ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Over an 11-hour interview with investigators final July, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo defiantly denied allegations he sexually harassed ladies and sparred with the attorneys questioning him, accusing one in every of being out to get him, based on a transcript launched on Wednesday.
New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James made public tons of of pages of transcripts of interviews carried out by two impartial attorneys, employed by her workplace, throughout their monthslong probe of sexual harassment allegations in opposition to Cuomo.
Of their interviews with investigators, carried out over a number of months, the ladies accusing Cuomo of misconduct laid out their horror tales of working for a boss who made feedback about ladies’s seems to be, requested questions on intercourse and gave inappropriate touches and kisses.
The transcripts lined interviews carried out with 10 of the ladies who accused Cuomo of misconduct, plus the interview that Cuomo himself gave on July 17.
Many of the allegations, and Cuomo’s defenses, have been aired publicly earlier than in interviews, information conferences and a report printed by James’ workplace in August that sparked public outrage and pushed Cuomo to resign from workplace. However the transcripts provide a brand new degree of element on the allegations in opposition to the Democrat and Cuomo’s confrontational interview.
Throughout the interrogation, Cuomo insisted he was cautious in how he behaved round ladies and mentioned a number of of his accusers had misrepresented what occurred. He additionally bristled at a groping allegation by an aide, Brittany Commisso, who mentioned Cuomo had pulled her towards him and grabbed her breast within the governor’s mansion.
Cuomo, 63, mentioned it might be “not even possible” for him to have carried out that, particularly since he believed his conduct was consistently below scrutiny by enemies, together with one of many attorneys then investigating him, former appearing U.S. Legal professional Joon Kim.
“You’ve investigated me for six years,” Cuomo instructed Kim, referring to corruption investigations carried out by federal prosecutors throughout Kim’s tenure, together with one which despatched one in every of Cuomo’s shut mates to jail. “I must lose my thoughts to do some — such a factor. It will be an act of madness to the touch a girl’s breast and make myself weak to a girl for such an accusation.”
“Quite a few individuals have tried to set me up,” Cuomo mentioned. “I’m at all times cautious of individuals. I’ve phenomenal precautions. It will be an act of madness.”
The Albany County sheriff’s workplace filed a prison grievance in opposition to Cuomo over Commisso’s groping allegation late final month.
In her interview with investigators, Commisso mentioned Cuomo made feedback about her look, referred to as her “honey” and requested her about her intercourse life. She mentioned when she wore a gown somewhat than pants to work, the governor mentioned it was “about time that you just confirmed some leg.”
She additionally described the alleged assault on the governor’s mansion, saying that at the same time as she pushed Cuomo away, she apprehensive she can be the one who obtained in hassle if she slapped him or made a scene.
“I might be taken away by the state cops and I might be the one that will get in hassle and I might be the one to lose my job, not him,” she mentioned.
In her interview with investigators, Lindsey Boylan, a former financial growth official who was the primary lady to publicly accuse Cuomo of harassment, referred to as his famously caustic administration “a horrible atmosphere for everybody, whether or not they had been sexually harassed or not.” However she instructed the investigators harassment was what spurred her to come back ahead. “If this was only a poisonous work atmosphere, we wouldn’t be sitting right here.”
Boylan mentioned Cuomo commonly commented on her look, “consistently” checked out her legs and as soon as kissed her on the lips with out her consent.
When the governor’s canine climbed on her, Cuomo mentioned, “Effectively, if I used to be the canine, I’d mount you, too.”
Requested by investigators whether or not any sexual harassment coaching was carried out whereas she was working within the Govt Chamber, Boylan mentioned no, including: “The entire constructing is sexual harassment.”
She and different ladies described Cuomo as, at turns intensely demanding, livid or egregiously inappropriate.
Cuomo requested Boylan to sing him “Glad Birthday” over the telephone and former aide Charlotte Bennett to sing “Danny Boy” as a hazing ritual. The governor pounded his fist right into a door in frustration as soon as and on one other event instructed a prime aide he was fortunate he didn’t throw him out the window, based on testimony.
Bennett, who has alleged Cuomo quizzed her about her intercourse life in a fashion that made her suppose he was hitting on her, mentioned staffers referred to as to satisfy with Cuomo got here in with dread and misery and would generally be in tears afterward.
Cuomo introduced his resignation on Aug. 10, every week after James launched a report concluding that Cuomo had sexually harassed at the least 11 ladies.
Cuomo lawyer Rita Glavin criticized the lawyer common for the partial launch whereas the prison cost is pending.
“The Legal professional Basic intentionally harms a pending case by broadcasting to every witness what different witnesses have testified to, and spreading false and salacious rumour and rumors,” Glavin mentioned in a press release.
The state Meeting had been contemplating impeaching Cuomo when he resigned. A authorized group employed by the Meeting’s judiciary committee has continued to work on a report on Cuomo’s conduct in workplace. The committee’s chair mentioned Wednesday that committee members had been invited to evaluate the report in Albany on Nov. 18 and 19 forward of its deliberate public launch.
In his interview with investigators, Cuomo portrayed lots of the ladies accusing him as having misrepresented their interactions. Requested repeatedly about allegations of harassment, he began solutions with the phrase “no,” greater than 350 instances and uttering the phrases “by no means occurred” eight instances.
Throughout one prolonged alternate, he refused to supply a easy reply to a query about whether or not a girl talked about in a single little bit of testimony was his girlfriend.
“How do you need to outline ‘girlfriend?’” Cuomo requested.
“Did you date her?” Kim requested.
“How do you need to outline ‘date?’” Cuomo countered.
Cuomo recommended Kim was a puppet doing the bidding of his predecessor within the U.S. lawyer’s workplace, Preet Bharara, and “his rabbi,” Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer.
“You already know that I mentioned that Preet and also you had been unethical and shouldn’t be thought of for lawyer common,” Cuomo instructed Kim. “Preet Bharara has political aspirations, could have political aspirations in opposition to me. His rabbi, your rabbi, Senator Schumer referred to as for my resignation.”
Kim instructed Cuomo he wasn’t “participating” with him on these forms of statements, however mentioned “I wouldn’t need the silence to go as some form of acceptance of it.”
Cuomo closed the deposition with one other jab at Kim: “I want to say it was a pleasure, Mr. Kim. However I’m below oath.”
Peltz and Sisak reported from New York. Contributing had been Thalia Beaty, David B. Caruso and Michelle L. Worth in New York, Marina Villeneuve in Albany and Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo.