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President Joe Biden known as on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign Tuesday afternoon, following within the footsteps of different high-profile Democrats.
‘I feel he ought to resign,’ Biden mentioned, after telling reporters that he stood by his earlier assertion that if the investigation discovered accusations of sexual harassment in opposition to Cuomo have been credible the New York Democrat ought to step apart.
The president answered, ‘let’s take one factor at a time right here,’ when requested if Cuomo ought to be impeached and faraway from workplace.
Cuomo has refused to resign and is contesting a damning report from AG Letitia James that discovered he did sexually harass 11 ladies, claiming it omits details and is a political assault on him regardless of rising calls to step down and the growing chance of impeachment.
Biden remarked that a few of Cuomo’s ’embraces’ that have been ‘completely harmless.’
‘However apparently the legal professional common determined that there have been issues that weren’t,’ the president mentioned.
Cuomo had used a visible of Biden in his slideshow of touchy-feely habits, explaining it away because it being simply how he’s.
President Joe Biden known as on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign throughout a Q&A session on the White Home Tuesday afternoon
Cuomo, who has at all times denied the allegations, gave a televised deal with an hour after James’ report was launched throughout which he denied all the claims and known as the report a political assault on his character
Earlier, White Home press secretary Jen Psaki no when DailyMail.com requested he the president had spoken to Biden immediately.
Biden spoke on the White Home moments after Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi known as on Cuomo to resign – following a torrent of different Democratic get together leaders.
Pelosi known as James’ investigation ‘complete and impartial.’
‘As at all times, I commend the ladies who got here ahead to talk their reality,’ Pelosi mentioned. ‘Recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the workplace he holds, I name upon the Governor to resign.’
Cuomo has thus far resisted.
James launched her long-awaited report into the allegations in opposition to embattled Cuomo on Tuesday morning. It says he sexually harassed 11 ladies together with some whose allegations weren’t beforehand recognized, like two state troopers and an govt assistant who says he groped her breast on the Governor’s mansion in Albany in November 2020.
James mentioned all the allegations are corroborated however she has not beneficial any prison expenses in opposition to him, saying the scope of her work did not embody prosecution.
There has since been an onslaught of requires him to resign afterwards on each side of the aisle, together with from New York Metropolis Mayor Invoice de Blasio who went so far as to name for him to be impeached.
There was no remark from the White Home, the place Press Secretary Jen Psaki is because of give a press convention at 3pm, regardless of President Biden saying in March that Cuomo ought to resign and be arrested if the report substantiates the ladies’s allegations.
In his deal with, Cuomo he mentioned he’s a ‘heat’ one who generally ‘slips’ and calls ladies who work for him ‘sweetheart and darling’, however insisting he has by no means been predatory or bodily in his interactions with staffers.
His legal professional has additionally launched an 85-page rebuttal to the report which she says she’s going to proceed to replace.
‘Even on a fast first evaluation, it’s clear that the report purposefully omits key proof,’ mentioned Cuomo’s legal professional Rita M. Glavin.
In his televised deal with, Cuomo used a slideshow of photos of him hugging and kissing folks all through his life to display what he described as an affectionate and tactile persona, that he says the ladies have confused for a sexual predator.
The 168-report was launched on Tuesday after a 5 month investigation by the NY AG. It substantiated the allegations of 11 ladies who say Cuomo sexually harassed them both by groping them or making inappropriate feedback courting again to 2013
New York Lawyer Common Letitia James saying her findings on Tuesday after a 5 month investigation. She mentioned she believes all the ladies however she can not carry prison expenses, as an alternative saying her focus was on figuring out if the allegations have been true
‘This has been an extended and painful interval for me and my household as others feed tales to the press. I by no means touched anybody inappropriately. The details are a lot totally different to what has been portrayed.
‘I’m 63 years previous. I’ve lived my whole grownup life in public service. That’s simply not who I’m or who I ever have been,’ he mentioned.
He went on: ‘Trial by newspaper and biased opinions are usually not the best way to seek out the details. I welcome the chance for a full and honest evaluation earlier than a choose and jury as a result of this simply didn’t occur.’
‘It’s past clear that Andrew Cuomo shouldn’t be match to carry workplace and might now not function Governor. ‘He should resign, and if he continues to withstand and assault the investigators who did their jobs, he ought to be impeached instantly,
New York Metropolis Mayor Invoice de Blasio
Biden – who mentioned in March that Cuomo ought to resign if the report finds the allegations true – is but to remark however whereas talking with Latino leaders within the State Eating Room of the White Home mentioned: ‘I’m going to be talking on COVID at 4 o’clock and can take questions on COVID and different points after that.’
He had been requested if Cuomo ought to resign.
In his rebuttal, Cuomo mentioned he’d by no means sexually harass anybody, a lot much less a sexual assault survivor like Charlotte Bennett – one of many accusers – claiming he has helped a feminine relative overcome sexual abuse himself.
He mentioned that the ladies invariably misinterpreted his ‘heat’ gestures like hugs and kisses, or misunderstood compliments.
After he spoke, critics renewed requires him to resign and a few steered he ought to be impeached.
‘My first ideas are with the ladies who have been topic to this abhorrent habits, and their bravery in stepping ahead to share their tales.
‘The Lawyer Common’s detailed and thorough report substantiates many disturbing cases of extreme misconduct. Andrew Cuomo dedicated sexual assault and sexual harassment, and intimidated a whistleblower.
‘It’s disqualifying.
‘It’s past clear that Andrew Cuomo shouldn’t be match to carry workplace and might now not function Governor.
‘He should resign, and if he continues to withstand and assault the investigators who did their jobs, he ought to be impeached instantly,’ NYC Mayor Invoice de Blasio mentioned in an announcement.
New York Senate Minority and Majority Leaders each known as for him to resign.
‘The Lawyer Common’s report clearly and concisely paperwork that Governor Cuomo engaged in disturbing and unacceptable habits.
‘Andrew Cuomo lacks the integrity required to be the chief of our state and might now not function New York’s Governor.
‘He should heed the calls of so many New York leaders and resign,’ Senate Minority Chief Michael Gianaris mentioned.
Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart Cousins mentioned: ‘This report highlights unacceptable habits Cuomo and his administration. The Governor should resign for the great of the state.
‘Now that the investigation is full, and the allegations have been substantiated, it ought to be clear to everybody that he can now not function Governor.’
Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) launched a joint assertion calling for Cuomo’s resignation.
‘As we now have mentioned earlier than, the reported actions of the Governor have been profoundly disturbing, inappropriate and utterly unacceptable. Immediately’s report from the New York State Lawyer Common substantiated and corroborated the allegations of the courageous ladies who got here ahead to share their tales — and we commend the ladies for doing so.
‘The New York State Lawyer Common has performed an impartial, thorough {and professional} investigation that discovered the Governor violated state and federal regulation, had a sample of sexually harassing present and former staff, retaliated in opposition to at the very least one of many accusers and created a hostile work surroundings.
‘No elected official is above the regulation. The folks of New York deserve higher management within the governor’s workplace. We proceed to consider that the Governor ought to resign.’
The 168-page report by James’ workplace finds that Cuomo fostered a ‘poisonous work surroundings’ the place ladies have been punished for reporting their allegations. It says that as an alternative of coping with the complaints correctly, the ladies have been merely moved out of his orbit, into totally different departments.
The report cites ‘related legal guidelines’ as Employer Legal responsibility and Government Chamber Coverage. The Governor, who has at all times denied the allegations, is but to reply to the report’s findings.
Among the many allegations which the report says are true is that he sexually harassed a state trooper by working his ‘finger from her neck down her backbone’ whereas they have been sharing an elevator and saying ‘hey you’.
He’s additionally mentioned to have rubbed a state worker’s abdomen, ran his finger throughout the chest of one other girl, and engaged in ‘widespread sample’ of subjecting ladies to ‘undesirable hugs’.
The report concludes: ‘The Governor sexually harassed numerous State staff by way of unwelcome and undesirable touching, in addition to by making quite a few offensive and sexually suggestive feedback.
‘We discover that such conduct was a part of a sample of habits that prolonged to his interactions with others outdoors of State authorities.’
Non-consensual touching, repeatedly made feedback of a sexualized, gender primarily based nature. Cuomo was grilled for 11 hours as a part of the investigation.
Throughout questioning, the report says he ‘didn’t dispute that he generally commented on employees members’ look and apparel (though typically solely to go with), and said that, being “quaint,”.
He mentioned he makes use of phrases like ‘honey’, ‘sweetheart’ and ‘darling’ and that he commonly gave ladies hugs and kisses – generally on the lips.
THE BOMBSHELL CUOMO REPORT – TEXTS BETWEEN AIDES REVEAL HOW HE MADE GIRLS ‘DO PUSH UPS’ AND REVEAL HE SANG ‘I LOVE YOU BABY’ TO ONE ACCUSER DOWN THE PHONE
Charlotte Bennett, in an Instagram story selfie, mentioned the Governor had challenged her to a ‘push-up competitors’
The bombshell, 163-page report reveals new particulars together with the proof utilized by investigators to succeed in their findings.
These embody textual content messages between Charlotte Bennett and one other aide, and conversations she had together with her dad and mom the place she had she had a ‘nice dialog’ with the ‘Governor’, and others the place she says he made her really feel uncomfortable.
Others embody emails from a few of Cuomo’s employees, together with one with a tweet by one in every of his accusers which exhibits her help of Cuomo.
The aide despatched it to an AP reporter in an obvious try to discredit the accuser.
The investigators additionally included an Instagram selfie the place Bennett additionally boasted: ‘The governor invited me to carry weights with him.
‘He challenged me to a push-up competitors’.
She had advised her dad and mom how he was shocked to study that she lifted weights and boxed, and that he had requested her to do push-ups within the workplace.
Elsewhere, present aides focus on their technique on how to reply to the allegations they usually used Biden’s response to his accuser, Tara Reade.
Additionally they mentioned an op-ed that Cuomo wished to write down to discredit Boylan, one of many accusers, and mentioned of 1 girl’s allegation: ‘This does not go the odor check’.
It was a reference to Anna Ruch and her criticism about Cuomo grabbing her face and kissing her on the cheek at a marriage in 2019.
In texts to a different aide, Bennett mentioned Cuomo repeated to her ‘time and again’ that she had been ‘raped’.
These embody textual content messages between Charlotte Bennett and one other aide, and conversations she had together with her dad and mom the place she had she had a ‘nice dialog’ with the ‘Governor’, and others the place she says he made her really feel uncomfortable.
These embody textual content messages between Charlotte Bennett and one other aide, and conversations she had together with her dad and mom the place she had she had a ‘nice dialog’ with the ‘Governor’, and others the place she says he made her really feel uncomfortable.
THE 11 WOMEN CUOMO HARASSED WITH UNWANTED TOUCHING, KISSING, INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS AND RETALIATION
‘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,”4 however discovered herself changing into emotional (in a method 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 employees 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 crew, he allegedly ‘sexually harassed her on numerous 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 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 totally 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, 2020
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 ladies.
State Entity Worker #1
The unidentified worker mentioned she attended an occasion with Cuomo in September 2019.
After giving a speech, Cuomo is claimed 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 numerous associates, 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 check on digicam
One of many ladies whose allegations have been corroborated was the physician who carried out his COVID-19 check at one in every of his March 2020 press conferences.
She says that when he advised 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 one in every of his March 2020 press conferences.
She says that when he advised her, in entrance of cameras ‘good to see you physician, you make that robe look good,’ it was sexual harassment.
The investigators agreed. Additionally they mentioned that earlier than the check, he requested her to not swab him so exhausting that it ‘hit his mind’.
She replied that she’d be ‘mild however correct’ and he mentioned ‘I’ve heard that earlier than,’ which the physician mentioned was ‘implied in a sexual nature’.
Virginia Limmiatis
Virginia Liammiatis labored for Nationwide Grid and was carrying 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’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, in the course of 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 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 didn’t know 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 received’t 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 Growth Company together with that he discovered her enticing 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 after she reported her allegations, she was victimized by his crew 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). Liss labored within the Government Chamber between 2013 and 2015, throughout which period 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 shouldn’t 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
Liss labored within the Government Chamber between 2013 and 2015, throughout which period 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 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 keeping with 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 totally different. It was simply, it’s best 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 although 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 standard 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 keeping with 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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