace, however not coming ahead now would make me complicit in his lie, and I will not do it.”
Lindsey Boylan
Boylan says that Cuomo made inappropriate remarks to her when she labored as chief of employees to the CEO of the Empire State Growth Company together with that he discovered her engaging and that he wished to play strip poker.
She additionally says that he bodily touched her on varied components of her physique, together with her waist, legs, and again.
She claims that when she reported her allegations, she was victimized by his crew who ran a smear marketing campaign towards her whereas she ran for workplace.
Alyssa McGrath
McGrath was one other govt assistant who says Cuomo harassed her.
‘In his interactions with one other govt assistant, Alyssa McGrath, the Governor made inappropriate feedback and engaged in harassing conduct, together with: frequently asking about her private life, together with her marital standing and divorce; asking whether or not Ms. McGrath would inform on Govt Assistant #1 if she have been to cheat on her husband—and whether or not Ms. McGrath herself deliberate to ‘mingle’ with males’.
Alyssa McGrath (left) who labored as an govt assistant for the Governor. She says he made inappropriate remarks about her private life. Ana Liss (proper) labored within the Govt Chamber between 2013 and 2015, throughout which era she says the governor subjected her to sexual harassment that included being referred to as ‘sweetheart’ and ‘darling’, and putting his hand round her decrease waist.
‘Kaitlin’
Kaitlin – whose second title just isn’t public – met the Governor in 2016 at a fundraising occasion the place they have been photographed collectively in a dance pose.
Afterwards, she was employed by him in a junior place however given a wage of $120,000 – a determine so excessive she says it was laughed at in her interview.
Ana Liss
Liss labored within the Govt Chamber between 2013 and 2015, throughout which era she says the governor subjected her to sexual harassment that included being referred to as ‘sweetheart’ and ‘darling’, and putting his hand round her decrease waist.
Ruch was a visitor at a marriage, as was the Governor, in 2019 when she says he put his arms on a piece of her again that was uncovered by a cut-out in her gown. She grabbed his wrist to maneuver it away and he responded by saying ‘wow, you are aggressive,’ in response to the report.
He additionally kissed her arms and cheek, she mentioned.
Regardless of feeling uncomfortable, she says she didn’t report them as a result of ‘for no matter cause, in his workplace the foundations have been completely different. It was simply, you need to view it as a praise if the Governor finds you aesthetically pleasing sufficient, if he finds you fascinating sufficient to ask questions like that.
‘And so despite the fact that it was unusual and uncomfortable and technically not permissible in a typical office surroundings, I used to be on this mindset that it was the twilight zone and…the everyday guidelines didn’t apply.’
Anna Ruch
Ruch was a visitor at a marriage, as was the Governor, in 2019 when she says he put his arms on a piece of her again that was uncovered by a cut-out in her gown.
She grabbed his wrist to maneuver it away and he responded by saying ‘wow, you are aggressive,’ in response to the report.
Cuomo then grabbed her face with each of his arms and mentioned ‘can I kiss you?’
He was pictured kissing her cheek.
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