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Women who accused Governor Andrew Cuomo of misconduct said they felt “justified and relieved” that the ailing governor would soon be out of power.
Once a leading national voice for Democrats and praised for what many saw as an aggressive response to the pandemic, Cuomo fell dramatically from grace, announcing Tuesday that he was stepping down.
His decision follows an explosive 168-page report released last week by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, which found the governor sexually harassed several women, some of whom worked for him, and in at least one case, sought to retaliate against an accuser.
Cuomo has denied all allegations that he sexually harassed women, but apologized Tuesday to those he had “offended”.
“In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone,” Cuomo said during remarks announcing his resignation. “But I didn’t realize how much the line has been redrawn.”
Mariann Wang, a lawyer representing two women – Alyssa McGrath and Virginia Limmiatis – who accused Cuomo of inappropriate behavior, said in a statement that her clients “feel both justified and relieved that Cuomo is no longer in a position of power over anybody. . “
James’ report states that Cuomo made inappropriate comments and behaved harassingly towards McGrath, who was Cuomo’s executive assistant. Limmiatis met Cuomo at an event she attended on behalf of her employer in 2017 and accused him of improper touching, according to the report.
“Ms. McGrath and Ms. Limmiatis remain grateful that their voices and experiences have been heard and substantiated by AG investigators, and feel in solidarity with all the women who continue to be abused by men in power,” added Wang. “At least today, one of them faced consequences.”
Debra Katz, lawyer for Cuomo’s former assistant Charlotte Bennett, called the governor’s decision to step down “a testament to the growing power of women’s voices since the start of the #MeToo movement.”
“We are touched by the remarkable courage of Charlotte and the other complainants to come forward,” Katz added in a statement. “They made this extraordinary personal and professional sacrifice because they knew what it was like to have careers derailed and relationships destroyed by one powerful individual. No other woman has gone through the same.”
She concluded that Cuomo’s resignation “is not the end of our consideration of sexual harassment, but it is an important step in the right direction.”
Bennett accused Cuomo of making inappropriate comments and reported their interactions to top officials in the governor’s office. The state attorney general’s report states that Bennett’s concerns were not passed on to the state agency responsible for investigating the harassment and that Bennett was transferred to a different position where she did not. would not need to interact with the governor.
Lindsey Boylan, who accused Cuomo of inappropriate comments and unwanted contact, responded to the news in a Twitter thread on Tuesday.
“From the start, I simply asked the governor to stop his abusive behavior,” she wrote. “It became very clear that he was not in a position to do it, instead attacking and blaming the victims until the end. It is a tragedy that so many people stood there and saw these abuses happen. “
She thanked James and state investigators for their work, as well as “all those who have sought the truth despite intimidation and threats of retaliation.”
“Most importantly, I am in awe of the strength of the other women who risked everything to come forward,” Boylan added. “I have always hoped that this will allow other women to safely report their own harassment and abuse. I will continue to fight to make it happen.”
In remarks announcing his resignation Tuesday, Cuomo called allegations that he sexually harassed 11 women “false” and said his lawyers “had reviewed the report in recent days and had already raised serious concerns and flaws. that should concern all New Yorkers. “
“Because when there is a bias or a lack of fairness in the justice system, it is a concern for everyone – not just for those who are immediately affected,” he added. “The most serious allegations against me have no credible factual basis in the report.”
Still, the governor apologized for offending those who made the accusations.
“There is a difference between alleged inappropriate conduct and finding sexual harassment,” Cuomo said. “Now don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t 11 women that I really offended. There are. And for that, I deeply, deeply apologize.”
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