Cuomo sex harassment scandal – Latest claim gov 'groped aide under her shirt at mansion' sent to Albany police

GOV. CUOMO is under fresh scrutiny as it emerged the latest sex harassment claim that he ‘groped an aide under her shirt’ has been sent to cops.

Albany Police Department officials revealed they had received a report from a state official about an alleged incident at the Executive Mansion involving Cuomo and a female aide that may have risen “to the level of a crime”.

Cops received the referral last night after accusations Cuomo, 63, reached under the much-younger female aide’s blouse and fondled her after calling her to his private residence to fix his phone, according to a report on Wednesday. 

The aide alleges that Cuomo summoned her to the Executive Mansion in late 2020 and aggressively groped her in a sexual way, a person with knowledge on her claims told The Times Union. 

It has this afternoon been confirmed the state Assembly is forming a judiciary committee with subpoena power to investigate Gov. Cuomo amid the allegations.

It is the sixth sexual harassment claim to be made against New York governor Cuomo after a series of women have come forward alleging inappropriate behaviour.

More than 55 Democratic state legislators called Thursday for Cuomo to resign while the Assembly speaker said he would hold a meeting later in the day “on potential paths forward”, reported the NY Post.

Among those calling for Cuomo’s immediate resignation is New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who demanded he “can no longer serve as governor” following the latest allegation.

“It’s deeply troubling,” said Mayor de Blasio during his daily Covid-19 briefing Thursday.

“The specific allegation that the governor called an employee of his — someone who he had power over — called them to a private place and then sexually assaulted her, is absolutely unacceptable. It is disgusting to me.

“He can no longer serve as governor anymore. It’s as simple as that.”

Protesters outside Cuomo’s New York office have also called for him to step down, blocking Third Avenue in Manhattan as they urged him to “immediately resigna”.

Steve Smith, a spokesman for Albany police, said the department had not received a formal complaint from the woman, who has not been identified, but that it had reached out to a representative for her.

He added the department has offered its services to the alleged victim, “as we would do with any other report or incident”, reported the New York Times.

While Albany cops said the call had come from the New York State Police, the governor’s acting counsel, Beth Garvey, said Thursday that she had reported the allegations.

“As a matter of state policy, when allegations of physical contact are made, the agency informs the complainant that they should contact their local police department,” Ms. Garvey said in a statement.

“If they decline, the agency has an obligation to reach out themselves and inform the department of the allegation.”

Cuomo denied the sixth aide’s allegations in a statement to The Times Union on Wednesday evening.

"As I said yesterday, I have never done anything like this. The details of this report are gut-wrenching,” Cuomo stated.

“I am not going to speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given the ongoing review, but I am confident in the result of the attorney general’s report.”

Source: Read Full Article