Amid calls for him to resign following allegations from three women of sexual harassment, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo this afternoon told a news conference that he will not resign and will fully cooperate with an investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James.
Two of the women making the allegations formerly worked in Cuomo’s administration. They are Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett. Boylan alleged that Cuomo kissed her on the lips, asked her to play strip poker and made comments suggesting he found her attractive.
Bennett said Cuomo asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life and asked whether she had ever had sex with an older man.
The third woman, Anna Ruch, said that an encounter occurred at a wedding reception in which Cuomo allegedly touched her bare back and then placed his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her. A photo showing Cuomo with his hands on her face was released by a friend of Ruch.
James has said she would appoint a special deputy to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations against Cuomo. On March 1, she received a letter from Cuomo’s office providing the authority to move forward with such an investigation. It was signed by Beth Garvey, special counsel and senior adviser at the governor’s office.
Garvey said that all state employees had been directed to cooperate fully with the review by James’ office and that she would be acting as the contact person in Cuomo’s office for requests by James for witness interviews or documents.
“I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable,” Cuomo said. “I never ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or cause anyone pain. I feel terrible that these people felt uncomfortable, felt hurt, felt pain from the interactions.”
He said that his usual custom has been to kiss and to hug and “to make that gesture,” while adding that he understands that sensitivities have changed and behavior has changed. He said that physicality such as touching and hugging other people has been commonplace over the years as people interact in politics.
“I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable and if I ever did make people feel uncomfortable, which I now understand that I have, I apologize for it, but then let the Attorney General’s office actually review the facts,” Cuomo said.
In addressing the calls for him to resign, Cuomo said, “Some politicians will always play politics, right; that’s the nature of the beast. I don’t think today is the day for politics. I wasn’t elected by politicians, I was elected by the people of the state of New York. I’m not going to resign. I work for the people of the state of New York, they elected me.”
Today’s event also marked the first time in about a week that Cuomo had appeared before the media to address Covid-19 and take questions from reporters.
He used the occasion to announce easing of some Covid-19 restrictions. Beginning April 2, event, arts and entertainment venues can reopen at 33% capacity with up to 100 people indoors and up to 200 outdoors. If attendees are tested for Covid before admission, capacity can be increased to 150 indoors and 500 outdoors. Social distancing and the wearing of face masks would be required in all situations.
Beginning March 22, limits on the size of gatherings at private residences are being modified to allow up to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors. For social gatherings in general, the 50-person limit is being raised to 100 people indoors and 200 outdoors.
Cuomo announced that with the arrival of the new Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine, the state’s mass vaccination sites at Yankee Stadium, the Javits Center and the New York State Fair Grounds will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week as long as the supply lasts.
Yankee Stadium begins the round-the-clock operations tomorrow and the other sites on Friday. Appointments need to be booked through the state’s vaccination appointment website, ny.gov/vaccines.
