N.Y. governor Andrew Cuomo acknowledges he 'made people uncomfortable' but will not resign
Cuomo faces allegations of sexual harassment from women in his administration
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday he intends to remain in office in the face of sexual harassment allegations that have weakened his support and led to calls for his resignation, even among some fellow Democrats.
The governor, speaking in his first public appearance since three women accused him of inappropriate touching and offensive remarks, apologized and said that he "learned an important lesson" about his behaviour around women.
"I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable," Cuomo said at a Wednesday press conference. "It was unintentional, and I truly and deeply apologize for it."
Cuomo said he will "fully co-operate" with the state attorney general's investigation into sexual harassment allegations.
WATCH | Gov. Andrew Cuomo apologizes after sexual harassment allegations, won't resign:
Attorney General Letitia James, also a Democrat, is in the process of selecting an outside law firm to conduct an investigation into the allegations and produce a report that will be made public.
Asked about calls for him to step aside, the third-term governor said: "I wasn't elected by politicians. I was elected by the people of the state of New York. I'm not going to resign."
Cuomo addressed the allegations during a news conference that otherwise focused on the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic, the kind of briefings that made him a daily fixture on TV and a national star among Democrats.
WATCH | Cuomo's full statement about the allegations of sexual harassment against him:
3 women have come forward
Two of the women who accused Cuomo worked in his administration. The other was a guest at a wedding that he officiated.
One former aide, Charlotte Bennett, 25, said Cuomo quizzed her about her sex life and asked whether she would be open to a relationship with an older man. Bennett rejected Cuomo's attempted apology, in which he said he'd been trying to be "playful" and that his jokes had been misinterpreted as flirting.
Another former aide, Lindsey Boylan, said Cuomo commented on her appearance inappropriately, kissed her without her consent at the end of a meeting and once suggested they play strip poker while aboard his state-owned jet. Cuomo has denied Boylan's allegations.
And another woman, Anna Ruch, told The New York Times that Cuomo put his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her at a September 2019 wedding.
Cuomo's apology rejected
The accusers rejected his latest attempt at an apology.
"How can New Yorkers trust you @NYGovCuomo to lead our state if you "don't know" when you've been inappropriate with your own staff?" Boylan tweeted.
How can New Yorkers trust you <a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYGovCuomo</a> to lead our state if you “don’t know” when you’ve been inappropriate with your own staff?
—@LindseyBoylanSpeaking about the allegations, Cuomo initially said he was apologizing to "people" who were uncomfortable with his conduct, but as he continued, he didn't make clear which of the women he was referring to.
At one point, he said he was apologizing to "the young woman who worked here who said that I made her feel uncomfortable in the workplace," though that description could apply to both Boylan and Bennett.
Bennett's lawyer, Debra Katz, said the governor's news conference "was full of falsehoods and inaccurate information."
She said Cuomo's claim that he was unaware he had made women uncomfortable was disingenuous, considering that Bennett had reported his behaviour to her boss and one of Cuomo's lawyers.
"We are confident that they made him aware of her complaint and we fully expect that the attorney general's investigation will demonstrate that Cuomo administration officials failed to act on Ms. Bennett's serious allegations or to ensure that corrective measures were taken, in violation of their legal requirements," Katz said.
Cuomo calls his behaviour 'gregarious'
Cuomo said he inherited his gregarious way of greeting people from his father, the late former Gov. Mario Cuomo, and that he intended it as a way of welcoming people and making them feel comfortable. He said he realizes now, "it doesn't matter my intent. What matters is if anybody was offended by it."
Speaking about the allegations, Cuomo initially said he was apologizing to "people" who were uncomfortable with his conduct, but as he continued, he didn't make clear which of the women he was referring to.
At one point, he said he was apologizing to "the young woman who worked here who said that I made her feel uncomfortable in the workplace," though that description could apply to both Boylan and Bennett.
Asked what he was saying to New Yorkers, Cuomo said: "I'm embarrassed by what happened ... I'm embarrassed that someone felt that way in my administration. I'm embarrassed and hurt, and I apologize that somebody who interacted with me felt that way."
"I didn't know at the time I was making her feel uncomfortable," said the governor, who has touted a law requiring all workers in New York to receive sexual harassment training.
"I never meant to, but that doesn't matter. If a person feels uncomfortable, if a person feels pain, if a person is offended, I feel very badly about that, and I apologize for it. There's no 'but'; it's, 'I'm sorry.' "