Cuomo denies sexual harassment report findings

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Tuesday that a monthslong investigation found the governor engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment. The 165-page public report details information from 179 interviewees, including New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Investigators Anne Clark and former U.S. Attorney Joon Kim said they corroborated claims from 11 women who accused Cuomo of groping, kissing, and inappropriate sexual comments. The list of alleged victims includes employees and an officer on the governor’s security detail. The report says Cuomo violated state and federal laws and retaliated against one accuser.

What does this mean for Cuomo? In a recorded message on Tuesday, Cuomo apologized to two of the women, one for an inappropriate comment and one for a kiss at a wedding. But he denied the bulk of the allegations, calling the investigation “rife with bias and politics.” He claims the alleged incidents did not happen or were misconstrued, and he has refused to resign despite calls from President Joe Biden, Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and constituents. The report did not refer charges to prosecutors, but local authorities can use the findings if they bring charges. State lawmakers are also investigating grounds for impeaching Cuomo based on the harassment allegations as well as his response to COVID-19. Cuomo has been raising funds for a possible fourth term in office.

Dig deeper: On The World and Everything in It podcast, listen to Cal Thomas’ reflections on Cuomo’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.