Hillary: Andrew Cuomo’s Sexual Harassment Accusers ‘Deserve Answers'
Clinton says stories are 'difficult to read'
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Twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton announced she would support the sexual assault allegations against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
In a statement, Clinton said:
“These stories are difficult to read, and the allegations brought forth raise serious questions that the women who have come forward and all New Yorkers deserve answers to."
“I’m glad to see that there will be a full, independent, and thorough investigation,” she added.
Last week, Cuomo's former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser, Lindsey Boylan, came forward to accuse the governor of inappropriate behavior and gave a detailed account of alleged repeated sexual harassment.
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Boylan alleged Cuomo repeatedly touched her body, attempted to kiss her on the mouth, invited her to play “strip poker."
Boylan said Cuomo’s top female staff members “normalized” his behavior, and when she bravely spoke out she was “reprimanded."
Boylan wrote:
After that, my fears worsened.
I came to work nauseous every day. My relationship with his senior team — mostly women — grew hostile after I started speaking up for myself.
I was reprimanded and told to get in line by his top aides, but I could no longer ignore it.
On September 26, 2018, I sent a mass email informing staff members of my resignation.
A second accuser, 25-year-old Charlotte Bennett, who worked as an executive assistant and health policy adviser for Cuomo before leaving in November, also came forward last week.
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Bennett claimed Cuomo asked her questions about her sex life, whether she ever had sex with older men and if her relationships were monogamous.
Bennett reacted to recent claims made by Cuomo's ex-aide Lindsey Boylan by tweeting:
“For those wondering what it’s like to work for the Cuomo admin, read @LindseyBoylan’s story.”
For those wondering what it’s like to work for the Cuomo admin, read @LindseyBoylan’s story. https://t.co/PfWhTJgHuU
— Charlotte Bennett (@_char_bennett_) February 24, 2021
But Cuomo downplayed the sexual harassment allegations against him as just "playful banter" that was "misinterpreted" by his two accusers.
The governor finally addressed the sexual harassment complaints against him by two female former staffers.
"Some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation," Cuomo claimed as he denied the allegations and attempted to defend himself.
"I do, on occasion, tease people in, what I think, is a good-natured way," Cuomo added.
"I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married," he continued.
"I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business."
