New York Governor Cuomo refuses to resign despite sexual harassment scandal

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has dismissed calls for resignation after a third woman accused him of sexual harassment.

"I am not going to resign," Cuomo said Wednesday during a press conference, however insisted that he “never touched anyone inappropriately.”

“I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it and frankly embarrassed by it and that’s not easy to say but that’s the truth.” Said the governor, who is also grappling with accusations that he deliberately underreported COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

Three young women, including two former aides, have accused the New York governor of sexually harassing them or making inappropriate remarks.

Lindsey Boylan, who first came forward in December, dismissed Cuomo’s apology in a Twitter message on Wednesday.

How can New Yorkers trust you @NYGovCuomo to lead our state if you “don’t know” when you’ve been inappropriate with your own staff?

— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) March 3, 2021

Bennett’s lawyer also released a statement following the press conference, saying that Cuomo's apology was "full of falsehoods" and that the governor’s claims he never inappropriately touched anyone directly contradicted his client’s allegation. 

The attorney for Cuomo accuser Charlotte Bennett says the governor's briefing was "full of falsehoods and inaccurate information." @news10nbc pic.twitter.com/iwjQ0E19yu

— Berkeley Brean (@whec_bbrean) March 3, 2021

A second woman, Charlotte Bennett, also a former aide, later came forward detailing Cuomo’s harassment of her. And a third woman, Anna Ruch, blasted his “predatory behavior.”

Cuomo bowed to pressure for an independent probe into the misconduct claims and said he would “fully cooperate” with the lawyers assigned by New York Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the accusations.

The governor, who has led New York for ten years, is already in hot water over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic last year as it tore through nursing homes in the state.

In January, Attorney General Letitia James’ office issued a report that said Cuomo’s administration significantly undercounted the death toll in nursing homes and implemented policies that may have contributed to the death toll.

The sexual harassment scandal engulfing Cuomo illustrates how harassment allegations gain traction in the #MeToo era.

"If these allegations are true, he cannot govern," said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a long-time rival of Cuomo's.

Cuomo gained popular support last year with his straight-talking coronavirus briefings that contrasted sharply with former president Donald Trump's dismissive approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"But if he loses the support of the Democratic Party, and that is happening, he has no future or fourth term." a political science professor at New York’s Sarah Lawrence College.

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