New York Attorney General Letitia James signaled support for an investigation into Gov. Andrew Cuomo's allegations of sexual harassment on Sunday.
James released a statement a day after a second former aide accused the governor of sexual harassment, which followed an account by another ex-aide last week who accused Cuomo of similar behavior.
"Allegations of sexual harassment should always be taken seriously," James said in a statement. "There must be a truly independent investigation to thoroughly review these troubling allegations against the governor, and I stand ready to oversee that investigation and make any appointments necessary."
James acknowledged that the only way an investigation can be done is if she received an official referral from the governor's office, given state law.
"I urge the governor to make this referral immediately," James said.
Cuomo issued an apology in a statement on Sunday, saying he never intended to make anyone uncomfortable.
"At work, sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny," Cuomo said. "I do, on occasion, tease people in what I think is a good-natured way. I do it in public and in private … I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business."
Cuomo added that he understands why people may have taken his jokes as unwanted flirtation, and believes some of his comments may have been too personal, and said he is "truly sorry" if it made anyone feel how he did not intend it to come across.
The governor also said he never inappropriately touched anyone or intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable and supports an independent review into the matter.
He said anybody who has sent his latest accuser, Charlotte Bennett, unwanted mail about her allegations should immediately stop.
Bennett, a 25-year-old who served as an executive assistant and health policy adviser in Cuomo's administration, accused the governor of sexual harassment, alleging he engaged in inappropriate behavior towards her last summer in his Albany office.
Bennett alleged Cuomo asked her a number of questions about her personal life, including how she viewed age gaps in relationships and talked about his loneliness amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Bennett said she viewed the governor's questions as sexual overtures, though Cuomo said he only intended to be a "mentor" to her and never made any advances towards her.
Last week, 36-year-old Lindsey Boylan accused Cuomo of sexually harassing her, alleging he forcibly tried to kiss her on the lips and asked her to play strip poker during a flight in October 2017. Cuomo's office denied those allegations.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Last week, Beth Garvey, who serves as special counsel and senior adviser to the governor, said former federal judge Barbara Jones will lead an independent review into the matter, but Cuomo's office has now stepped back that decision.
"The governor's office wants a review of the sexual harassment claims made against the governor to be done in a manner beyond reproach," Garvey said in a statement. "We had selected former federal judge Barbara Jones, with a stellar record for qualifications and integrity, but we want to avoid even the perception of a lack of independence or inference of politics."
Garvey added that they have turned over the case to James and the chief judge of the court of appeals to jointly select an independent and qualified lawyer in private practice without any political affiliation to review the allegations and issue a public report.
Garvey added that "all members of the governor's office will cooperate fully."
The allegations surfaced as Cuomo also faces controversy surrounding his handling of nursing homes amid the pandemic. A study found Cuomo's executive order last spring was directly responsible for 1,000 additional COVID-19 deaths in New York, and the administration had purposely hidden the true death toll to spare poor optics, once former President Donald Trump began tweeting about the matter.
