Governor Andrew Cuomo (Darren McGee- Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)
March 3, 2021 By Allie Griffin
In his first public appearance since multiple women accused him of sexual harassment, Governor Andrew Cuomo apologized for his behavior, but refused to resign from office as several Queens legislators have called for.
Cuomo issued the apology on Wednesday after two former staffers accused the governor of sexual harassment and a third woman accused him of unwanted touching at a 2019 wedding reception.
“I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this… I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable,” he said during a live press briefing. “It was unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize for it.”
Cuomo said he felt “awful” and “embarrassed” about the allegations as he choked up at times during his address.
“I never touched anyone inappropriately,” he said. “I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable.”
Several Democratic lawmakers in New York — including multiple in Queens — have demanded that Cuomo resign in light of the sexual harassment allegations. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer have all said that he should resign.
Cuomo rebuffed their demands at the press briefing and said that they were politicians “playing politics.”
“I was elected by the people of the state of New York, I’m not going to resign,” he said. “I work for the people of the state of New York.”
The State Attorney General Letitia James is investigating the allegations.
Cuomo said that he will fully cooperate with her investigation. He also asked New Yorkers to wait for the results of the investigation before forming an opinion.
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34 Comments
I was with Cuomo until i saw the accusers interview last night on cbs. IMO, the victim portrayed him as a sick individual. One of the appalling things that i heard her say was that he kept bringing up the fact that she was raped and if it effects her intimacy. I should of listened to my children. They were never supporters of him from the begining. It all so troublesome and bad.
As a 63 year old, I have worked with many men and learned how to deal with them. There’s a big difference between flirting at work and what this guy did. It angers me that as Gov during the MeToo Movement he claims he did not know it was harassing.
Aww but he didn’t “know” until “now” that it was harassment. And he didn’t mean it! He didn’t know!! He would “neeever” try to make anyone “uncomfortable”??? Wow. What a con. His manipulation is so transparent. He must think we’re too stupid to see it.
When you make lude, suggestive and physical unwanted passes at a woman that is a subordinate of yours, you should not be in a position of power.
That is what he did to at least 3 women, even a photo of the one he made passes at, then grabbed her head and kissed her. Frat boy mentality!!
I would never apologize for people feelings, especially when they’ve never told me to stop. People need to speak up and tell people where they feel uncomfortable and stop assuming it is clear. I had an associate who loved to give hugs. His hugs made everyone uncomfortable, but no one told him to stop. I told him to stop because it wasn’t welcomed by me. He never did it again to me, but did continue with others. I’m sure someone will bring allegations against him, but is it fair, if they accept it and not honest about being uncomfortable.
If Ms. Bennett was so “horrified” by the conversation, why didn’t she report it to her HR Dept. last June, as any employee should do. Why did she instead go to the chief of staff, cut a deal for a different job, tell the general counsel she wanted to move on, and then only now choose to come forward and dump her story?
Still admire Cuomo for the good he has done. Waiting to see outcome??
@ Lina, 15,000 dead is a good job. Are you kidding me.
Check yourself – 15K is way better than Trumps 500K and counting dead.
This is the end for corpocrat Cuomo. Time for progressive leadership!!
One word this has written all over it “guilty” myself as a fellow independent new yorker want this man gone ive personally witnessed new york crumble under his reign from every aspect the time is now get this fool out immediately
We the people of NY had a choice: Same ol’ Cuomo or Cynthia Nixon. Any regrets? She presented herself as intelligent, articulate, and focused on the needs of the people, and has never been accused of corruption or sexual harassment.
Cynthia Nixon intelligent? You’re kidding right?
His smug apology reeks of arrogance and pride and privilege!!
Seemed pretty contrite and heartfelt to me. Maybe you just don’t want to accept any apology he might make.
What’s up with the privilege references?
@Gardens Watcher, Cuomo is apologizing now because he’s in the hot seat. Admitting you did something wrong is a sign of strength, he is weak on all levels.He should man up and leave.
Got his Emmy… now it looks like he’s practicing for the Oscar.
Yikes, an Emmy nod AND sexual abuse allegations? Stop copying the orange man!
It took him 63 year’s to learn something the rest of us learned in our teens. ALL LIES. GET HIM OUT OF THERE, NOW!!! I would divorce my husband if I learned he talked that to woman at work and at parties.
Is he going to apologize to the families of the elderly who were kept and sent back to nursing homes with Covid and died for making them feel “uncomfortable”…
I have daughters the age of his victims! I am disgusted. No man should talk like that to young woman especially an older man. What if his daughter came home and said her boss or professor asked her if she wanted to play strip poker or if she ever slept with an older man or tried to kiss her. He would most likely go out of his way to get them fired! I lost all respect for him.
He said he greets people by kissing them?!? You can spread covid that way!
No Andy, you weren’t embarrassed by your actions, you were embarrassed that you got caught!!!
Love how this has become the main issue, as opposed to him hiding the amount of deaths in nursing homes.
Let’s see how he likes it when he gets replaced by a paper bag.
How could he not know he was being offensive. Would he accept a “sorry” statement from someone a man who may of talked to his younger loved one this way. It will be forgotten though as will the nursing home deaths. Do we honestly want the bridge named after his family? They should rename it Obama or something.
If they aren’t told : hey, that’s offensive.
And nowadays we have this 30yearslatermetoocrap and “if you don’t know I’m not going to tell you” crap. Both are accepted and shouldn’t be.
Cuomo will be slapped on the wrist for this, and the nursing home deaths will be forgotten. It’s tough/impossible to prove any of that, especially as a prominent democrat. Nobody will remember this after a few media cycles.
Apparently, next in-line for NY governor is a republican, and that will NEVER happen. Cuomo will retain national guard at airports, and treat NYC as his personal painting and memoir.
This is all for show.
Not a fan of Andy, but he shouldn’t resign. Fight the cancel culture that your leftist buddies have plagued the country with.
It takes a man to resign
Not Andrew
Governor Cuomo doesn’t always practice what he preaches that asked New Yorker’s not to pass judgement until State Attorney General Letitia James completes her investigation concerning charges against him of sexual harassment. Cuomo was not so charitable over past decades with other elected officials facing the same charges. As for sexual harassment training, employees receive a certificate upon completion. May we see a copy of his certificate? It would include who provided the training and the date he completed the session. Cuomo needs a refresher course from South Park’s Sexual Harassment Panda.
The independent investigation will be looking at all documentation, including any certificate, as it should. He has said he will fully cooperate and has asked everyone in his administration to do so.
Senator Ramos has jumped out with her snarky comment “it’s a good day to resign” but Senator Gianaris has so far refused to jump to conclusions. No surprise the Mayor and JVB have already passed judgement.
On the one hand, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on the touchy behavior in public in front of crowds, if that’s what he does to everyone.
But on the other, that would make a lot of people uncomfortable and there’s a line you don’t cross. Like, I kiss my wife (sometimes) when I see her, but I don’t kiss the neighbor’s wife even though we’re friends.
APOLOGIZE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR PARENTS IN THE NURSING HOMES! The man is very cold and has no shame.