New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been under a lot of fire recently after multiple women, some being current and past employees, have accused him of sexual assault or inappropriate behavior. Many politicians have been calling for him to resign, which Cuomo himself has refused to do.
Charlotte Bennett, a 25 year old woman and former aide to Cuomo, has accused Cuomo of sexually harrassing her, stating that Cuomo asked her about her sex life, if she had ever had sex with older men before, and if she thought age mattered in sexual relationships. Bennet saw this interaction as Cuomo insinuating a relationship between the two of them.
Bennet reported this interaction to the chief of staff and was transferred to a different job. She also sent a statement to a special counsel about this interaction.
Lindsey Boylan is another woman who has come out and shared her experience with the governor. Boylan worked at New York’s economic development agency for three years, and had multiple uncomfortable encounters with Cuomo. She states that Cuomo had told Boylan that they should play strip poker sometime, touched her lower back, and had given her an unsolicited kiss.
In a later statement made by Cuomo, he states that kissing and hugging are, “usual and customary ways of greeting” for him and were not meant as some sort of advance.
Anna Ruch, also experienced advances made by Cuomo at a wedding they both attended. Ruch was never an employee of Cuomo but she still experienced uncomfortable advances made by the governor, touching her bare lower back, and going in for an unwelcome kiss.
Andrew Cuomo has denied these allegations made against him, stating that he has never made advances toward any of these women. Though later one Cuomo has apologized for his actions. Cuomo stated that his actions were, “unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it and frankly embarrassed by it and that’s not easy to say but that’s the truth.” But Cuomo also made the claim he had, “never touched anyone inappropriately.”
After these accusations were made public, both Republican and Democratic politicians have called for Andrew Cuomo to resign from his position as New York governor. Cuomo has apologized for his actions, stating that he has never intended to make anyone uncomfortable, but he will not be leaving office, stating that it would be “anti-democratic.”
But, the state assembly, run by Democrats, has called for an impeachment inquiry of Cuomo in consideration of the assault claims as well as the nursing home coronavirus death scandal that had happened earlier.
Though it is still up in the air as to what Andrew Cuomo’s fate as governor will soon be, it is important to recognize the continuous assaults made against women in the workplace, and how it is still trying to be pushed under the rug.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/article/cuomo-sexual-harassment-nursing-homes-covid-19.html
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/politics/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-allegations/index.html
