Psaki Comments on NY Gov. Cuomo Allegations: 'Every Woman Should Be Heard'
Published Date: 3/2/2021
Source: Bloomberg Quicktake: Now
Andrew Cuomo faces more calls to resign from fellow Democrats after a third woman came forward to accuse the New York governor of inappropriate behavior on Monday. New allegations of Cuomo making unwanted advances toward women come as the governor is already fighting investigations into whether his administration covered up the true number of coronavirus deaths in nursing homes in the state. The state’s first Covid-related death was one year ago Monday, but the governor has stayed out of the spotlight as controversy around him swirls. U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice became the first Democratic member of Congress to call for Cuomo to resign, saying Monday, “the time has come.” Rice is a former district attorney of Nassau County on Long Island. Two former aides have already accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. On Monday, a third woman, who has not worked for him, Anna Ruch, told the New York Times that Cuomo touched her back and face at a wedding and asked if he could kiss her in a way that made her feel “confused and shocked and embarrassed.” A spokesman for Cuomo referred to a statement from Sunday night in which he said his actions “have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation,” and that he was sorry “to the extent anyone felt that way,” according to the Times. Rich Azzopardi, a senior adviser to Cuomo, didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The governor has not held a televised pandemic briefing, considered must-see TV, since Feb. 19, and his public schedule is empty. On Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James received a letter from the Cuomo administration granting her a legal referral, which gives her the ability to select an independent law firm to conduct an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the governor. In the letter, Cuomo’s special counsel directed all state employees to cooperate fully with the sexual-harassment review and said the findings will be made public when the inquiry is finished. The lawyer who will handle the inquiry hasn’t been named. “This is not a responsibility we take lightly as allegations of sexual harassment should always be taken seriously,” James said in a statement Monday. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world. To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/qt/live, or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app. Have a story to tell? Fill out this survey for a chance to have it featured on Bloomberg Quicktake: https://cor.us/surveys/27AF30 Connect with us on… YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Bloomberg Breaking News on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BloombergQuickTakeNews Twitter: https://twitter.com/quicktake Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quicktake Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicktake