Cuomo Accuser Speaks Out In Newspaper About Alleged Groping At Governor's Mansion
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- One of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's accusers is speaking out for the very first time with more details about how she was allegedly groped inside the Governor's Mansion.
In a revealing newspaper report, the woman says she believes the governor was grooming her, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported Wednesday.
The new details about alleged inappropriate touching were reported in the Albany Times-Union.
The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, alleges the governor slammed the door to his office before groping her last November after she was summoned to his office to help with his iPhone.
She claims he reached under her blouse and grabbed her breasts.
READ MORE: 9th Woman Accuses Gov. Cuomo Of Sexual Harassment, Alleges Cuomo Kissed Her Without Consent In 2017
These are the most serious allegations against Cuomo. At least eight women have accused the governor of the governor of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.
Last month, Cuomo said, "I want you to know from me directly, I never touched anyone inappropriately."
But Wednesday's revelations paint a different picture, with the accuser saying Cuomo would pull her close to feel her breasts against his chest, saying, "Sometimes he would pull my whole body close to him. I remember purposely, like, taking my pelvis and pulling away. … I knew what he was doing."
READ MORE: Protesters Rally Outside Gov. Andrew Cuomo's NYC Office To Demand Impeachment
The accuser says over time, the hugs would grow tighter and last longer.
At one point she told him to stop, saying, "I said, 'You're going to get us in trouble.' That's when he slammed the door (shut). He said, 'I don't care.'"
She says the harassment happened over a two-year period and as recently as late last year.
On New Year's Eve of 2020, she said she was taking dictation at the governor's mansion to prepare for the State of the State address when Cuomo asked to take a selfie.
"He was like rubbing my butt cheek, but not saying anything. That was the first blatant move," she said.
She also claims the conversations with the governor grew more inappropriate, with him once saying, "I'm single and ready to mingle."
Late Wednesday afternoon, an attorney for Gov. Cuomo released the following statement:
"The people of New York know the governor. He has spent 40 years in public service and in the public eye. He has repeatedly made clear that he never made inappropriate advances or inappropriately touched anyone," the attorney said.
Some legislators say it's past time for the governor to go.
"It's very unclear to me how this many women can speak up about the abuse of this governor, and that man is still sitting in our highest level of office," State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi said.
She says the Assembly is dragging its feet on impeachment.
"We have more than enough information right now for the Assembly to draft the articles of impeachment," she said. "It's these scandals plus, as we cannot forget, the 15,000 lives who have been lost in nursing homes."
For now, time has been on the governor's side.
"Is this working for the governor?" Brennan asked Baruch College professor David Birdsell.
"It's working for the governor in two respects. One, he's staying in office. Two, he's able to affect policy," Birdsell said.
He says the windfall of billions from Washington may help the governor with allies.
"He's going to be able to use the prospect of that allocation to curry a lot of favor very quickly with people who are already lining up to try to figure out how those funds will be distributed," Birdsell said.
State Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation into the allegations and some of the governor's accusers have reportedly been interviewed.
