By: Natalie Faas, News Editor
On Aug. 3, New York District Attorney Letisha James held a press conference in which she detailed the result of her investigation into Governor Andrew Cuomo.
James’s 165-page report cites 11 different women who have made complaints towards the governor. Nine of these women are either current or former state employees.
In the press conference, James said, “The independent investigation has concluded that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, and in doing so, violated federal and state law.”
The accusations began back in December when Lindsay Boylan, a former aid to Cuomo, came forward with accusations of sexual assault. Multiple other women came forward with similar accusations of inappropriate behavior and comments that were made by the governor.
In February, a similar report came out in a story in The New York Times. Charlotte Bennet is a victim of sexual assault and claims the governor has asked about her sex life. Her account in The New York Times says Cuomo asked, “Have you ever been with an older man?”
In a 1 p.m. recorded response, Cuomo rejected all instances of sexual assault and inappropriate workplace behavior. He also apologized for inserting himself in Bennet’s personal life experiences.
Cuomo also said that his usual greeting of a hug and kiss is “Meant to convey warmth and nothing more.” He then showed many photos of him doing just that. “Black and white, young and old, straight and L.G.B.T.Q., powerful people, friends, strangers, people who I meet on the street,” Cuomo said, “I do it with everyone.”
Cuomo said he will be releasing his own facts and report on his website and claims that the facts laid out in the AG’s report are not true.
Many lawmakers around the state called for Cuomo to resign back in March, including New York State Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: calls that the governor has ignored.
This story will be updated.