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- The New York Attorney General's office investigation found that Gov. Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women.
- It found Cuomo harassed multiple female members of his own staff, state employees, and a State Trooper.
- The independent investigators detailed their findings in a 168-report released Tuesday.
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The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Tuesday that its independent investigators found that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple female members of his own staff, state employees, and a State Trooper.
"We find that the Governor sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees by, among other things, engaging in unwelcome and nonconsensual touching, as well as making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women," the investigators wrote in their 168-page report.
James said she is "inspired by all the brave women who came forward, but more importantly I believe them." She said Cuomo's conduct "corrodes the very fabric and character of our state government and shines light on injustice that can be present at the highest levels of government." But she added that the report has no "criminal consequences" and that it's "ultimately up to the governor" whether he resigns in response to the report.
Leading the five-month investigation into Cuomo were former US Attorney Joon Kim and Anne Clark. Kim led the prosecution against Joe Percoco, a former aide to Governor Cuomo who was sentenced to 6 years in prison on corruption charges in 2018. Clark is an employment lawyer who previously worked for Legal Momentum, a defense fund for women.
The report found that 11 women had "credible" allegations of misconduct. It detailed a "toxic, hostile, abusive" workplace fostered by the governor. One former state employee told investigators that the governor made women feel like "prey." The report also said that there was a sense among Cuomo's staff members that getting his personal attention was "not only normal, but to be valued."
Cuomo was questioned under oath by the investigators for 11 hours on July 17, The New York Times reported Monday.
Despite insisting that he had never harassed anyone, Cuomo apologized last March for making his accusers "feel uncomfortable." But Cuomo and his staffers have since alleged that the investigation is unfair and biased against him.
"I'm very eager to get the facts to the people of this state," Cuomo said. "I think when they hear the actual facts, what happened, how the situation has been handled, I think they're going to be shocked. Shocked."
A top aide to Cuomo, Richard Azzopardi, told The Times that leaks to the press concerning the investigation "provide further evidence about the documented bias of these reviewers."
The first allegation of sexual misconduct against Cuomo was made by Lindsay Boylan, a former aide to the governor, who said in a series of tweets last December that Cuomo "sexually harassed me for years." In a February Medium post, she detailed several instances in which the governor allegedly touched her inappropriately and kissed her without her consent in his Manhattan office. Cuomo denied Boylan's accusations.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit their website to receive confidential support.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.