After the testimony of the assistants closest to Cuomo, it is now his turn



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“It was not just about sexual harassment,” said the woman, who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to discuss her testimony publicly. “The questions were about the nature of the work there, the environment, the types of projects we were asked to work on. “

Mr Cuomo approaches the interview at a critical time in his tenure, as he faces overlapping state and federal investigations, at least one of them criminal, into whether his assistants have covered up any the extent of nursing home deaths during the pandemic, and whether he illegally used state resources to write a leadership book last year for which he received $ 5.1 million.

In recent months, the governor has sought to deflect attention from the investigations and scandals that plagued his administration. His strategy has mainly been to organize events intended to generate heartwarming headlines, with an emphasis on the state’s economic rebound which describes him as firmly in the driver’s seat.

Mr Cuomo, always concerned with his public image, kept a close eye on public opinion, determined to regain voter support and rehabilitate his reputation ahead of the release of a report and, possibly, a re-election campaign l ‘next year. He paid his long-standing survey firm, Global Strategy Group, more than $ 155,000 this year conduct surveys, according to campaign documents released this week.

The governor also used part of the $ 2.5 million he raised this year – the second lowest total during the first semester of his tenure – to pay his personal legal fees. His campaign paid $ 285,000 to the law firm Rita Glavin, who represents him in the investigation into sexual harassment.

In recent weeks, members of Mr. Cuomo’s staff have increasingly sought to discredit Ms James’ investigation was politically motivated, a radical departure from the governor’s rhetoric a few months ago when he initially expressed confidence in his ability to oversee the investigation.

In a statement, Azzopardi said the governor’s office is fully cooperating with the investigation by making staff and documents available.



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