New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is responding to a report released by New York Attorney General Letitia James, saying he violated federal and state laws for “sexually [harassing] multiple women.”
On Tuesday, James released a report into the “allegations of and circumstances surrounding sexual harassment claims made against the governor,” as IJR reported.
“Upon completion of our independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment brought against Governor Andrew Cuomo and the surrounding circumstances, we have reached the conclusion that the Governor sexually harassed a number of State employees through unwelcome and unwanted touching, as well as by making numerous offensive and sexually suggestive comments,” the report reads.
It continues, “We find that such conduct was part of a pattern of behavior that extended to his interactions with others outside of State government.”
The governor defended himself and released a montage showing him touching other people, saying, “I’ve been making the same gesture in public all my life. I actually learned it from my mother and from my father.”
He continued, “It is meant to convey warmth, nothing more. Indeed there are hundreds if not thousands of photos of me using the exact same gesture. I do it with everyone, Black and white, young and old, straight and LGBTQ, powerful people, friends, strangers, people who I meet on the street.”
Watch the video below:
Andrew Cuomo really thought this montage was a good idea pic.twitter.com/yTzzP9mdaD
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 3, 2021
Cuomo previously denied the allegations. Some are calling for his arrest, including Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).
“No one is above the law and today justice must be served. Governor Cuomo must resign and be arrested immediately. President Joe Biden must immediately call for Cuomo’s resignation,” Stefanik said in a statement.
James also said in a statement it is “a sad day for New York because independent investigators have concluded that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and, in doing so, broke the law.”
She added, “I am grateful to all the women who came forward to tell their stories in painstaking detail, enabling investigators to get to the truth. No man — no matter how powerful — can be allowed to harass women or violate our human rights laws, period.”