New York governor sexually harassed multiple women, investigation finds

NEW YORK: New York governor Andrew Cuomo “sexually harassed multiple women,” the state’s attorney general Letitia James said Tuesday as she announced the findings of an independent investigation into the powerful Democrat that prompted immediate calls for his resignation.

The explosive report, which was swiftly made public, details allegations by 11 women that paint a “deeply disturbing yet clear” picture of a pattern of abusive behavior by the governor and his senior staff, James said.

But it was not clear if he would face criminal prosecution, with James saying the investigation was “civil in nature.”

As for whether he would stay in office, she said, “that decision ultimately is up to the governor of the state of New York. The report speaks for itself.”

The five-month investigation “has concluded that Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and in doing so violated federal and state law,” James told a news conference.

She said investigators had found that Cuomo “sexually harassed current and former New York state employees by engaging in unwelcome and non-consensual touching and making numerous comments of a suggestive sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women.”

The investigation also found that Cuomo and his senior team took retaliatory action against at least one former employee for coming forward with her story, she said.

In recent months multiple women have publicly denounced what they said were inappropriate words and gestures from Cuomo, who drew praise nationwide for his pandemic response early in the crisis.