New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has now been accused of inappropriate behaviour by five women, as two more former Cuomo administration aides make their accusations public.
Ana Liss who worked for the Cuomo administration from 2013-2015 as a policy and operations aide has alleged the Governor “asked her if she had a boyfriend, called her sweetheart, touched her on her lower back at a reception and once kissed her hand when she rose from her desk,” reported The Wall Street Journal.
Also Read: ‘Never touched anyone inappropriately’: says Andrew Cuomo, intends to remain in office
Additionally, Liss has also alleged that in May 2014, Cuomo “hugged her, kissed her on both cheeks and then wrapped his arm around her lower back and grabbed her waist” while they were working in a reception at Executive Mansion.
While she did not make a formal complaint about the Governor’s behaviour, Liss had to seek professional help for her mental health because of this experience. She later asked for a transfer to another office, reported Politico.
Responding to the allegations, Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo’s spokesperson said, “reporters and photographers have covered the governor for 14 years watching him kiss men and women and posing for pictures.”
Talking about the open house reception, he said, “At the public open house mansion reception there are hundreds of people and he poses for hundreds of pictures. That’s what people in politics do.”
Another accusation dated back to 2000 has been made by a former aide, Karen Hinton who worked as a press aide for Cuomo in the 1990s when he was the U.S. housing secretary.
Also Read: Governor Cuomo requests New York Attorney General to pick lawyer for sexual harassment case review
Cuomo allegedly embraced Hinton in a way that was “very long, too long, too tight, too intimate.” He invited Hinton to his hotel room in 2000, she told The Post. The allegation was denied by Cuomo’s office.
Governor Andrew addressed the first press conference since the first allegations against him surfaced on Wednesday.
Also Read: Chris Cuomo says he ‘can’t cover’ sexual harassment allegations against brother Andrew
He said, “I understand that sensitivities have changed and behaviour has changed, and I get it. And I’m going to learn from it.” Further explaining his behaviour he said, “usual custom is to kiss and to hug and make that gesture.”
Lindsey Boylan, Charlotte Bennett and Anna Ruch are the other former aides who first made the accusations.
Governor Cuomo has been facing growing calls to resign from his position after the first allegations surfaced.
