Facing growing political pressure over allegations of sexual harassment, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo he said on Sunday that he would support the appointment of an independent special investigator to examine the charges against him. Cuomo also issued a series of statements on Sunday, including one at night apologizing and saying that “he never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm”.
Cuomo, a Democrat, initially asked the state attorney general and the chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals to jointly appoint “an independent and qualified attorney” to “conduct a thorough review of the matter and issue a public report. “.
After he reversed his initial request for an investigation, Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement that her office “will hire a law firm, replace them as lawyers for our office, and oversee a rigorous and independent investigation.”
James, who was once Cuomo’s ally, rejected the governor’s initial proposal, saying that only she has the authority to investigate the allegations, once the governor formally refers the matter to his office.
“Although I have deep respect for Chief Judge DiFiore, I am the duly elected attorney general and it is my responsibility to fulfill this task, in accordance with executive law,” said James, referring to the chief judge. “The governor must provide this reference so that an independent investigation with subpoena power can be conducted.”
The previous Sunday, James said she was “ready” to oversee an investigation and “make the necessary appointments”.
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Cuomo’s support for an independent investigation is a reversal, after his special lawyer said Saturday night that a judge chosen by the governor’s office would investigate the allegations, an arrangement that was widely condemned as inappropriate by elected officials across the state.
In a story published on Saturday, a former aide told The New York Times that Cuomo had harassed her at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The woman, Charlotte Bennett, told the Times that Cuomo had asked if she was open to a relationship with an older man – a date she interpreted as having sexual implications. Bennett, 25, told the Times that when she told Cuomo’s chief of staff about the meeting, she was moved to another job across the state capital.
Cuomo responded with a statement on Saturday night that he believed he was acting as a mentor and that “he never made any progress in relation to Mrs. Bennett, nor did I intend to act in any way that was inappropriate”.
In an updated statement late on Sunday, Cuomo said that “he never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm. I spend most of my life at work and colleagues are often also personal friends.”
“Sometimes, at work, I think I’m being playful and I make jokes that I think are funny,” said Cuomo. “I occasionally tease people in a way that I consider humorous. I do this in public and in private. You have seen me do this at briefings hundreds of times. I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about to get married or not to get married. I don’t want to offend and just try to add a bit of levity and jokes to what is a very serious business. “
He argued that his actions may have been “misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent that someone felt that way, I really am sorry for that.”
The accusations came in the same week as another ex-advisor, ex-undersecretary for Economic Development and special advisor to the governor Lindsey Boylan, accused him of subjecting her to an unwanted kiss and inappropriate comments. Cuomo denied these charges.
The furor also comes while the governor is battling another scandal, with federal officials investigating how his administration handled asylum patients in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past few weeks, Cuomo and his government have been forced to admit that the death toll in COVID-19 for nursing home residents is almost 15,000, almost double the previous number. The figure of 15,000 includes patients in long-term care facilities and those who died after being taken to a hospital.
While the Trump administration opened an investigation into Cuomo’s handling of nursing home data, criticism intensified after a senior aide admitted she was concerned that the data “would be used against us”.
While some Republicans and Democrats have begun to call for Cuomo’s resignation amid the accusations, others, including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, have called for him to be stripped of the emergency ruling powers conferred on him at the height of the pandemic.
Cuomo is currently in his third term as governor, which is expected to end in 2022.