NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Following news that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had been charged with forcibly touching a woman in December 2020, Karen Hinton – a former aide and accuser herself – told 1010 WINS that she personally witnessed him acting “inappropriately” towards women on multiple occasions.
Hinton said that in addition to seeing and hearing about improper behavior from Cuomo, she was also a victim.
She told 1010 WINS that she was summoned to his hotel room in 2000, where she said he forcibly hugged her. Hinton noted that while she was shocked when it happened, she never filed charges because she felt no one would hear her story.
“I just went back to my room and thought to myself, ‘What do I do? What do I say? What do I think?’ And I called a girlfriend and we talked about it, but back then you just didn't file a charge,” she explained. “My only solution was to just shut up – not say anything.”
Hinton is just one of several women who have accused the former governor of sexual misconduct, and said she thinks the governor is “incredible” for denying the allegations and claiming Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation was politically motivated.
“Andrew Cuomo, when I worked for him, he told me stories about times where he said inappropriate things to women, and I've heard what he said. I witnessed it myself when he talked inappropriately to women,” Hinton said.
She added: “And I don't think he learned lessons from his own father because there were incidents that Andrew described to me when his father overheard him, and his father just said to him, ‘Don't ever talk about a woman that way, whether you're in front of me or not.’ And I remember that story clearly. He was the most powerful man in New York when he was governor – he knew better than to touch a female employee in the workplace inappropriately. He knew the law, he signed the law, he supported the law [and he still] talked about [his behavior] publicly.”
While the charge against Cuomo can carry a sentence of up to one year in prison, many legal experts have expressed that they don’t think the former governor will face any jail time.
However, Hinton said that this charge will stain his reputation.
“It doesn't matter what happens in that courtroom. It's a sex crime and he knew better,” she said. “And this is a very serious charge and we as a society, need to take these charges and be very serious about them and not try to blame the victim, not try to dismiss it, minimize it or mischaracterize it… I think these charges, for this woman in particular, but all of them are very serious and I think most New Yorkers will not support him.”
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