Current aide accuses Cuomo of sexual harassment
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing another allegation of sexual harassment, this time from a woman currently employed by his office. Alyssa McGrath, a 33-year-old executive assistant, told The New York Times that Cuomo stared inappropriately at her body and commented on her looks.
Her attorney, Mariann Wang, confirmed McGrath gave the account to the Times.
McGrath, who does not work directly for Cuomo, said the interactions began shortly after she was hired in mid-2018. The next year she was with Cuomo in his office when he allegedly made a comment to her in Italian. She later asked her parents what the phrase meant.
"It was commenting on how beautiful I was," she told the publication.
In another meeting in his office, McGrath claimed Cuomo looked down her shirt and then asked about her necklace. "I put my head down waiting for him to start speaking, and he didn't start speaking," she said. "So I looked up to see what was going on. And he was blatantly looking down my shirt."
McGrath also said Cuomo kissed her on her forehead during the office Christmas party in 2019 and called her and a coworker "mingle mamas" after he asked the coworker about her romantic life.
"He has a way of making you feel very comfortable around him, almost like you're his friend," McGrath told the Times. "But then you walk away from the encounter or conversation, in your head going, 'I can't believe I just had that interaction with the governor of New York.'"
Cuomo is facing pressure to resign after multiple women came forward with allegations against him. Cuomo has rejected calls for his resignation and has denied sexually harassing anyone. He has, however, apologized for comments he made that may have made women uncomfortable.
"I never, ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or cause anyone pain. I feel terrible that these people felt uncomfortable, felt hurt, felt pain from the interactions, and I'm embarrassed by it, and I feel bad from it," he said.
Cuomo's office did not immediately respond to CBS News' request for comment.
His lawyer, Rita Glavin, issued a statement to the Times, saying, "the governor has greeted men and women with hugs and a kiss on the cheek, forehead, or hand. Yes, he has posed for photographs with his arm around them. Yes, he uses Italian phrases like 'ciao bella.'"
"None of this is remarkable, although it may be old-fashioned. He has made clear that he has never made inappropriate advances or inappropriately touched anyone."
McGrath's lawyer told CBS News: "The governor's deflections are not credible. This was not just friendly banter."
