A female aide alleges New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo aggressively groped her in a sexual manner after she was summoned to the governor’s mansion last year, a person familiar with the woman’s claims reportedly said.
The staff member had been called to the mansion to help Cuomo with phone troubles. They were alone in his private residence, and he shut the door, reached under her blouse and groped her, according to the source.
The woman is much younger than the governor, according to the source, who is not authorized to comment publicly. She told Cuomo to stop when he reached under her blouse. The woman reportedly said the governor frequently flirted with her and it wasn’t the only time he touched her.
Details of the woman's accusation were reported by the Albany Times-Union. The paper wrote an initial report with fewer details Tuesday. Her identity has not been released.
The governor’s "executive chamber," which includes senior officials, became aware of the woman’s account on March 3, according to the Times-Union. But on Tuesday, Cuomo said he wasn’t aware of the newest allegation in a series of sexual misconduct accusations thrown his way. The latest claim is the sixth accusation leveled at the governor – and the fifth from someone who was working for the governor at the time of the alleged incident.
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In response to the Times-Union report, Cuomo said in a statement: "As I said yesterday, I have never done anything like this. The details of this report are gut-wrenching. I am not going to speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given the ongoing review, but I am confident in the result of the attorney general’s report."
Debra Katz, the attorney for another accuser, Charlotte Bennett said in response to the latest account that it was "eerily similar" to her client’s experience.
"This victim’s allegations are eerily similar to what Charlotte Bennett has alleged. Charlotte was summoned to the Capitol on a Saturday, left isolated with the Governor and asked to help him with minor technical issues with his phone. Charlotte reported this behavior and the Governor’s sexual proposition to his most senior aides," Katz said in a statement.
"The Governor’s sexual harassment, which Charlotte Bennett reported, was buried by his aides and never properly investigated. Because of their enablement, another young woman was left in harm’s way. Had the Governor’s staff taken Charlotte Bennett’s allegations and their legal obligations seriously, perhaps this woman would have been spared of this sexual assault. That the governor does not deny touching people, but insists he never did it inappropriately, shows he is committed to gaslighting victims and perpetuating these lies. This is exactly how abusers operate," Katz continued.
Bennett, 25, said the governor asked her if she had sex with older men and if she carried on monogamous relationships. She said the governor made her so uncomfortable during a workplace meeting in June that she reported the situation and asked for a transfer.
Lindsey Boylan, 36, a former aide and now a candidate for Manhattan borough president, leveled her allegations in an essay on Medium late last month. She accused the governor of kissing her on the lips without permission and making lewd remarks – including suggesting they "play strip poker" on a work-related flight. Cuomo's office has denied the accusation.
Karen Hinton, who has worked for the governor and more recently for his rival, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, told the Washington Post over the weekend that Cuomo had summoned her to a "dimly lit hotel room" in 2000 and given her an unwanted embrace. Cuomo's office has denied her claims.
And Ana Liss, 35, who worked for Cuomo between 2013 and 2015, accused him of touching her back and kissing her hand at different times, calling her "sweetheart" at work and asking about her personal life.
Cuomo has denied ever acting inappropriately, but has said kissing and hugging is his usual form of greeting.
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Another woman, Anna Ruch, 33, accused Cuomo of making unwanted advances at a wedding reception in 2019.
The allegations were sent to the State Attorney General’s Office, which has opened an investigation into the governor.
Fox News' Mike Ruiz contributed to this report.