<p>A female state trooper who says that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo touched her inappropriately when she was a member of his protective detail sued him, his longtime top aide and the New York State Police on Thursday, accusing them of discrimination and retaliation.</p>

<p>The filing of the lawsuit, which coincided with New York Democrats overwhelmingly endorsing Cuomo’s successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as their nominee in this year’s election, was a reminder that he still faces potential legal jeopardy over the events that hastened his resignation in August.</p>

<p>The trooper appears to be the first of 11 women who have accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct to sue him. Her suit came several weeks after the Oswego County district attorney decided, like his counterparts in four other counties, against charging Cuomo criminally over acts that the former governor’s accusers said had occurred in his jurisdiction.</p>

<p>The trooper, identified as Trooper 1, recounts in the suit what she says were repeated instances of unwanted physical contact and numerous suggestive remarks that Cuomo subjected her to after she was transferred onto his security detail, despite lacking the necessary credentials. An investigation by New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, corroborated the trooper’s accusations and those of the other women.</p>

<p>“He arranged for the service requirements to be changed so that Trooper 1 could be close to him,” says the trooper’s suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York’s Eastern District. “He then sexually harassed her.”</p>

<p>In naming Cuomo’s longtime aide, Melissa DeRosa, and the state police as defendants, the trooper argues that the former governor’s offending behaviour could have been stopped but was not.</p>

<p>“The governor did not act alone,” the suit says. “He was enabled by the machinery of the state.”</p>

<p>In a statement, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, characterized the suit as meritless and said that the law firm representing the trooper, Wigdor LLP, “is widely known to use the press to extort settlements on behalf of ‘anonymous claimants.’ ”</p>

<p>Cuomo, Azzopardi said in the statement, “will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop.”</p>

<p>He continued, “We look forward to justice in a court of law.”</p>

<p>Valdi Licul, one of the trooper’s lawyers, responded to Azzopardi by saying that Cuomo was “only making his legal problems worse by lashing out at his victim and her counsel with false and defamatory statements intended to further retaliate against her and defame us.”</p>

<p>Like Azzopardi, Paul Shechtman, a lawyer for DeRosa, was dismissive of the suit.</p>

<p>“We are only aware of this case from Twitter, but according to the trooper’s own testimony, Melissa’s only interaction with her was to say ‘hello and goodbye,’” Shechtman said in the statement. “It is not a viable case anywhere in America and is beyond frivolous.”</p>

<p>The suit does not make specific allegations against the state police but accuses the agency, along with Cuomo and DeRosa, of discrimination and retaliation. A Wigdor firm spokesperson said the agency was named as a defendant because it is the trooper’s employer.</p>

<p>A state police spokesperson declined to comment, citing a policy against doing so in active litigation.</p>

<p>The trooper repeats in her suit what she told the attorney general’s investigators: that the governor began to flirt with her shortly after they first met, that he spoke with senior members of his security staff about having her join the protective detail and that she was soon given the coveted assignment.</p>

<p>Among other things, the suit says that at an event at Belmont Park, in Elmont, New York, in September 2019, Cuomo ran the palm of his hand over her navel and slid it across her waist to her right hip, where her gun was holstered. The act, the suit says, made her feel “violated.”</p>

<p>A senior state police investigator “fully corroborated” the female trooper’s account of the episode, according to the report that came out of the attorney general’s inquiry.</p>

<p>Cuomo has consistently attacked the investigation overseen by James as a politically motivated exercise by a fellow Democrat who had her own designs on the governor’s job. James announced a run for governor in October but abandoned it a few weeks later. On Thursday, New York Democrats endorsed her bid for reelection this year.</p>

<p>Cuomo has denied ever acting inappropriately with the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, saying they misconstrued behaviour on his part that might have been out of step with the times but was not meant to be sexual.</p>

<p>In dismissing the substance of the trooper’s claims, Azzopardi noted in his statement the district attorneys’ decisions not to file criminal charges against Cuomo. He did not mention that none of the five had discounted the women’s accusations and that several had used words like “deeply troubling” and “credible” to characterize the allegations.</p>


A female state trooper who says that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo touched her inappropriately when she was a member of his protective detail sued him, his longtime top aide and the New York State Police on Thursday, accusing them of discrimination and retaliation.

A female state trooper who says that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo touched her inappropriately when she was a member of his protective detail sued him, his longtime top aide and the New York State Police on Thursday, accusing them of discrimination and retaliation. The filing of the lawsuit, which coincided with New York Democrats overwhelmingly endorsing Cuomo’s successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as their nominee in this year’s election, was a reminder that he still faces potential legal jeopardy over the events that hastened his resignation in August. The trooper appears to be the first of 11 women who have accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct to sue him. Her suit came several weeks after the Oswego County district attorney decided, like his counterparts in four other counties, against charging Cuomo criminally over acts that the former governor’s accusers said had occurred in his jurisdiction. The trooper, identified as Trooper 1, recounts in the suit what she says were repeated instances of unwanted physical contact and numerous suggestive remarks that Cuomo subjected her to after she was transferred onto his security detail, despite lacking the necessary credentials. An investigation by New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, corroborated the trooper’s accusations and those of the other women. “He arranged for the service requirements to be changed so that Trooper 1 could be close to him,” says the trooper’s suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York’s Eastern District. “He then sexually harassed her.” In naming Cuomo’s longtime aide, Melissa DeRosa, and the state police as defendants, the trooper argues that the former governor’s offending behaviour could have been stopped but was not. “The governor did not act alone,” the suit says. “He was enabled by the machinery of the state.” In a statement, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, characterized the suit as meritless and said that the law firm representing the trooper, Wigdor LLP, “is widely known to use the press to extort settlements on behalf of ‘anonymous claimants.’ ” Cuomo, Azzopardi said in the statement, “will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop.” He continued, “We look forward to justice in a court of law.” Valdi Licul, one of the trooper’s lawyers, responded to Azzopardi by saying that Cuomo was “only making his legal problems worse by lashing out at his victim and her counsel with false and defamatory statements intended to further retaliate against her and defame us.” Like Azzopardi, Paul Shechtman, a lawyer for DeRosa, was dismissive of the suit. “We are only aware of this case from Twitter, but according to the trooper’s own testimony, Melissa’s only interaction with her was to say ‘hello and goodbye,’” Shechtman said in the statement. “It is not a viable case anywhere in America and is beyond frivolous.” The suit does not make specific allegations against the state police but accuses the agency, along with Cuomo and DeRosa, of discrimination and retaliation. A Wigdor firm spokesperson said the agency was named as a defendant because it is the trooper’s employer. A state police spokesperson declined to comment, citing a policy against doing so in active litigation. The trooper repeats in her suit what she told the attorney general’s investigators: that the governor began to flirt with her shortly after they first met, that he spoke with senior members of his security staff about having her join the protective detail and that she was soon given the coveted assignment. Among other things, the suit says that at an event at Belmont Park, in Elmont, New York, in September 2019, Cuomo ran the palm of his hand over her navel and slid it across her waist to her right hip, where her gun was holstered. The act, the suit says, made her feel “violated.” A senior state police investigator “fully corroborated” the female trooper’s account of the episode, according to the report that came out of the attorney general’s inquiry. Cuomo has consistently attacked the investigation overseen by James as a politically motivated exercise by a fellow Democrat who had her own designs on the governor’s job. James announced a run for governor in October but abandoned it a few weeks later. On Thursday, New York Democrats endorsed her bid for reelection this year. Cuomo has denied ever acting inappropriately with the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, saying they misconstrued behaviour on his part that might have been out of step with the times but was not meant to be sexual. In dismissing the substance of the trooper’s claims, Azzopardi noted in his statement the district attorneys’ decisions not to file criminal charges against Cuomo. He did not mention that none of the five had discounted the women’s accusations and that several had used words like “deeply troubling” and “credible” to characterize the allegations.

Cuomo and top aide sued by trooper over sexual harassment accusations

<p>Disgraced former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has been stripped of the Emmy he won for his primetime pandemic briefings. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p>This&nbsp;decision was taken after he had to resign from his post following allegations made against him regarding his involvement in several sexual harassment cases.</p>

<p><o:p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kathy-hochul-becomes-first-female-governor-of-new-york-state-408267">Kathy Hochul becomes first female governor of New York state</a></strong></o:p></p>

<p>"The International Academy announced today that in light of the New York attorney general's report, and Andrew Cuomo's subsequent resignation as governor, it is rescinding his special 2020 International Emmy Award," the organisation told news agency AFP. "His name and any reference to his receiving the award will be eliminated from International Academy materials going forward."<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>Cuomo had won an Emmy for his confident press conferences and other performance at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>While that was a big news in itself, Sex and the City&nbsp;actress&nbsp;Cynthia Nixon has brought the issue back to headlines, but for a different reason.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>Nixon took to Twitter to take a dig at Cuomo and his Emmy loss. "The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s),"&nbsp;she tweeted.</p>

<p><o:p></o:p></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s).</p>
— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) <a href="https://twitter.com/CynthiaNixon/status/1430247064580116491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>She currently has two Emmys to her name for her roles in Sex and the City&nbsp;and&nbsp;Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>The two personalities had hit the battle ground in 2018 when the two competed for the same post, in which Nixon lost by nearly 30 points.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p><o:p>Twitter was divided over supporting Nixon after her tweet. Some people lent her support to her, saying, "You should run in the 2022 NY Governor's primary Cynthia, you have a decent chance of winning, you already have my vote, we need someone in NY with progressive ideas!"</o:p></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s).</p>
— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) <a href="https://twitter.com/CynthiaNixon/status/1430247064580116491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, others found this tweet a little harsh and uncalled for.</p>

<p>"Emmys doesn't mean anything about running a state government. Cuomo harrassment is terrible but a candidate needs some experience running such a important state besides Sex and the city," a user tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I must be the only gay man alive that's NOT impressed with this. 🙄 <a href="https://t.co/WU37qtEORR">https://t.co/WU37qtEORR</a></p>
— AJ -💉😷 (@AJRthe2nd) <a href="https://twitter.com/AJRthe2nd/status/1430278493015793676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Because having Emmy(s) is a huge qualifier for being a Governor. Hasn’t New York had enough of these <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDemocrats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheDemocrats</a> clowns? <a href="https://t.co/RNP1Tipfhd">https://t.co/RNP1Tipfhd</a></p>
— Derek_M. (@Derek__M) <a href="https://twitter.com/Derek__M/status/1430565298764013568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For playing make believe?! Seriously?! That’s not the same as running a state. Cuomo wasn’t capable of running the state. He was only qualified through nepotism. You’re qualified of neither. <a href="https://t.co/7MPl0cQMh1">https://t.co/7MPl0cQMh1</a></p>
— Riggle OUT (@RiggleStark) <a href="https://twitter.com/RiggleStark/status/1430555414337306624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">You sore looser <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CynthiaNixon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CynthiaNixon</a>, you didn't even come close to Albany. Your Emmy(s) didn't help. You are vindictive. Read the comments of your post. Yet trump’s assults+ on women go unpunished. Shame on you <a href="https://twitter.com/CynthiaNixon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CynthiaNixon</a> <a href="https://t.co/UbiiORfni4">https://t.co/UbiiORfni4</a></p>
— Angeliki Ikariada (@AngelikiAPG) <a href="https://twitter.com/AngelikiAPG/status/1430542867555131401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is gross and insinuates more than she realizes. <a href="https://t.co/C0rZOhsqd6">https://t.co/C0rZOhsqd6</a></p>
— Just Liz 🏳️‍🌈🖤💜 (@elizlipp) <a href="https://twitter.com/elizlipp/status/1430537832658087942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Disgraced former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has been stripped of the Emmy he won for his primetime pandemic briefings. This decision was taken after he had to resign from his post following allegations made against him regarding his involvement in several sexual harassment cases.

Disgraced former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has been stripped of the Emmy he won for his primetime pandemic briefings. This decision was taken after he had to resign from his post following allegations made against him regarding his involvement in several sexual harassment cases. Also read | Kathy Hochul becomes first female governor of New York state "The International Academy announced today that in light of the New York attorney general's report, and Andrew Cuomo's subsequent resignation as governor, it is rescinding his special 2020 International Emmy Award," the organisation told news agency AFP. "His name and any reference to his receiving the award will be eliminated from International Academy materials going forward." Cuomo had won an Emmy for his confident press conferences and other performance at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. While that was a big news in itself, Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon has brought the issue back to headlines, but for a different reason. Nixon took to Twitter to take a dig at Cuomo and his Emmy loss. "The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s)," she tweeted. The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s). — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) August 24, 2021 × She currently has two Emmys to her name for her roles in Sex and the City and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The two personalities had hit the battle ground in 2018 when the two competed for the same post, in which Nixon lost by nearly 30 points. Twitter was divided over supporting Nixon after her tweet. Some people lent her support to her, saying, "You should run in the 2022 NY Governor's primary Cynthia, you have a decent chance of winning, you already have my vote, we need someone in NY with progressive ideas!" The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s). — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) August 24, 2021 × However, others found this tweet a little harsh and uncalled for. "Emmys doesn't mean anything about running a state government. Cuomo harrassment is terrible but a candidate needs some experience running such a important state besides Sex and the city," a user tweeted. I must be the only gay man alive that's NOT impressed with this. 🙄 https://t.co/WU37qtEORR — AJ -💉😷 (@AJRthe2nd) August 24, 2021 × Because having Emmy(s) is a huge qualifier for being a Governor. Hasn’t New York had enough of these @TheDemocrats clowns? https://t.co/RNP1Tipfhd — Derek_M. (@Derek__M) August 25, 2021 × For playing make believe?! Seriously?! That’s not the same as running a state. Cuomo wasn’t capable of running the state. He was only qualified through nepotism. You’re qualified of neither. https://t.co/7MPl0cQMh1 — Riggle OUT (@RiggleStark) August 25, 2021 × You sore looser #CynthiaNixon, you didn't even come close to Albany. Your Emmy(s) didn't help. You are vindictive. Read the comments of your post. Yet trump’s assults+ on women go unpunished. Shame on you @CynthiaNixon https://t.co/UbiiORfni4 — Angeliki Ikariada (@AngelikiAPG) August 25, 2021 × This is gross and insinuates more than she realizes. https://t.co/C0rZOhsqd6 — Just Liz 🏳️‍🌈🖤💜 (@elizlipp) August 25, 2021 ×

'I still have my Emmy(s)': Cynthia Nixon trolls Andrew Cuomo; Netizens react

<p>Two summers ago, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stared into a camera, signed a bill and made a promise to the women in the state. “Let’s actually change things,” he said, underscoring each word of resolve with a chop of his hands as he approved sweeping new protections against sexual harassment.</p>

<p>The next day, he resumed his unwelcome pursuit of a female state trooper, according to a report released last week by the state's attorney general. “Why don’t you wear a dress?” he asked her Aug. 13, 2019, the report said. A month later, she told investigators, Cuomo ran an unwanted hand across her belly.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/cuomo-aide-who-says-he-groped-her-files-criminal-complaint-403570" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/cuomo-aide-who-says-he-groped-her-files-criminal-complaint-403570&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjSnNv7t5_yAhXI4zgGHakQBIsQFjABegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VP8oeVLet3tEoP9M_qJPQ" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cuomo-aide-who-says-he-groped-her-files-criminal-complaint-403570" target="_blank">Cuomo&nbsp;aide who says he groped her files criminal complaint</a></strong></p>

<p>The complaints against Cuomo can seem dully familiar in the #MeToo era: another set of stories about awkward come-ons and young women scared of speaking up, this time set in Albany. But just as the world was waking up to the predations of powerful men several years ago — with New York City as the epicenter of the wrongdoing — Cuomo used the state’s highest office to commit fresh offenses, according to the report. All the while, he publicly aligned himself with the #MeToo movement, enhancing his reputation and generating campaign cash.</p>

<p>Of the 11 women that the report described as victims of Cuomo’s harassment, at least eight said they experienced it after early October 2017, when the revelations about sexual misconduct by producer Harvey Weinstein broke. About that time, Cuomo asked a young aide named Lindsey Boylan to play strip poker, she said. In November 2017, as the tide of accusations against other men rose, Cuomo targeted the state trooper, asking for her to be assigned to his detail, the report said. From there, it claimed, he moved on to offenses that included groping. The three-term Democrat has denied that he “touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” and suggested that the attorney general’s investigation was politically motivated.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/cuomo-could-be-impeached-heres-how-it-would-happen-373066" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/cuomo-could-be-impeached-heres-how-it-would-happen-373066&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjSnNv7t5_yAhXI4zgGHakQBIsQFjAAegQICBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw007RULPmdzoRHvzIk-CXRF" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cuomo-could-be-impeached-heres-how-it-would-happen-373066" target="_blank">Here's How Governor&nbsp;Cuomo&nbsp;Could Be Impeached</a></strong></p>

<p>During that period, Cuomo not only made it easier for New Yorkers to bring forth sexual harassment claims, but approved legislation lengthening the statute of limitations for rape. As he boasted of those accomplishments at news conferences and public events, he surrounded himself with powerhouse feminists such as actress-activists Mira Sorvino and Julianne Moore. He allied himself with leaders of Time’s Up, the gender-equality organization started in the wake of the Weinstein allegations, and leaned on them for advice as he later fended off allegations.</p>

<p>He also pointed a finger at other men being held to account. “No one is above the law,” Cuomo said in a statement in May 2018, after several women accused Eric Schneiderman, then the state’s attorney general, of sexual violence. He urged the official to resign.</p>

<p>The governor’s reputation was “Andrew Cuomo, your Number One feminist friend,” said Alexis Grenell, a former aide who has written about her disgust at Cuomo.</p>

<p>So if a high-ranking politician can ignore changing social standards, flout new rules as soon as he passes them and use #MeToo for his own protection as he allegedly violates women, where does that leave the quest for progress?</p>

<p>This past week’s report by the attorney general was meant to be a meticulous investigation into the governor’s actions. But as its full weight sinks in, it is also taking on a second role: as a road map to the limits of what has been achieved since 2017. Workplace sexual misconduct persists. Victims still don’t have effective, safe ways to report. And even major shifts in the law may not be enough.</p>

<p>“It’s not just about toughening the laws,” Anita Hill, who introduced the term sexual harassment to many Americans three decades ago, said in an interview. “You also have to change the mindset of people who may believe that they’re above the law.”</p>

<p>Lining up the allegations in the report against Cuomo’s public record also shows the degree to which #MeToo can be exploited. In March 2018, Slate reported, Cuomo sent out a fundraising email with the subject line “NY Stands with #MeToo.” The message touted “a new campaign to capture the momentum of the #MeToo movement and turn it into action” and concluded with a warning: “If you continue to turn a blind eye to sexual harassment, this November your #TimesUp!”</p>

<p>In the four years since #MeToo swept the globe, corporations have become far more sensitive to sexual misconduct, lawyers and activists say. Women seem increasingly vocal, especially about backing up one another’s accounts. And activists have pushed to strengthen laws across the country. But almost no one thinks the original problem has abated.</p>

<p>“I do not think there has been a diminution of sexual harassment at all,” said Debra Katz, a lawyer who represents Charlotte Bennett, one of Cuomo’s accusers.</p>

<p>The governor’s conduct — signing a law one day, allegedly violating it the next — shows how long it can take for even robust legislation to acquire force.</p>

<p>“Activism that is just about getting laws on the books is just not enough,” Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, said in an interview. Because little changes without a shift in social attitudes, “comprehensive sex education” — and teaching people about consent from a young age — “is more important than passing new laws.”</p>

<p>One of the most striking aspects of the allegations against the governor is how they nearly remained secret. One woman initially “intended to take her experiences of harassment by the governor ‘to the grave,’” the report says. That only began to change when Boylan on Twitter publicly accused the governor of harassment. She later said she spoke up because Cuomo had been mentioned as a candidate for attorney general in the Biden administration — a prospect she found alarming.</p>

<p>Time’s Up has worked extensively with Cuomo to pass legislation. Those accomplishments are significant, but “it feels like we were being used as cover now,” said its CEO, Tina Tchen, who has come under criticism for her involvement with the governor.</p>

<p>Burke said she had never had extensive dealings with Cuomo but felt for other advocates who had. “A lot of people don’t realize how much our work is at the mercy of these men,” she said, adding, “If I have the ear of the lawmaker who can make change, I’m going to align with this person.”</p>

<p>But Time’s Up's leaders did more than work with Cuomo on legislation.</p>

<p>After Boylan raised the first public accusations of harassment, the governor’s office went to work on discrediting her. Tchen, along with Roberta Kaplan, the Time’s Up chair and co-founder of its legal defense fund, reviewed a draft of an op-ed letter aimed at smearing Boylan’s character. (The letter was never published.)</p>

<p>Now Kaplan and Tchen are accused of being swept up in what the attorney general’s report calls “unlawful retaliation” by the governor’s aides against a victim. And in interviews, several sexual assault survivors questioned why the Time's Up leaders were advising the governor on his response at all.</p>

<p>The two women said they cautioned Cuomo’s office not to go on the attack. “I did not sign off on anything,” Tchen said in an email. Both said that they and Time’s Up would “continue to fight for, support and empower women,” as Kaplan put it in a statement.</p>

<p>But the prominent lawyer is still in an awkward position. Melissa DeRosa, a top aide to the governor who investigators said led the charge against Boylan, is represented by Kaplan’s firm, and she testified that Kaplan was her own lawyer in the attorney general inquiry. Asked if she ever counseled DeRosa beyond the op-ed letter, Kaplan said: “Since my firm has represented Ms. DeRosa, I can’t discuss advice given to a client.”</p>

<p>Hill, who for years has pushed the government to conduct sexual harassment inquiries with clear protocols, pointed to one hopeful outcome in the Cuomo saga: The attorney general’s report was a “proper investigation,” she said.</p>

<p>“This is what we’ve been asking for, and we shouldn’t miss that moment.”</p>


Two summers ago, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stared into a camera, signed a bill and made a promise to the women in the state. “Let’s actually change things,” he said, underscoring each word of resolve with a chop of his hands as he approved sweeping new protections against sexual harassment.

Two summers ago, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stared into a camera, signed a bill and made a promise to the women in the state. “Let’s actually change things,” he said, underscoring each word of resolve with a chop of his hands as he approved sweeping new protections against sexual harassment. The next day, he resumed his unwelcome pursuit of a female state trooper, according to a report released last week by the state's attorney general. “Why don’t you wear a dress?” he asked her Aug. 13, 2019, the report said. A month later, she told investigators, Cuomo ran an unwanted hand across her belly. Also read | Cuomo aide who says he groped her files criminal complaint The complaints against Cuomo can seem dully familiar in the #MeToo era: another set of stories about awkward come-ons and young women scared of speaking up, this time set in Albany. But just as the world was waking up to the predations of powerful men several years ago — with New York City as the epicenter of the wrongdoing — Cuomo used the state’s highest office to commit fresh offenses, according to the report. All the while, he publicly aligned himself with the #MeToo movement, enhancing his reputation and generating campaign cash. Of the 11 women that the report described as victims of Cuomo’s harassment, at least eight said they experienced it after early October 2017, when the revelations about sexual misconduct by producer Harvey Weinstein broke. About that time, Cuomo asked a young aide named Lindsey Boylan to play strip poker, she said. In November 2017, as the tide of accusations against other men rose, Cuomo targeted the state trooper, asking for her to be assigned to his detail, the report said. From there, it claimed, he moved on to offenses that included groping. The three-term Democrat has denied that he “touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” and suggested that the attorney general’s investigation was politically motivated. Also read | Here's How Governor Cuomo Could Be Impeached During that period, Cuomo not only made it easier for New Yorkers to bring forth sexual harassment claims, but approved legislation lengthening the statute of limitations for rape. As he boasted of those accomplishments at news conferences and public events, he surrounded himself with powerhouse feminists such as actress-activists Mira Sorvino and Julianne Moore. He allied himself with leaders of Time’s Up, the gender-equality organization started in the wake of the Weinstein allegations, and leaned on them for advice as he later fended off allegations. He also pointed a finger at other men being held to account. “No one is above the law,” Cuomo said in a statement in May 2018, after several women accused Eric Schneiderman, then the state’s attorney general, of sexual violence. He urged the official to resign. The governor’s reputation was “Andrew Cuomo, your Number One feminist friend,” said Alexis Grenell, a former aide who has written about her disgust at Cuomo. So if a high-ranking politician can ignore changing social standards, flout new rules as soon as he passes them and use #MeToo for his own protection as he allegedly violates women, where does that leave the quest for progress? This past week’s report by the attorney general was meant to be a meticulous investigation into the governor’s actions. But as its full weight sinks in, it is also taking on a second role: as a road map to the limits of what has been achieved since 2017. Workplace sexual misconduct persists. Victims still don’t have effective, safe ways to report. And even major shifts in the law may not be enough. “It’s not just about toughening the laws,” Anita Hill, who introduced the term sexual harassment to many Americans three decades ago, said in an interview. “You also have to change the mindset of people who may believe that they’re above the law.” Lining up the allegations in the report against Cuomo’s public record also shows the degree to which #MeToo can be exploited. In March 2018, Slate reported, Cuomo sent out a fundraising email with the subject line “NY Stands with #MeToo.” The message touted “a new campaign to capture the momentum of the #MeToo movement and turn it into action” and concluded with a warning: “If you continue to turn a blind eye to sexual harassment, this November your #TimesUp!” In the four years since #MeToo swept the globe, corporations have become far more sensitive to sexual misconduct, lawyers and activists say. Women seem increasingly vocal, especially about backing up one another’s accounts. And activists have pushed to strengthen laws across the country. But almost no one thinks the original problem has abated. “I do not think there has been a diminution of sexual harassment at all,” said Debra Katz, a lawyer who represents Charlotte Bennett, one of Cuomo’s accusers. The governor’s conduct — signing a law one day, allegedly violating it the next — shows how long it can take for even robust legislation to acquire force. “Activism that is just about getting laws on the books is just not enough,” Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, said in an interview. Because little changes without a shift in social attitudes, “comprehensive sex education” — and teaching people about consent from a young age — “is more important than passing new laws.” One of the most striking aspects of the allegations against the governor is how they nearly remained secret. One woman initially “intended to take her experiences of harassment by the governor ‘to the grave,’” the report says. That only began to change when Boylan on Twitter publicly accused the governor of harassment. She later said she spoke up because Cuomo had been mentioned as a candidate for attorney general in the Biden administration — a prospect she found alarming. Time’s Up has worked extensively with Cuomo to pass legislation. Those accomplishments are significant, but “it feels like we were being used as cover now,” said its CEO, Tina Tchen, who has come under criticism for her involvement with the governor. Burke said she had never had extensive dealings with Cuomo but felt for other advocates who had. “A lot of people don’t realize how much our work is at the mercy of these men,” she said, adding, “If I have the ear of the lawmaker who can make change, I’m going to align with this person.” But Time’s Up's leaders did more than work with Cuomo on legislation. After Boylan raised the first public accusations of harassment, the governor’s office went to work on discrediting her. Tchen, along with Roberta Kaplan, the Time’s Up chair and co-founder of its legal defense fund, reviewed a draft of an op-ed letter aimed at smearing Boylan’s character. (The letter was never published.) Now Kaplan and Tchen are accused of being swept up in what the attorney general’s report calls “unlawful retaliation” by the governor’s aides against a victim. And in interviews, several sexual assault survivors questioned why the Time's Up leaders were advising the governor on his response at all. The two women said they cautioned Cuomo’s office not to go on the attack. “I did not sign off on anything,” Tchen said in an email. Both said that they and Time’s Up would “continue to fight for, support and empower women,” as Kaplan put it in a statement. But the prominent lawyer is still in an awkward position. Melissa DeRosa, a top aide to the governor who investigators said led the charge against Boylan, is represented by Kaplan’s firm, and she testified that Kaplan was her own lawyer in the attorney general inquiry. Asked if she ever counseled DeRosa beyond the op-ed letter, Kaplan said: “Since my firm has represented Ms. DeRosa, I can’t discuss advice given to a client.” Hill, who for years has pushed the government to conduct sexual harassment inquiries with clear protocols, pointed to one hopeful outcome in the Cuomo saga: The attorney general’s report was a “proper investigation,” she said. “This is what we’ve been asking for, and we shouldn’t miss that moment.”

How Cuomo took advantage of #MeToo

<p>Another woman has come forward accusing the New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of making her uncomfortable through his inappropriate behaviour.</p>

<p>Recounting several unwanted advances at the workplace, a former aide of Cuomo has alleged him of making her feel uncomfortable in the starting years of her time at their offices in Albany.</p>

<p>Ana Liss, Cuomo's policy and operations aide, has accused him of awkwardly asking her if she had a boyfriend, calling her 'sweetheart' without permission and inappropriately touching her on her lower back at a reception.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-york-andrew-cuomo-apologizes-but-refuses-to-resign-367922"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></p>

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<p>She has also alleged that once kissed her hand when she got up from her desk. Liss claims that while she tried to dismiss these actions as harmless flirtation in the start, she later started viewing them as patronising and diminishing over time.</p>

<p>All of this happened in the starting years of her time at Cuomo's offices in the state capital Albany where she worked from 2013 to 2015. His actions were "not appropriate, really, in any setting," she said.</p>

<p>"Reporters and photographers have covered the governor for 14 years watching him kiss men and women and posing for pictures," Cuomo's senior adviser Rich Azzopardi said in response to the allegation which was first reported in the Wall Street Journal.</p>

<p>"At the public open-house mansion reception, there are hundreds of people, and he poses for hundreds of pictures," he said, adding, "That's what people in politics do."</p>

<p>This has come after Cuomo issued a public apology but refused to resign from his post over the allegations. He had also called for an outside review following a report of sexual misconduct allegations after two other former aides had accused him of the same.</p>


Another woman has come forward accusing the New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of making her uncomfortable through his inappropriate behaviour. Recounting several unwanted advances at the workplace, a former aide of Cuomo has alleged him of making her feel uncomfortable in the starting years of her time at their offices in Albany.

Another woman has come forward accusing the New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of making her uncomfortable through his inappropriate behaviour. Recounting several unwanted advances at the workplace, a former aide of Cuomo has alleged him of making her feel uncomfortable in the starting years of her time at their offices in Albany. Ana Liss, Cuomo's policy and operations aide, has accused him of awkwardly asking her if she had a boyfriend, calling her 'sweetheart' without permission and inappropriately touching her on her lower back at a reception. WATCH | She has also alleged that once kissed her hand when she got up from her desk. Liss claims that while she tried to dismiss these actions as harmless flirtation in the start, she later started viewing them as patronising and diminishing over time. All of this happened in the starting years of her time at Cuomo's offices in the state capital Albany where she worked from 2013 to 2015. His actions were "not appropriate, really, in any setting," she said. "Reporters and photographers have covered the governor for 14 years watching him kiss men and women and posing for pictures," Cuomo's senior adviser Rich Azzopardi said in response to the allegation which was first reported in the Wall Street Journal. "At the public open-house mansion reception, there are hundreds of people, and he poses for hundreds of pictures," he said, adding, "That's what people in politics do." This has come after Cuomo issued a public apology but refused to resign from his post over the allegations. He had also called for an outside review following a report of sexual misconduct allegations after two other former aides had accused him of the same.

Another ex-aide accuses Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct

<p>New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called on Saturday for an outside review following a report of sexual misconduct allegations against him by a second former aide, compounding problems for one of America's most well-known Democratic politicians.</p>

<p>This time the allegations came from 25-year-old former health adviser Charlotte Bennett, who said that Cuomo&nbsp;sexually harassed her in the spring of 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Bennett, the 63-year-old politician said in June that he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-aide-of-new-york-governor-cuomo-accuses-him-of-sexual-harassment-349811">Former aide of New York Governor Cuomo accuses him of sexual harassment</a></strong></p>

<p>While&nbsp;Cuomo&nbsp;never tried to touch her, "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared," Bennett told the paper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added that she spoke to&nbsp;Cuomo's chief of staff and legal counsel, who transferred her to another post in another building. Bennett was happy with the new job and decided not to insist on an investigation.</p>

<p>"I was trying to be a mentor to her. I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate," Cuomo said in a statement on Saturday.</p>

<p>He called for "a full and thorough outside review" led by a former federal judge and said he would have no further comment until it was completed.</p>

<p>Cuomo&nbsp;became a national star last spring with his straight-talking yet empathetic coronavirus briefings that contrasted sharply with then-president Donald Trump's dismissive approach to the pandemic.</p>

<p>But the harassment allegations come as he faces a growing storm over his handling of the coronavirus in nursing homes in his state.</p>

<p>In a statement Saturday,&nbsp;Cuomo&nbsp;said he "never made advances toward Ms Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said he wanted instead to support Bennett, who had told him that she was a sexual assault survivor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The governor, whose third term expires at the end of 2022, called for "a full and thorough outside review" of these charges, led by a former federal judge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I ask all New Yorkers to await the findings of the review so that they know the facts before making any judgments," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is the second time in a week that the Democratic governor, who has led New York state for 10 years, has been accused of sexual harassment.</p>

<p>On Wednesday, another ex-adviser, Lindsey Boylan, said in a blog that Cuomo&nbsp;had harassed her when she was working for his administration, from 2015 to 2018.</p>

<p>Boylan, 36, alleged that the governor had given her an unsolicited kiss on the lips, suggested that she play strip poker with him and went "out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For those wondering what it's like to work for the&nbsp;Cuomo&nbsp;admin, read @LindseyBoylan's story," Bennett wrote in a re-tweet of Boylan's post.</p>

<p>Cuomo's office said in a statement that Boylan's "claims of inappropriate behaviour are quite simply false."</p>

<p>New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday joined a growing chorus of politicians calling for an investigation into the allegations made against&nbsp;Cuomo.</p>


New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called on Saturday for an outside review following a report of sexual misconduct allegations against him by a second former aide, compounding problems for one of America's most well-known Democratic politicians.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called on Saturday for an outside review following a report of sexual misconduct allegations against him by a second former aide, compounding problems for one of America's most well-known Democratic politicians. This time the allegations came from 25-year-old former health adviser Charlotte Bennett, who said that Cuomo sexually harassed her in the spring of 2020. According to Bennett, the 63-year-old politician said in June that he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships. Also read: Former aide of New York Governor Cuomo accuses him of sexual harassment While Cuomo never tried to touch her, "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared," Bennett told the paper. She added that she spoke to Cuomo's chief of staff and legal counsel, who transferred her to another post in another building. Bennett was happy with the new job and decided not to insist on an investigation. "I was trying to be a mentor to her. I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate," Cuomo said in a statement on Saturday. He called for "a full and thorough outside review" led by a former federal judge and said he would have no further comment until it was completed. Cuomo became a national star last spring with his straight-talking yet empathetic coronavirus briefings that contrasted sharply with then-president Donald Trump's dismissive approach to the pandemic. But the harassment allegations come as he faces a growing storm over his handling of the coronavirus in nursing homes in his state. In a statement Saturday, 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 instead to support Bennett, who had told him that she was a sexual assault survivor. The governor, whose third term expires at the end of 2022, called for "a full and thorough outside review" of these charges, led by a former federal judge. "I ask all New Yorkers to await the findings of the review so that they know the facts before making any judgments," he added. This is the second time in a week that the Democratic governor, who has led New York state for 10 years, has been accused of sexual harassment. On Wednesday, another ex-adviser, Lindsey Boylan, said in a blog that Cuomo had harassed her when she was working for his administration, from 2015 to 2018. Boylan, 36, alleged that the governor had given her an unsolicited kiss on the lips, suggested that she play strip poker with him and went "out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs." "For those wondering what it's like to work for the Cuomo admin, read @LindseyBoylan's story," Bennett wrote in a re-tweet of Boylan's post. Cuomo's office said in a statement that Boylan's "claims of inappropriate behaviour are quite simply false." New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday joined a growing chorus of politicians calling for an investigation into the allegations made against Cuomo.

New York Governor calls for outside review after second former aide alleges sexual harassment