An anti-sexual harassment group made up of former state legislative officials asked Governor Cuomo to step down on Saturday after accusations of sexual harassment against him.
“ENOUGH. New York State has now lost the talent and ambition of yet another woman, whose safety and integrity have been eliminated to serve the wishes of a powerful man. Andrew Cuomo must resign now,” said the Harassment Working Group Sexual in a statement after Cuomo’s former aide, Charlotte Bennett, accused the governor of misbehaving with her last year.
Bennett, 25, told The New York Times that Cuomo, 63, complained to her about being “lonely” and not being able to hug anyone during the pandemic, before putting pressure on who she last hugged.
When she revealed her own story of sexual assault to Cuomo, Bennett said her reaction “was like something out of a horror movie,” the newspaper reported.
Cuomo allegedly kept repeating to Bennett: “‘You were raped, abused, attacked, beaten and betrayed’ over and over while looking me straight in the eye … It was like he was testing me,” she told a friend by message that was seen by The Times.
Earlier this week, the Sexual Harassment Working Group called for an investigation by the governor after another former employee, Lindsey Boylan, accused him of trying to kiss her on the mouth and suggest a game of “strip poker”.
“There should be an immediate independent investigation into the behavior of Governor Cuomo in the workplace, conducted by an entity over which Cuomo has no appointment or supervisory powers,” the group tweeted hours after Boylan appeared.
In Saturday’s statement, the group – made up of seven former Albany officials who said they had been chased by former Assembly members Vito Lopez and Micah Kellner, among others – offered words of encouragement to Bennett.
“To Charlotte: we send you our strength, support and shared anger over the abuse you suffered,” wrote the group. “You did something incredibly difficult, becoming another important link in a powerful chain for creating an Albany without harassment. This is not something that anyone asks for, but we are proud of you. “