Woman accuses Cuomo of kissing her against her will in 2017

Another woman accused New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of “unwanted and unwanted physical contact,” the latest in a series of allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against the governor.

The woman, Sherry Vill, told a press conference on Monday afternoon that the governor “suddenly grabbed her face and kissed her” in 2017 outside her home in the lake-side town of Greece Ontario. Cuomo was visiting the area to study flood damage from a storm.

She said Cuomo commented on her appearance and kissed her twice with other family members in attendance, advances which she alternately described as being in a “very sexual” and “very aggressive” manner.

“I felt shocked and didn’t know what had happened,” Vill said.

She said she was later invited to an event in town with the governor and her office sent her photos and letters – a gesture she found unsettling. “It all made me nervous,” Vill said.

Rita Glavin, an outside lawyer representing Cuomo, reiterated previous statements that the governor regularly kisses both men and women.

“In times of crisis, the governor has often sought to comfort New Yorkers with hugs and kisses,” Glavin said in a statement. “As I said before, the governor has greeted men and women with hugs, a kiss on the cheek, forehead or hand for forty years.

Glavin added that neither the photographs nor the invitation to an official event are unusual gestures for people the governor has interacted with.

Vill has hired senior lawyer Gloria Allred, who has represented women who have alleged sexual misconduct against former President Donald Trump and Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, among others.

Vill presented the documents Cuomo’s office sent him, along with a screenshot captured by his daughter from video footage taken by Vill’s son that appeared to show the governor grabbing her by the face and kissing her. However, neither Vill nor his son still have the original footage of the alleged incident, which his lawyer says has been deleted.

Earlier this month, another woman, Anna Ruch, accused the governor of a similar unwanted advance at a wedding in 2019 in which the governor allegedly held her face and attempted to kiss her, a photo of which is pictured was published by The New York Times.

These are just two of a growing number of women who have made allegations against Cuomo, a group that includes several current and former members of its staff.

The governor apologized for making the women uncomfortable, but denied the most serious allegations against him and insisted he would not resign, despite bipartisan calls to do so. He said he expects to be substantiated once the allegations are fully investigated.

The governor’s office did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday afternoon.

“The governor is a very powerful person in New York City, and her family were concerned about what might happen if she reported – whether or not it would be something that would provoke retaliation against her or her family members,” said Allred.

Allred – who answered questions from reporters on behalf of his client – said Vill was reporting the incident to the office of State Attorney General Tish James, who is overseeing an investigation into the multiple allegations against Cuomo.

Allred added that Vill could also take action against the governor following the conclusion of the attorney general’s investigation, but there are “no plans for that at this time.”

Allred also reported that Vill would not participate in a separate state assembly investigation into possible impeachment proceedings.

“At this point, our plan is only to contact the GA office,” Allred said.

Several of the women who accused Cuomo of harassment or other wrongdoing also expressed doubts about the Assembly’s investigation for various reasons.

Monday’s press conference came hours after Cuomo announced that the state was extending Covid-19 vaccine eligibility to any New Yorker aged 30 and over, starting Tuesday.

The vaccine announcement was made via press release, rather than at a public event like Cuomo typically prefers.