New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is on the ropes. While it initially seemed like he intended to lie his way out of trouble when two women stepped forward about his decision to use his position to sexually harass them.
Recently, two women stepped forward about Cuomo’s inappropriate actions. After the first revealed, with corroboration, that Cuomo attempted a forced kiss and made a litany of sexual remarks — including an invitation to play strip poker — a second came out to say that she, too, was harassed by the governor of New York. What’s particularly troubling is that these aren’t ancient accusations. All of this happened relatively recently. The situation is so bad that even hypocrite Joe Biden, who spent last election season sending his cronies to attack Tara Reade when she made similar allegations against him, said that Cuomo should absolutely be investigated. Cuomo authorized a shady “investigation” into himself, so it definitely appeared that he intended to lie. But now, it seems that he plans to just admit to it instead.
After Biden and other Democrats threw him under the bus, Cuomo issued a statement in which he appears to accidentally admit — but attempt to explain away — what happened. Cuomo says that he was just “being playful” and “good-natured” as he “teased” staffers. The women who have stepped forward, he says “misinterpreted” his disgusting actions as “unwanted flirtation.” Politico reports:
Cuomo, facing increasing criticism of his fumbled attempts to hand the issue off to an independent investigator, admitted Sunday evening that he likes to “tease people” in the office.
“I 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,” Cuomo said. “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.”
Unfortunately for Cuomo, no one is fooled. “This is an absolutely disgusting, gaslighting response,” Erica Vladimer, a member of a Sexual Harassment Working Group in New York, said via Twitter. “No ownership of his actions, blaming his victims for ‘misinterpreting’ his ‘playfulness.’”
“I do it in public and in private,” Cuomo says. “You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business.” However, he acknowledges that he has sometimes been “insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended.”
“To be clear, I never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to,” Cuomo adds. “That’s why I have asked for an outside, independent review that looks at these allegations.”
There is one path now. Cuomo must resign — immediately.