Calls for New York Gov. Cuomo's resignation mount as 3rd accuser emerges
Video above: White House says it supports probe into Gov. Cuomo allegations
Calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's resignation intensified late Monday after a third woman accused him of offensive behavior, saying he'd touched her face and back and asked to kiss her moments after they met at a wedding reception.
Anna Ruch The New York Times late Monday that she removed the Democratic governor's hand from her back, but he said she seemed 바카라 게임 웹사이트aggressive,바카라 게임 웹사이트 promptly put his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her.
바카라 게임 웹사이트I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Ruch, now 33, told the Times, which published a photo of the encounter showing the governor's hands on her face. 바카라 게임 웹사이트I turned my head away and didn바카라 게임 웹사이트t have words in that moment.바카라 게임 웹사이트
An email seeking comment was sent to Ruch's photography business. Her social media accounts were private. An email was also sent to Cuomo's administration for comment.
The account from Ruch, who worked as a photographer at the White House during President Barack Obama's second term, made her the second woman to accuse Cuomo of touching her without permission and fueled broader calls for Cuomo to step down, including from some in his own party.
바카라 게임 웹사이트The pattern of sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Governor Cuomo is unacceptable, and I believe the women coming forward,바카라 게임 웹사이트 New York City Councilman Antonio Reynoso tweeted in comments echoed elsewhere. 바카라 게임 웹사이트Governor Cuomo must resign.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The latest accusation follows sexual harassment allegations against the governor from two women who had worked for his administration, accounts that led New York바카라 게임 웹사이트s independently elected attorney general to say she was moving ahead with an investigation of his conduct.
Attorney General Letitia James received a letter Monday from Cuomo바카라 게임 웹사이트s office authorizing her to take charge of the probe after a weekend of wrangling over who should investigate.
The letter enables James, also a Democrat, to deputize an outside law firm to conduct an inquiry with full subpoena power. The findings will be disclosed in a public report, the letter said.
Cuomo has maintained he had never inappropriately touched or propositioned anyone.
The former aide, Charlotte Bennett, rejected Cuomo's attempted apology in which he excused his behavior as 바카라 게임 웹사이트playful," saying Monday that the governor has 바카라 게임 웹사이트refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Bennett, who alleges Cuomo quizzed her about her sex life and asked whether she would be open to a relationship with an older man, tweeted that 바카라 게임 웹사이트abusers 바카라 게임 웹사이트 particularly those with tremendous amounts of power 바카라 게임 웹사이트 are often repeat offenders who engage in manipulative tactics to diminish allegations, blame victims, deny wrongdoing and escape consequences.바카라 게임 웹사이트
After news of Ruch's account broke, Bennett to her: 바카라 게임 웹사이트His inappropriate and aggressive behavior cannot be justified or normalized. Thank you for your courage and strength.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Cuomo바카라 게임 웹사이트s support has plummeted amid dual crises. The harassment allegations come on the heels of accusations he covered up the true death toll of coronavirus on nursing home residents.
It바카라 게임 웹사이트s quite a tumble for Cuomo, who had been widely celebrated for his leadership during the pandemic, particularly the daily news conferences where he sought to inform and reassure the public with charts, graphs and a machismo he dubbed 바카라 게임 웹사이트New York tough.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Mayor Bill de Blasio and other elected officials have said that while Cuomo is under investigation, he should cede emergency powers he바카라 게임 웹사이트s held since the pandemic began, nearly a year ago. The Legislature hasn바카라 게임 웹사이트t taken any steps to revoke Cuomo바카라 게임 웹사이트s emergency powers 바카라 게임 웹사이트 set to expire April 30 바카라 게임 웹사이트 despite a push from Republicans and some Democrats.
On Monday, Cuomo retained Manhattan litigator Elkan Abramowitz to represent him and his office in probes related to nursing homes.
Abramowitz, who previously represented Cuomo바카라 게임 웹사이트s office in a federal investigation into his 2014 decision to shut down a state anti-corruption commission, said he is not representing Cuomo in the sexual harassment matter.
Bennett, 25, came forward with her allegations in a story published Saturday in the Times. She said Cuomo told her he was lonely and looking for a girlfriend.
Cuomo did not respond to Bennett's statement Monday.
Former aide Lindsey Boylan said Cuomo made inappropriate comments about her appearance, kissed her without her consent at the end of a meeting and once suggested they play strip poker while aboard his state-owned jet. Boylan, who is running for Manhattan borough president, first accused Cuomo in a tweet last December and elaborated on the allegations in a Medium post last week.
She Monday about Ruch's experience with the governor, saying, 바카라 게임 웹사이트This doesn바카라 게임 웹사이트t make me feel validated. It makes me feel sick.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Cuomo has denied Boylan's allegations. In a statement Sunday, he acknowledged that he had teased people about their personal lives in an attempt to be 바카라 게임 웹사이트playful" and funny. He said he had wanted to act like a mentor to Bennett.
바카라 게임 웹사이트I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended. I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he said.
Cuomo's statement drew immediate backlash from critics who said he was throwing responsibility onto the women by saying they perceived his statements wrongly.
The letter authorizing James바카라 게임 웹사이트 investigation said that all state employees have been directed to cooperate fully with the review. Cuomo senior adviser Beth Garvey said she would facilitate interviews with witnesses and requests for documents from Cuomo바카라 게임 웹사이트s office.
Ross Garber, a lawyer who has represented former governors Mark Sanford of South Carolina and John Rowland of Connecticut, said Cuomo is 바카라 게임 웹사이트essentially handing his reputation to an outsider and saying, 바카라 게임 웹사이트Have at it. Go find whatever you want and publish a report to the public about whatever it is you바카라 게임 웹사이트ve concluded that I바카라 게임 웹사이트ve done or not done.'바카라 게임 웹사이트
Bennett바카라 게임 웹사이트s lawyer, Debra Katz, said her client will cooperate fully with the attorney general바카라 게임 웹사이트s investigation.
바카라 게임 웹사이트He was not acting as a mentor and his remarks were not misunderstood by Ms. Bennett," Katz said. "He was abusing his power over her for sex. This is textbook sexual harassment.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Initially, Cuomo appeared to want to retain a level of control over the investigation. His office said it was asking a former federal judge, Barbara Jones, to conduct the probe. Then, his office suggested that the attorney general and the state바카라 게임 웹사이트s top judge work together to appoint outside counsel.
Finally, on Sunday, Cuomo acquiesced to James바카라 게임 웹사이트 demands that she take control.
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Villeneuve reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press reporter Karen Matthews in New York contributed to this report.