ALBANY (WCBS 880) — A current aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo came forward on Friday as the latest woman to accuse the governor of sexual harassment.
Alyssa McGrath, 33, told the New York Times that Cuomo referred to her and a female coworker as “mingle mamas,” asked about her divorce, called her “beautiful” in Italian, peaked down her shirt and kissed her on the forehead.
According to the report, McGrath has not accused Cuomo of making sexual contact, though she says she believes his actions amounted to sexual harassment.
The 33-year-old noted that the coworker whom he referred to as “mingle mamas” with her is the same woman who claimed the governor groped her inside his office.
She notes that he kissed her on the forehead during an office Christmas party in 2019.
“He has a way of making you feel very comfortable around him, almost like you’re his friend,” McGrath told the Times. “But then you walk away from the encounter or conversation, in your head going, ‘I can’t believe I just had that interaction with the governor of New York.’”
She told the outlet she only found the governor’s alleged actions troubling after speaking with a lawyer, who informed her that the alleged behavior would be “unacceptable” from “any boss.”
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A lawyer for Cuomo on Friday told the Times that the governor “has greeted men and women with hugs and a kiss on the cheek, forehead or hand.”
The lawyer also insisted that he has been known to use Italian phrases, such as “Ciao, Bella,” but meant no harm.
“None of this is remarkable, although it may be old-fashioned. He has made clear that he has never made inappropriate advances or inappropriately touched anyone,” the lawyer told the Times.
McGrath is the ninth woman to come forward with allegations against Gov. Cuomo after two women told their claims to New York Magazine last week.
The governor is continuing to hold his ground, responding to calls for his resignation by asking for due process.
Cuomo has denied inappropriately touching anyone, but he has said he is sorry if he made anyone uncomfortable and didn’t intend to do so.
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