ALBANY – Gov. Andrew Quomo is hastened to call for the resignation of powerful Albany lawmakers accused of sexual assault – including known harassers Vito Lopez, Micah Kelner and Denis Chryszak – but refuses to accept his own advice that many Is facing claims, critics argue.
The third-term Democratic governor has faced three allegations of sexual harassment of himself within the past week, and has been asked by Democrats and Republicans to step down.
“Shouldn’t the governor, the most powerful officer in New York, at least have the same moral standard as a member of the Legislative Assembly?” Said John Kahny, executive director of watchdog group Reinvent Albany.
“Not long ago, Governor Cuomo demanded that the two Assembly members immediately deny the charge of sexual harassment or resignation.” Powerful words. Do governors hold themselves to the same standard? “
In 2012, Cuomo demanded that two female colleagues accuse him, groping, kissing and verbally abusing her of resigning her post in Brooklyn as member of the House Vito Lopez.
Cuomo spokesman Josh Velasto said, “Sexual harassment at the workplace cannot be tolerated in any shape or form … These are serious allegations and if true, the governor believes he should resign . ”
Cuomo also threatened to intervene in an investigation run by the state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics when it surfaced that former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver – now sitting in federal prison on unrelated corruption charges – quietly with Lopez and colleagues Approved an agreement.
Lopez, who died in 2015, resigned in 2013 and was fined hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“Just like that [President Donald] Trump, Cuomo, is trying to create two systems of justice: one for all and all, and one for himself. His mistreatment of women indicates that he is unfit to hold public office. They should resign or be removed, ”Rita Pasarell, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group and former Lopez employee.
The group was formed in Albany by pre-legislative staffers who filed their claims of sexual harassment against their owners.
Then in 2013, Cuomo also gave two Democratic Assemblies Manhattan Democrats Kellner and Buffalo’s Gabryczak, who, according to Politico, had an option of sexual harassment allegations against employees for resigning from their posts or “immediately refusing” them.
Cuomo also asked Silver to seriously consider expulsion for the pair if they refused to step down.
Gabrizak stepped down in 2014 after seven women filed lawsuits in state and federal court, half of which were dismissed. The 2015 JCOPE report detailed a pattern of “sexually inappropriate behavior” between former polls and female employees. He was fined $ 125,000 in a settlement in 2019.
However, Kelner did not resign, but instead the state assembly approved him and removed him from the post of chairman of his committee and banned him from interning. He did not seek re-election in 2014.
The first allegations against Cuomo came from former economic development employee Lindsay Boylan, now 36, who wrote in a moderate blog post Feb. 24 that the governor asked him to play “strip poker” and also gave him an unwanted kiss.
Boylan previously accused Cuomo of misconduct in December 2020, but did not give an extension at that time.
Then a 25-year-old former employee, Charlotte Bennett, overheard with the governor over the weekend telling the New York Times a June 2020 incident, which she left with the impression that she “wanted to sleep with me.”
A third accuser, Anna Ruch, detailed a 2019 wedding for the Times where she met the governor and he made unwanted progress toward her, clutching her face and asking her to kiss him.
Ruch, now 33, was a 2020 Joe Biden campaign employee and has never worked for Cuomo.
Meanwhile, Cuomo issued a statement refuting the allegations, stating that he was sorry to make anyone uncomfortable and argued that he is often “fickle” and “joked” at work.
He previously denied the physical touching charges, but those charges have now been subjected to an independent investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James, who is expected to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the claims and deputation .
Long Island Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice, censor. There is also a chorus of fellow Democrats such as Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx), Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx and John Liu (D-Queens)). Cuomo’s immediate resignation is called for.
Cuomo’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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