New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has his back to the wall: an investigation has found him guilty of sexual harassment. An employee has now filed a criminal complaint against him.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is coming under increasing pressure from allegations of sexual harassment. One of the women who accuse the prominent representative of the Democratic Party of sexual intrusiveness has now filed a criminal complaint against him, as a police representative told the AFP news agency on Friday. The woman is an employee of the governor.
She is one of the eleven women who were cited in an official investigation report with allegations of harassment against Cuomo. The investigation, published on Tuesday, was conducted by two independent lawyers on behalf of New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
Andrew Cuomo denies all allegations
The lawyers classified the statements of the women as credible. Cuomo had “undesirably and improperly touched these women and made numerous comments of a lewd sexual nature,” said James. All eleven women are past or current employees of the New York government.
According to the investigation report, the woman, who has now filed a complaint, accuses Cuomo of grabbing her under her blouse and chest in his office last year. After the investigation was published, Cuomo again denied allegations of harassment. “I’ve never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” said the 63-year-old.
Pressure on Andrew Cuomo is increasing
However, this criminal complaint increases the legal pressure on the governor. Previously, at least five public prosecutors had launched criminal investigations into Cuomo’s behavior towards women.
In addition, the governor is confronted with calls for resignation – also from his own party. US President Joe Biden also suggested that his party colleague resign. New York House Chairman Carl Heastie, also a Democrat, initiated impeachment proceedings. Cuomo has until August 13 to present evidence to Heastie in his defense.
Cuomo’s legal team said the methods used in the investigation ordered by Attorney General James were dishonest. At a press conference on Friday, they complained, among other things, that no minutes of the statements obtained for the investigation had been sent to them. The approach was “one-sided” and the governor was “attacked from an ambush,” said Cuomo’s lawyer Rita Glavin.
The Attorney General’s Office denied these allegations. James’ press secretary Fabien Levy described efforts to “undermine the credibility of these women or this investigation” as “regrettable”.
Cuomo has been governor since 2011. Last year, in the first months of the corona pandemic, which hit the megacity of New York particularly hard, he was widely praised for his vigorous crisis management. Even before the harassment allegations were published, however, his star began to decline. Cuomo has been accused of covering up the real numbers of corona deaths in nursing homes.
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