ALBANIA – A sixth woman has come forward and raised allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct against Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and a Superintendent in the Executive Chamber recently became aware that the woman claimed the governor late late last year during a meeting at the governor’s mansion, where she was summoned to do work.
An official close to the case confirmed to the Times on Tuesday that the new allegation had been made. The governor’s office heard of the case on Monday, an assistant said.
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In response to questions about the handling of the revelation of the woman’s allegations, Beth Garvey, acting councilor for the governor, said: ‘All allegations that we hear directly or indirectly go directly to the investigators appointed by the Attorney General. is.’
The complaint was reported by other employees in the Executive Chamber to the governor’s council. The information was also passed on by the governor’s office to the attorney general’s office, which coordinates the investigation into various allegations of sexual harassment against the governor.
The sixth woman whose identity has been withheld by the Times Union because she could not be reached for comment is a member of the Executive Chamber staff.
The investigation, which is being coordinated by Attorney General, is being handled by two private attorneys, Joon H. Kim, a former acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, and Anne L. Clark, who specializes in labor law and sexual harassment.
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Last week Cuomo said that he “now (s) understands that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional and I really apologize for that. I feel terrible about it and honestly, I am embarrassed about it. “
The governor, apparently in response to earlier accusations from another assistant, Lindsey Boylan, that he had kissed her in his Manhattan office, also said: ‘I want you to know this directly from me, I never have anyone improperly touched. ‘
Assistants to the governor said Tuesday the governor stands by his statement that he never touched anyone improperly.
The new allegations by the sixth woman may undermine Cuomo’s statement and will certainly intensify the pressure that many lawmakers – including fellow Democrats – are putting on him to resign. These include Andrew Stewart-Cousins, leader of the majority of the state legislature, who on Sunday said Cuomo should resign due to a series of scandals, and House Speaker Carl E. Heastie, who no longer called on Cuomo to step down. to act, but question whether he is an effective leader.
Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, who will take over the position if Cuomo is accused, issued a statement on Tuesday on the appointment of the independent investigators, saying: ‘I am confident that everyone’s voice will be heard and taken seriously. I trust the investigation to be completed as thoroughly and quickly as possible. New Yorkers need to be confident that they will learn the facts soon. “
Five other women accused Cuomo of inappropriate or disturbing behavior, including Boylan, who allegedly kissed her in her Manhattan office three years ago without her permission.
The increasing calls for his resignation follow the initial allegations made by three women – Boylan as well as Charlotte Bennett and Anna Ruch, who did not work for Cuomo but told the New York Times that the governor grabbed her and tried has to kiss her on a 2019 year. wedding of one of his senior assistants.
Bennett told the New York Times that Cuomo spoke at a meeting in his Capitol office last June about loneliness during the pandemic and that he missed it in order to embrace someone. She said Cuomo never tried to touch her.
Over the weekend, in stories published by the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, two more women came forward and described what characterized them as inappropriate behavior by Cuomo, including one who joined the governor more than two decades ago. the American housing and urban area worked. Development Agency.
Jessica Westerman, a lawyer for the law firm representing Bennett – along with her associate Debra Katz – told the Times Union on Monday that the Executive Chamber’s decision last year to deal with Bennett’s complaint ‘internally’ and not the case after to refer to the Governors’ Office. of employee relations (GOER) should be a focal point of the ongoing investigation.
In that case, Jill DeRosiers filed the complaint with 25-year-old Bennett and Garvey, a top member of the governor’s legal team, referred the case to Judith Mogul, a special adviser to the governor. There was apparently no formal inquiry, and this was resolved when Bennett ‘received the transfer she requested to a position in which she expressed a long-standing interest and thoroughly reviewed the facts not a claim of physical contact. or inappropriate sexual behavior. “
“She has been consulted on the resolution and has expressed satisfaction and appreciation for the way it has been handled,” Garvey added in a statement last week.
The handling of the investigation by a legal team advising the governor also raises questions about the possible inherent conflict of interest in their decision not to notify GOER and instead resolve the matter through Bennett to transfer to a new post.
Westerman said there are multiple problems with the process, which she says do not follow state law, or the rules set out in the employee handbook that covers the Executive Chamber.
‘It is clear that they were legally obliged to refer the complaint to GOER, and by not doing so – regardless of whether they informed Charlotte otherwise about the available options – they were violating their legal obligation to act on the governor’s to report to GOER, “Westerman said.
In December 2018, in accordance with an executive order signed by Cuomo, GOER became the office responsible for handling sexual harassment investigations, and all complaints must be notified. This order, which followed the extensive rules for allegations and responses to sexual harassment, “transferred the responsibility for investigating all discrimination complaints regarding employment to the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations … discrimination will be investigated by GOER.”
Asked if he had given legal instructions for sexual harassment annually last week, the governor said “the short answer is yes.” But his office would not provide information on when the governor followed the training.
Bennett said in an interview with CBS News last week that she saw an assistant from Cuomo who was following the harassment training for him, although the governor confirmed that he had completed the online course. The assistant denied Bennett’s allegation.