NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo faces his most serious allegation yet after a female aide reportedly accused him of aggressively groping her in the governor’s Executive Mansion in Albany.
The allegation from Cuomo’s sixth accuser came in a report Wednesday by the Times Union of Albany. The woman, who was not named, said she was called to the governor’s residence late last year to help with a technical issue with a cell phone.
When she and Cuomo were alone on the second floor, the governor allegedly closed the door, reached under her blouse and fondled her, a source with direct knowledge of the claims told the Times Union. During the encounter, the aide told the governor to stop, according to the report.
Earlier this week, the Times Union reported other allegations from the woman, including that Cuomo had touched her and made flirtatious comments on multiple occasions.
While five women had already accused the governor of sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior in recent weeks, the latest allegation would be the most serious against Cuomo yet and reportedly could be pursued as misdemeanor sexual assault. According to Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, no criminal complaint had been filed by the aide to police.
The allegation first came to light during Cuomo’s March 3 news conference, his first after the latest sexual harassment allegations against him. In the briefing, the governor denied ever touching a woman “inappropriately.”
After hearing Cuomo’s remarks, the aide became emotional and told a female supervisor who approached her about her encounters with the governor. At least one supervisor reported the allegation to an attorney in the governor's office Monday, according to the Times Union.
Five women had already accused the governor of sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior— Charlotte Bennett, Lindsey Boylan, Ana Liss, Karen Hinton and Anna Ruch.
State Attorney General Letitia James has put together an investigative team to probe Cuomo’s workplace conduct. The governor has called on lawmakers and the public to await the results of that investigation.
“As I said yesterday, I have never done anything like this,” Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday responding to the latest allegation. “The details of this report are gut-wrenching. I am not going to speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given the ongoing review, but I am confident in the result of the attorney general’s report.”
While some state legislators from both parties have called for Cuomo’s resignation or impeachment, most have indicated they will wait for the probe’s conclusion. State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has called for the governor to step down and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has questioned the governor’s ability to lead the state. Both Stewart-Cousins and Heastie are Democrats like Cuomo.
Assembly member Ron Kim, a Democrat who has accused Cuomo of bullying him, was among the lawmakers calling on the governor to be impeached if he doesn’t resign.
“I do not expect Andrew Cuomo to have the self dignity to resign,” Kim tweeted Wednesday. “Impeach.”
State Senate Republican leader Rob Ortt also called for Cuomo to be impeached.
“The era of this Governor’s misdeeds must come to an end,” Ortt said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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