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I am grateful to all the women who came forward to tell their stories in painstaking detail, enabling investigators to get to the truth. No man — no matter how powerful — can be allowed to harass women or violate our human rights laws, period,” State AG Tish James said.
By Michael V. Cusenza
After nearly five months, independent investigators appointed by State Attorney General Letitia James concluded in a report released Tuesday that Gov. Andrew Cuomo did sexually harass multiple women — including former and current state employees — by engaging in unwanted groping, kissing, and hugging, and making inappropriate comments. Further, the governor and his senior staff took actions to retaliate against at least one former employee for coming forward with her story. Finally, the Executive Chamber fostered a “toxic” workplace that enabled “harassment to occur and created a hostile work environment.” The investigators find that Cuomo’s actions and those of the Executive Chamber violated multiple state and federal laws, as well as the Executive Chamber’s own written policies.
The investigation was conducted after, on March 1, 2021, the Executive Chamber made a referral, pursuant to New York Executive Law Section 63(8), for James to select independent lawyers to investigate “allegations of and circumstances surrounding sexual harassment claims made against the governor.”
“This is a sad day for New York because independent investigators have concluded that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and, in doing so, broke the law,” James said. “I am grateful to all the women who came forward to tell their stories in painstaking detail, enabling investigators to get to the truth. No man — no matter how powerful — can be allowed to harass women or violate our human rights laws, period.”
Photo Courtesy of Mike Groll/Office of the Governor
“I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” Gov. Cuomo said.
Starting in December 2020, multiple women came forward with allegations that Cuomo sexually harassed them. Over the course of the investigation, the investigators interviewed 179 individuals. Those interviewed included complainants, current and former members of the Executive Chamber, State Troopers, additional state employees, and others who interacted regularly with the governor. More than 74,000 documents, emails, texts, and pictures were also reviewed as evidence during the investigation.
Backed up by corroborating evidence and credible witnesses, the investigators detail multiple current or former New York state employees or women outside state service who were the targets of harassing conduct on the part of the governor.
As part of the investigation, Cuomo also sat with the interviewers and answered questions under oath. While the governor denied the most serious allegations, the investigators found that he did so by offering “blanket denials” or that he had a “lack of recollection as to specific incidents.” The investigators also found that the governor’s recollection “stood in stark contrast to the strength, specificity, and corroboration of the complainants’ recollections, as well as the reports of many other individuals who offered observations and experiences of the governor’s conduct.”
Additionally, the investigators found that the Executive Chamber was “rife with fear and intimidation” that not only “enabled the above-described instances of harassment to occur,” but also “created a hostile work environment overall.” Further, Cuomo, himself, and the Executive Chamber engaged in “retaliatory” behavior by “intend[ing] to discredit and disparage” a former employee that came forward with her story of harassment.
The investigation found that Cuomo’s sexual harassment of multiple women and his and the Executive Chamber’s retaliation against a former employee for coming forward with her claims of sexual harassment violated multiple state and federal laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law, and 42 U.S. Code § 1983, in addition to the Executive Chamber’s own equal employment policies.
“I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances. I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am and that’s not who I have ever been,” Cuomo said in a lengthy retort. “I do on occasion say, ‘ciao, Bella.’ On occasion, I do slip and say ‘sweetheart,’ or ‘darling,’ or ‘honey.’ I do banter with people. I do tell jokes, some better than others. I am the same person in public as I am in private. You have seen me do it on TV, through all my briefings, and for 40 years before that.”
The embattled State executive added, “I understand these dynamics. My father used to say, God rest his soul, that politics is an ugly business. As usual he was right. But for my father and for me, it’s worth it, because despite it all, at the end of the day, we get good things done for people. And that is what really matters. And for those who are using this moment to score political points or seek publicity or personal gain, I say they actually discredit the legitimate sexual harassment victims that the law was designed to protect.
“My last point is this,” Cuomo continued, “I say to my daughters all the time that as complicated as life gets is as simple as life is. My job is not about me, my job is about you. What matters to me at the end of the day is getting the most done I can for you.”
Calls for Cuomo’s political head to roll poured into The Forum.
“Based on my review of the findings in the Attorney General’s 165-page investigative report, I believe that Gov. Cuomo should resign in the best interest of all New Yorkers,” State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said.
“Earlier this year, I joined my colleagues to call for an independent investigation by the Attorney General’s office. The Attorney General delivered a fact based and thorough report which in my opinion are grounds for impeachment. The report concluded that multiple state and federal laws were violated, and that the Governor’s actions and culture in his Executive Chamber are toxic and are the products of a pattern of behavior,” said Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach). “I believe the women who bravely told their truths of sexual harassment and experiences in a hostile work environment – the magnitude of the findings are much larger than I could have imagined. Unfortunately, workplace and sexual harassment is systemic, and we must do better and do more to protect folks no matter where they work, or who they work for – emphasizing nobody is above the law. Governor Cuomo must step down, and if he is not prepared to do so on his own, I urge the Assembly Judiciary Committee to expeditiously complete their impeachment investigation.”
