Andrew Cuomo apologises: New You Governor Andrew Cuomo acknowledged in a statement on Sunday that some of his behaviour toward his staff may have been "insensitive". However, he also insisted that his actions had "been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation." Cuomo also asked New York's attorney general Letitia James and the state's chief judge to pick an independent investigator to review the accusations raised against him.
After Lindsey Boylan, a former member of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration, a second ex-employee accused Cuomo of sexual harassment on February 27. Charlotte Bennett, who previously worked as a health policy adviser in the Democratic governor's administration until November, said that the Governor asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life. The governor, however, denied her allegations on Saturday.
Bennet told The New York Times that the 63-year-old politician asked her whether she had monogamous relationships and ever had sex with older men. She went on to claim that the governor sexually harassed her last year during the pandemic.
She also alleged that Cuomo never tried to touch her but "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared." Bennett further recounted one particular incident on June 5, when she was alone with Cuomo in his office and the 25-year-old, according to the Times, said the Democratic governor had asked her if she thought the age difference in romantic relationships matters. He also stated that he was open to relationships with women in their 20s, Bennett added saying that he was clearly passing on numerous inappropriate comments.
Denying all these allegations, Cuomo, in a statement, told CNN that he believed he had been acting as a mentor and had "never made advances toward Ms Bennett, nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate." This is the second accusation of sexual harassment to emerge against Cuomo in a week.
Andrew Cuomo's former aide, Lindsey Boylan, a former special adviser to the governor, had recently accused him of creating a toxic workplace culture that includes bullying and sexual harassment. She had previously accused him of sexual harassment, and recently published a post on Medium adding to the allegations, saying that she resigned in 2018 after he kissed her during a meeting without consent.
Speaking on the allegations levied against him, Cuomo said, "I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended." He also added, "I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that."
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After Second Harassment Allegation Andrew Cuomo Apologises For ‘Misinterpreted’ Comments
Cuomo's former aid Charlotte Bennett recently alleged that while he never tried to touch her but "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared.
Andrew Cuomo apologises: New You Governor Andrew Cuomo acknowledged in a statement on Sunday that some of his behaviour toward his staff may have been "insensitive". However, he also insisted that his actions had "been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation." Cuomo also asked New York's attorney general Letitia James and the state's chief judge to pick an independent investigator to review the accusations raised against him.
After Lindsey Boylan, a former member of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration, a second ex-employee accused Cuomo of sexual harassment on February 27. Charlotte Bennett, who previously worked as a health policy adviser in the Democratic governor's administration until November, said that the Governor asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life. The governor, however, denied her allegations on Saturday.
Bennet told The New York Times that the 63-year-old politician asked her whether she had monogamous relationships and ever had sex with older men. She went on to claim that the governor sexually harassed her last year during the pandemic.
She also alleged that Cuomo never tried to touch her but "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared." Bennett further recounted one particular incident on June 5, when she was alone with Cuomo in his office and the 25-year-old, according to the Times, said the Democratic governor had asked her if she thought the age difference in romantic relationships matters. He also stated that he was open to relationships with women in their 20s, Bennett added saying that he was clearly passing on numerous inappropriate comments.
Denying all these allegations, Cuomo, in a statement, told CNN that he believed he had been acting as a mentor and had "never made advances toward Ms Bennett, nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate." This is the second accusation of sexual harassment to emerge against Cuomo in a week.
Andrew Cuomo's former aide, Lindsey Boylan, a former special adviser to the governor, had recently accused him of creating a toxic workplace culture that includes bullying and sexual harassment. She had previously accused him of sexual harassment, and recently published a post on Medium adding to the allegations, saying that she resigned in 2018 after he kissed her during a meeting without consent.
Speaking on the allegations levied against him, Cuomo said, "I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended." He also added, "I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that."
Feature Image Credit: Twitter