Cuomo Accusers Say Governor's Resignation Vindicates Them
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- According to state Attorney General Letitia James' report, Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women.
Now, months after the first accusations were made public, some of the women are reacting to Cuomo's resignation, CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported Tuesday.
Jessica Westerman, the attorney representing Charlotte Bennett, said her client is still processing the news of his resignation.
"Perhaps the sense of relief ... only in that this means the governor will stop denying her allegations against him," Westerman said.
Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to Cuomo, reacted swiftly on Twitter, saying in part: "From the beginning, I simply asked that the governor stop his abusive behavior. It became abundantly clear he was unable to do that, instead attacking and blaming victims until the end," Boylan said.
From the beginning, I simply asked that the Governor stop his abusive behavior. It became abundantly clear he was unable to do that, instead attacking and blaming victims until the end. It is a tragedy that so many stood by and watched these abuses happen.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) August 10, 2021
Attorney Mariann Wang, who represents two other accusers, Alyssa McGrath and Virginia Limmiatis, shared this statement, saying, "My clients feel both vindicated and relieved that Cuomo will no longer be in a position of power over anyone. His efforts, through his paid attorney, over the last few days, to gaslight and attack the brave women who came forward, apparently served no purpose."
Cuomo's resignation came minutes after his lawyer, Rita Glavin, picked apart accusers' claims that he had sexually harassed anyone, adding state Attorney General Letitia James' report was rife with errors.
"It failed to collect relevant evidence. The investigators credited people that they know had lied in the past, or had motives to lie, and the report didn't explore this or any of it," Glavin said.
But Sonia Ossorio, the president of the National Organization for Women in New York, said it's clear, legally, the governor had no other option but to resign.
"What we have seen is a slew of laws that have been passed for sex crimes for sexual harassment for legal protections in the workplace, many that affect mostly women. Governor Cuomo actually is someone who signed many of those into law, with his own hand," Ossorio said.
Advocates say the hope is now that women in the workplace and on the street will feel safer reporting harassment and abuse.