Cuomo tweeted twice on Wednesday however ignored the mounting requires him to resign
Governor Andrew Cuomo caught his head within the sand on Wednesday, ignoring the mounting requires him to resign or face felony prices for sexually assaulting feminine workers and three looming felony investigations.
Cuomo was discovered to have sexually harassed at the very least 11 girls, together with Bennett, by a staff 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 stated he has launched an investigation and is inviting girls 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.
The District Attorneys of Manhattan, Albany and Westchester have now all opened felony investigations into Cuomo’s conduct.
Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance, the latest to launch an investigation, stated: ‘When our workplace discovered yesterday that the Lawyer Normal’s investigation of the Governor’s conduct was full, our workplace contacted the Lawyer Normal’s Workplace to start requesting investigative supplies of their possession pertaining to incidents that occurred in Manhattan.’
De Blasio stated he should be criminally charged with assault for allegedly groping the breast of an govt assistant in November 2020. He says it by no means occurred, the AG says that it did.
Cuomo’s workplace on Wednesday despatched out a number of press releases on governmental points however ignored the elephant within the room, as a substitute solely pushing out statements about COVID and vaccines.
Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie, who would oversee impeachment proceedings within the New York legislature, launched an announcement on Wednesday confirming that an impeachment investigation was underway and that it could conclude ‘expeditiously’ however impeachment articles are but to be drawn up.
First, the Meeting Judiciary Committee wants to offer the findings of its investigation to the New York Meeting. The committee’s subsequent assembly is on Monday.
The subsequent step could be an impeachment trial within the Meeting. A easy majority is required for it to proceed to the Excessive Courtroom of Impeachment which might encompass all 63 New York State Senators and 7 judges from New York’s Courtroom of Appeals.
On Good Morning America on Wednesday, Bennett – who labored as an aide for Cuomo in 2019 – stated 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 in opposition to 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
Within the occasion that every one each the Meeting and the Excessive Courtroom of Impeachment vote to take away him, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul would take over and serve out Cuomo’s time period which ends in November 2022.
On Good Morning America on Wednesday, Bennett – who labored as an aide for Cuomo in 2019 – stated 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 begin impeachment proceedings in opposition to him, saying it is ‘clear’ he will not go quietly and should be faraway from workplace.
‘Based mostly 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 stated.
New York Metropolis Mayor Invoice de Blasio appeared on CBS to say Cuomo should resign earlier than he’s impeached and that he thinks he ought to face felony prices.
He dismissed Cuomo’s declare that his habits is of a sure era and stated: ‘He has the audacity to say, “oh, you realize, I wish to hug individuals.” I imply, that is simply out of contact with actuality, however it’s additionally profoundly disrespectful.
‘How about saying, I did one thing improper, I’ve to atone for my sins, I must go and take care of my issues?”‘
Cuomo denies essentially the most particular allegation – that he groped an accuser’s breast underneath her shirt after calling her into his workplace in November 2020. The AG says it’s credible.
‘Placing your hand up a girl’s shirt and touching their breast will not be generational. I do know loads of guys who’re older, who would by no means in 1,000,000 years do this. Speaking to 20-something 12 months outdated girls, asking them in the event that they’d date an older man after which leering at them – this isn’t acceptable habits, it’s not even shut,’ de Blasio stated.
He added that Cuomo must be criminally charged.
Cuomo, in his pre-recorded video in response to the AG’s report, stated 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 criticism 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 stated that he was solely drawing from previous expertise, when he helped an unnamed feminine relative overcome a sexual assault of her personal.
Bennett stated on Wednesday that the Governor blamed his victims and that the ‘line of questioning’ was ‘inappropriate’.
‘The sufferer blaming will not be OK. When there are two girls there are greater than two… we all know that. He has been a longtime political determine for therefore lengthy and he guidelines by concern. He’s scary. I used to be scared – I did not know the place to show,’ she stated.
The substantiated extra critical allegations like that of an unidentified feminine assistant who stated 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 ‘working his hand down her again from her neck and saying “hey you”‘ after they have been in an elevator collectively.
One other state employee, who additionally is not named within the report, stated he ran his fingers over her ‘stomach’.
Bennett’s legal professional Debra Katz stated: ‘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.
New York Metropolis Mayor Invoice de Blasio appeared in studio for CBS This Morning on Wednesday to repeat his requires Cuomo to resign and say he must be criminally charged. He says Cuomo’s habits ‘wasn’t even shut’ to acceptable
‘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 display 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 stated that if he was discovered culpable, Cuomo ought to stand down.
Yesterday, when requested once more concerning the report, Biden stated he ‘stands by’ his earlier assertion and believes he ought to resign.
Along with the potential felony prices by Albany DA David Soares, Cuomo can also be dealing with civil lawsuits from the 11 girls.
He talked about one to be filed by the chief assistant who says he groped her breast, which he stated 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 photographs of Cuomo with girls – some whose faces have been muzzed, some whose weren’t – as proof of how tactile he’s
Extra photographs of Cuomo with girls at his occasions, together with his fingers over their waists. His staff 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 appeared 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 residence demise numbers.
His administration wasn’t counting nursing residence deaths as that however reasonably as hospital deaths for a while, which seemed 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 after 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 results of that order.
Protesters descended on Cuomo’s NYC HQ on Wednesday to demand his resignation after the damning AG report. The Governor is holed up in Albany
NYC Republican Mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa – the top of the vigilante justice group Guardian Angels – led the requires him to resign
The protesters held indicators declaring Cuomo responsible of sexual harassment, because the AG did. He’s now dealing with felony investigations in Albany and Westchester
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 stored companies closed for months with out clarification.
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
‘Government Assistant One’
The report says Cuomo groped ‘Government 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’, ‘at the very least 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 Government Mansion in Albany.
‘For over three months, Government Assistant #1 stored this groping incident to herself and deliberate to take it ‘to the grave,’ however discovered herself turning into emotional (in a means that was seen to her colleagues within the Government 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 workers within the Government 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 staff, he allegedly ‘sexually harassed her on a variety of events’ by ‘working his hand throughout her abdomen from her stomach button to her proper hip whereas she held a door open for him at an occasion’, ‘working 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 stated he wished somebody who ‘preferred 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 best way 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 trip into the mountains with girls.
State Entity Worker #1
The unidentified worker stated she attended an occasion with Cuomo in September 2019.
After giving a speech, Cuomo is alleged to have posed for footage along with her. Whereas the image was being taken, he ‘grabbed her butt’.
‘The worker was shocked and mentioned it with a variety of mates, household and colleagues,’ the report says.
She additionally ‘memorialized the Governor’s inappropriate touching’ contemporaneously, however the report does not say how.
State Entity Worker #2 – Physician who gave Cuomo his COVID take a look at on digicam
One of many girls whose allegations have been corroborated was the physician who carried out his COVID-19 take a look at 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 girls whose allegations have been corroborated was the physician who carried out his COVID-19 take a look at 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 stated that earlier than the take a look at, he requested her to not swab him so arduous that it ‘hit his mind’.
She replied that she’d be ‘mild however correct’ and he stated ‘I’ve heard that earlier than.’
The physician stated 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 stated ‘I’ll 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 stated he touched her chest whereas working 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 find out how 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 workers to the CEO of the Empire State Improvement 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 numerous elements of her physique, together with her waist, legs, and again.
She claims that when she reported her allegations, she was victimized by his staff who ran a smear marketing campaign in opposition to 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: commonly asking about her private life, together with her marital standing and divorce; asking whether or not Ms. McGrath would inform on Government 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 Government Chamber between 2013 and 2015, throughout which era she says the governor subjected her to sexual harassment that included being known as ‘sweetheart’ and ‘darling’, and putting his hand round her decrease waist.
‘Kaitlin’
Kaitlin – whose second title will not be 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
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Liss labored within the Government Chamber between 2013 and 2015, throughout which era she says the governor subjected her to sexual harassment that included being known 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 fingers 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 accordance with the report.
He additionally kissed her fingers and cheek, she stated.
Regardless of feeling uncomfortable, she says she didn’t report them as a result of ‘for no matter purpose, in his workplace the foundations have been completely different. It was simply, you must view it as a praise if the Governor finds you aesthetically pleasing sufficient, if he finds you attention-grabbing sufficient to ask questions like that.
‘And so though it was unusual and uncomfortable and technically not permissible in a typical office setting, 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 fingers 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 accordance with the report.
Cuomo then grabbed her face with each of his fingers and stated ‘can I kiss you?’
He was pictured kissing her cheek.
