Second woman accuses NY Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment
Andrew Cuomo, the Governor of the US state of New York, has been accused of sexual harassment by a second woman. Cuomo (63) allegedly sexually harassed 25-year-old former health adviser Charlotte Bennett. The Governor, whose third term expires at the end of 2022, has denied the allegations and has called for "a full and thorough outside review." Here are more details.
Felt horribly uncomfortable and scared: Benett
Speaking to The New York Times, Bennett revealed that she had been sexually harassed by Cuomo in the spring of 2020. He allegedly told her that he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships, she said. Bennett said Cuomo never touched her, but she felt "horribly uncomfortable and scared."
Bennett was later transferred to another post
Bennett told the NYT that she spoke to Cuomo's chief of staff and legal counsel, who then transferred her to another post in another building. Satisfied with the new job, Bennett decided not to insist on an investigation into the alleged behavior.
Cuomo denies allegations
Cuomo said he "never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate." He said he wanted to support her as she had told him she was a sexual assault survivor. "I ask all New Yorkers to await the findings of the review so that they know the facts before making any judgments," he said.
NYC Mayor calls for probe
Before Cuomo made the call for an investigation on Saturday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had on Thursday pushed for a probe into the allegations against Cuomo. There have been growing calls for a probe considering this is the second allegation against him.
Last year, another ex-aide had accused Cuomo of sexual harassment
Another former aide, Lindsey Boylan (36), had last year raised allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo, which she further detailed in a blog on Wednesday. Cuomo allegedly gave her an unsolicited kiss on the lips, suggested strip poker, and had gone "out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs." Cuomo's office has denied the allegations as "simply false."
