Tuesday, August 03, 2021

3 August 2021: Cuomo Refuses to Resign After NY AG Finds He Sexually Harassed 11 Women

Cuomo refuses to resign, denies allegations in explosive AG report

Andrew M. Cuomo issued a statement via videotape, with no reporters present to ask any questions, following the release of Tish James' report finding he sexually harassed 11 women.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo maintained Tuesday that he “never touched anyone inappropriately,” pushing back on a bombshell official report that concluded he sexually harassed several women in violation of state and federal law.

Speaking on video without reporters to ask questions, the governor was adamant in his denial, as he has been since the scandal erupted.

“I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” he told New Yorkers.

“That is just not who I am,” he continued. “And that’s not who I have ever been.”

“I welcome the opportunity for a full and fair review before a judge and a jury, because this just did not happen,” he further said.

Then things got a bit creepy in Andrew M. Cuomo's videotaped speech:

Cuomo went on to directly respond to the some of the allegations laid out in the independent report commissioned by state Attorney General Letitia James, including those of former staffer Charlotte Bennett, who has said that the governor asked probing questions about her sex life that left her convinced he “wanted to sleep with” her.

He said that he only tried to be supportive of Bennett — a sexual assault survivor — because of a relative’s own experience with sexual assault.

Directly addressing Bennett in the video, Cuomo apologized while stopping short of admitting malice.

“Charlotte, I want you to know that I am truly and deeply sorry,” he said. “I brought my personal experience into the workplace, and I shouldn’t have done that. I was trying to help.”

For her part, Charlotte Bennett responded to the report via Twitter:

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