[ad_1]
Seth Wenig / AFP via Getty Images
After a second woman accused Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, the state attorney general rejected the governor’s proposal to reconsider her conduct, saying she was not responding to the independent inquiry required by law .
The New York Times reported on Saturday that Charlotte Bennett, 25, had been harassed by the governor while working as an executive assistant and health policy adviser. As they were alone in the governor’s office in the state capital, he asked her a series of questions about her personal life and relationships which she saw as a sexual breakthrough, the Times reported.
“I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me and was feeling terribly uncomfortable and scared,” Bennett told The Times. “And I was wondering how I was going to get by and I thought that was the end of my job.”
Cuomo’s administration is also reportedly facing a federal investigation after revealing it withheld the actual number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes in order to evade scrutiny by the Trump administration. Lawmakers are considering removing the broad emergency powers he obtained at the start of the pandemic, while Cuomo himself comes under increasing scrutiny for what officials have called for years an intimidating style of government.
Bennett came forward after another former aide, Lindsey Boylan, last week released a detailed account of what she had to contend with while working with the governor for several years. Boylan said sexual harassment and bullying was rampant and that in 2018 the governor kissed her on the lips.
In his statements, Cuomo said Boylan’s account was false. He said he also hadn’t made a head start to Bennett and had no intention of acting inappropriately towards him.
The governor’s office has said it is committed to an independent review of what happened, but so far critics are calling the plans educational and examination the influence of Cuomo’s political allies.
Like a true abuser, @NYGovCuomo continues to work behind the scenes to undermine the truth and harm its many victims. His abuse of power never stops. He does not have the right to choose his judge and jury. We do. And what is quite clear to me is that the governor should resign.
Cuomo was initially criticized for his initial plan to hand the review of what happened to former federal judge Barbara Jones, along with her fellow Democrats in the state. saying an independent investigator – someone who was not selected by Cuomo – should take matters into his own hands.
Then, on Sunday, the governor’s office announced that it had asked the New York attorney general and chief appeals court judge to jointly select an “independent and qualified lawyer in private practice without political affiliation” to conduct a review and write a public report. .
“All members of the governor’s office will cooperate fully. We will have no further comments until the report is released,” said a statement from Beth Garvey, special counsel and senior adviser to the governor.
But state attorney general Leticia James said the allegations demanded an independent investigation. Under state law, the governor must formally refer such an investigation to the attorney general’s office.
As of Sunday afternoon, that had not happened, a spokesperson for James told BuzzFeed News. Without it, any examination of Cuomo’s behavior will lack subpoena power – therefore witness statements and documents will be limited to what is provided voluntarily.
Cuomo’s office did not immediately respond to questions from BuzzFeed News about the lack of a reference.
While I have deep respect for Chief Justice DiFiore, I am the duly elected Attorney General and it is my responsibility to accomplish this task. The governor must provide this referral so that an independent subpoena investigation can be conducted.
As stated in state law, investigations referred to the Attorney General also do not involve a judge appointing an investigator. Cuomo’s request that the Attorney General work with Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal Janet DiFiore to select an investigator sparked questions after his announcement. DiFiore made no comment, according to a court spokesperson.
DiFiore was appointed to her post by Cuomo in 2015, and earlier this year her daughter easily secured a judge’s post after Cuomo displaced her main opponent, the New York Law Journal reported.
James said she didn’t accept the offer.
“While I have deep respect for Chief Justice DiFiore, I am the duly elected Attorney General and it is my responsibility to accomplish this task,” she said.
[ad_2]
Source link