New York Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women — including government employees — and retaliated against one woman who made her complaints about his behavior public, according to a report released Tuesday by state Attorney General Letitia James. The investigation into the three-term governor's actions — prompted by multiple public accounts of assault and harassment leveled by former aides, state workers, and acquaintances — concluded that Cuomo violated both federal and state law and "created a hostile work environment."
The 165-page report published by the James's office was the result of interviews with 179 witnesses and a review of thousands of documents from the governor's office, including emails, text messages, audio files, and photos. It found that Cuomo harassed 11 women, including several members of his own staff. Those women, many of whom were much younger than the governor, were on the receiving end of inappropriate comments and were made to engage in "unwanted groping, kisses, hugging," James said on Tuesday. The report also found that employees of Cuomo's office were victims of fear and intimidation that often came directly from the governor. Cuomo denied the findings of the report, claiming in a video statement that "the facts are much different than what has been portrayed" and that he has "never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances."
