NEW YORK (WBEN) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo's team tried to convince former staffers to sign an open letter that claimed one of the women accusing him of sexual harassment was "politically motivated," according to a report.
The letter, which was never released to the public, claimed the accusations former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan lodged against the governor last month were "premeditated," the New York Times reported Tuesday night.
"Weaponizing a claim of sexual harassment for personal political gain or to achieve notoriety cannot be tolerated," the letter read, according to the outlet. "False claims demean the veracity of credible claims."
Three sources told the Times Cuomo's team hoped his former female aides would sign the letter in a show of support for him.
One source said Cuomo was "involved" in the letter's creation, but it wasn't clear how many people his team asked to sign it.
Cuomo's senior adviser, Rich Azzopardi, told the outlet the governor's administration would not comment on the letter, due to an ongoing independent investigation into the misconduct allegations the governor is facing.
Boylan, who is running for Manhattan borough president, published an essay on Medium at the end of February in which she claimed Cuomo kissed her without her consent at his New York City office and suggested the two play strip poker on a flight in October 2017.
After Boylan published the essay, a spokesperson for Cuomo called her allegations "quite simply false."
Boylan is among several women — including two other former aides — who have accused Cuomo of misconduct or sexual harassment.
Cuomo has apologized for any remarks he made that "made people feel uncomfortable," but has repeatedly maintained that he "never touched anyone inappropriately."
