Andrew Cuomo said in a statement on Sunday that he might have said things that were misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation when speaking to a former aide. Gov. The claim: New York Gov. President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, New York's two Senators, Chuck Schuer and Kirsten Gillibrand as well as New York Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerrold Nadler were among Democrats who called on Cuomo to initiate the inquiry. Anna Ruch, 33, told The New York Times on Monday that she was 'so confused and shocked and embarrassed' after Cuomo cupped her face in his hands at a wedding in 2019, asking for a kiss. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business., Read More: Kinzinger allies create super PAC for Republicans against Trump. Andrew Cuomo has lifted his April executive order. And thats what infuriates me., After the encounter, Ruch said, her friend looked at me and said, Are you OK? with such genuine concern in her face that I realized how obviously inappropriate it was.. Detectives Liu and his partner Rafael Ramos were promoted to detective posthumously after they where shot and killed in their patrol car. Part of HuffPost Women. But thats what I had heard., When asked by lawyer Anne Clark if shed heard anything else, the trooper said, I heard a rumor that before Senior Staffer #1 [redacted] that the Governor and her were in a hotel room by themselves for like an hour. 3 min read. I do it in public and in private. Am I Senior Staffer #1? Anna Ruch, 33, told the New York Times that the 63-year-old governor made unwanted advances toward her and planted an unsolicited kiss on her cheek at the reception in Manhattan. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. The couple got married at the swanky Sagamore Hotel which is on an island in upstate Lake George. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's ritzy wedding to Kerry Kennedy in the early 1990s, an author claimed in a new book about her run-ins with the British . Andrew M. Cuomo with Jennifer Lopez at an event in the Javits Center to announce New York's support for the Puerto Rico recovery effort on Sept. 24, 2017. Gov. The political woes of Mr. Cuomo already under fire for his handling of nursing homes in the pandemic and his abrasive approach to governance deepened last week when Lindsey Boylan, a former top economic development official, posted a lengthy essay outlining a workplace environment where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected.. Instagram. The new allegations come as the Cuomo administration has hired lawyer Elkan Abramowitz, who represented Harvey Weinstein, as feds probe New York's handling of nursing homes during the Covid pandemic. Her first impression was positive enough. It is this face that a friend captured Anna Ruch making the moment she said New York Gov. New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo at the Brentwood Recreational Center in Brentwood onApril 11, 2018, where he signed a bill for $11.5 million to provide at-risk youths with social programs and other activities. Fox says it's 'very possible' he 'did some damage' in the '80s as he speculates about what contributed to his Parkinson's disease, 'Waste of time': Community college transfers derail students. The two men say they were having dinner with three friends and arrived at the restaurant around 7.30 for an 8pm reservation. In a prepared statement, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi denied that Cuomo had a romantic relationship with DeRosa and attacked James, who recently announced shes running for governor. Pictured at their wedding. Before Lee, Cuomo had previously been married to Kerry Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy's seventh child. Two former female aides have also accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. Madeline spent the majority of her childhood in Queens alongside her two brothers and two sisters. However, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday that the Marriage Bureau would be reopening on July 19th, and couples will be able to schedule wedding appointments as soon as July 23rd. Andrew M. Cuomo, center, stands withIslanders ownerJon Ledecky, left, and Islanders Captain Anders Lee, as theybreak ground on the new arena at Belmont Park on Sept. 21, 2019 in Elmont. New York's embattled governor Andrew Cuomo's women issue may have gotten worse today when pictures emerged of him appearing to get cozy with his closest aide - the woman who admitted his administration had downplayed the number of nursing home COVID deaths - less than two weeks after she got married. Copyright 2023 Newsday. He asked if he could kiss her, loudly enough for a friend standing nearby to hear.. It was when my friend looked at me and said Are you OK? with such genuine concern in her face that I realized how obviously inappropriate it was, Ms. Ruch said, not only to me but to those around me as well.. Ruchs allegations follow those of two former state employees Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in the workplace. Anna Ruch told The New York Times that Cuomo, who she had never met, put his hand on her lower back, and when she removed it, he then put his hands on her face and asked her, Can I kiss you?. Its the summer of New York City, de Blasio said during the announcement. Bennett on Monday said that she believes the governor "refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior" in his response. Andrew M. Cuomohold a news conference at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Queens to announce a design competition to modernize four of New York State's airports onOct. 20, 2014. He said, Can I kiss you? Ms. Ruch said. If theyre not leaving, you know, theyre sleeping there.. I didnt have a choice in his physical dominance over me at that moment. He was abusing his power over her for sex, Ms. Katz said. Is this how people see me?' But what happened next instantly unsettled her: Mr. Cuomo put his hand on Ms. Ruchs bare lower back, she said in an interview on Monday. Gov. I had also heard that again, rumor I heard that there was a guy named [redacted] here. Breaking: A third woman has accused Cuomo of over-the-line behavior. "Obviously, I'm aware of what's going on with my brother, and obviously I cannot cover it because he is my brother," Chris said. They were there from basically March until that article about the trooper dating [redacted] came out, she said. A lawyer for Ms. Bennett, Debra S. Katz, cast doubt on the governors initial suggestion, released in a statement on Saturday night, that his relationship to Ms. Bennett was of a mentor to his employee, nearly four decades his junior. He has initiated an inquiry into the allegations, asking state attorney general Letitia James to pick someone to head the inquiry. Andrew M. Cuomo and Hillary Clinton, then-presidential candidate,attend a rally at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to celebrate passing of a $15 minimum wage in New York State on April 4, 2016. Ruch, now 33, is the third woman to come forward with a story of nonconsensual, sexually inappropriate behavior at the hands of the governor, a man long known for his bullying and self-aggrandizement. I promptly removed his hand with my hand, which I would have thought was a clear enough indicator that I was not wanting him to touch me, she said. But the governor apparently didnt get the hint. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks about the Bethpage plume on Dec. 21, 2017 in Farmingdale. The interactions, which Ms. Bennett described in a series of interviews with The Times, left her certain that the governor was suggesting a sexual relationship. Andrew Cuomo of an unwanted advance, this time at a wedding in 2019. Gov. Her brother, Andrew, has served as the . A MARRIED Andrew Cuomo accuser who claimed the governor grabbed her face and kissed her in front of her family says her son recorded the incident. Cuomo has. Andrew M. Cuomo before encountering him at a crowded New York City wedding reception in September 2019. Matilda Raffa Cuomo, mother. Her hands are hidden behind the governors arms in the picture, and I found myself wondering if she was contemplating pushing his hands off of her cheeks at that very moment. In fact, the episodes highly visible nature made it all the more jarring, she suggested. Andrew M. Cuomoafter signing documents during a news conference held after a 10-Day Bi-State Security Interim Report Briefing at 7 World Trade Center on Sept. 24, 2014. Joining him were, from left to right,Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone; assemblyman Phil Ramos; Nassau County Executive Laura Curran; and Sen. Phil Boyle. The latest case comes after a former aide to Cuomo. Find Mary Kerry Kennedy Cuomo stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. When she removed his hand with her own, Ms. Ruch recalled, the governor remarked that she seemed aggressive and placed his hands on her cheeks. Gov. Exactly a year after the states first confirmed coronavirus case the dawn of a crisis that eventually propelled Mr. Cuomo to national Democratic stardom the governor was silent on Monday, even as the fallout continued to shadow his beleaguered administration. Andrew Cuomo receives an endorsement for Attorney General from City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn in front of City Hall in Manhattan on Feb. 26, 2006. Former President Bill Clinton endorses Andrew Cuomo's candidacy for New York State Governor during a campaign rally held in New York City College of Technology's Klitgord Gym on Oct. 27, 2010. A friend who witnessed it corroborated her account. Andrew M. Cuomo elbow-bumps Nassau County Executive Laura Curran on March 5, 2020, to show a safe alternative to shaking hands during a newsconference announcing the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Long Island. Mario Cuomo at the end of the funeral for the elder Cuomo on Jan. 6, 2015, at St. Ignatius Church in Manhattan. Gov. Mario Cuomo, in victory as he gives his victory speech for New York State Attorney General at the Sheraton Hotel on Nov.7, 2006, in New York. She recalled Mr. Cuomo moving his hand to the small of her back exposed in an open-back dress within moments of their being introduced and shaking hands at the reception. Andrew M. Cuomoholds Maura Escudero, 3 months, of Valley Stream, next to Nassau County ExecutiveLauraCurran, left, while giving out Christmas gifts to children at the MLK Center in Long Beach on Dec. 21, 2018. Not only is this ludicrous, its hurtful, and potentially actionable.. You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. 'When we arrived we had a couple of beers at the bar and we noticed a lot of Cuomo's security detail hanging round having soft drinks. Billy Joel and Gov. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Andrew Cuomo, son of Mario Cuomo, then-Governor of New York, speaks for HELP, and home for the homeless in Bellport, New York, on May 23, 1989. The incident left her feeling confused and shocked and embarrassed, she told the Times. In a statement, Cuomo initially said: 'I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate. Chris Christiebefore the debate between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at the Hofstra University debate in Hempstead on Sept. 26, 2016. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Andrew M. Cuomo talks to then-Vice President Joe Biden at a lunch for motorcycle riders participating in the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2015. I dont know how to spell his last name, the trooper said. Ms. Bennett is 25; the governor is 63. If he were to step down from his post which he has held for more than a decade, lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul would take over. "These are not the actions of someone who simply feels misunderstood; they are the actions of an individual who wields his power to avoid justice.". The claim: New York Gov. A third woman came forward on Monday to accuse New York Gov. Ruch told the New York Times that she went up to the governor, 63, to compliment him on a speech he made at a friend's wedding. After collecting herself later that night, Ms. Ruch said, she had hoped to speak with the governor before he left the reception and confront him about his behavior. Normally those booths are reserved for parties of four or more but I guess if you are the governor you get to sit where you want,' a witness said. 'This is more than a nursing home scandal, this is a massive corruption and coverup scandal at the highest level of New York State Government implicating the Governor, the Secretary to the Governor, the New York State Health Commissioner and the Governor's staff,' Stefanik tweeted on February 11. This is textbook sexual harassment., Indeed, on Monday, Mr. Cuomos contrition a rarity in his decade-long tenure was rejected by some other New York Democrats, including Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, who said that the governors statement was not an apology., He seemed to be saying, Aw, I was just kidding around, Mr. de Blasio said. 4. Andrew Cuomo grabbed her cheeks and asked, "Can I kiss you?" at a wedding in 2019. New York Gov. He died just weeks after testifying on behalf of other 9/11 responders. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks during a press conference before the opening of a mass COVID-19 vaccination site in Queens on Feb. 24, 2021. I turned my head away and didnt have words in that moment.. Andrew M. Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio look over a mangled dumpster on Sept. 18, 2016, while touring the site of an explosion that occurred on Saturday in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. And thats what infuriates me. All rights reserved. They have covered it extensively and they will continue to do so.". Andrew Cuomo at a. Andrew Cuomo, is celebrating Pride Month with a message to everyone on "the whole spectrum of. Kerry Kennedy waves after her wedding to Andrew Cuomo at St. Matthews Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on June 9, 1990. The first woman to come forward with her allegations was Lindsey Boylan, a former state economic development officer. I didnt have a choice in his physical dominance over me at that moment. Ruch said she was so shocked, she had to ask a friend whether the govs lips had actually touched her face as she was pulling away. For Ms. Ruch, the circumstances were different, her exchange with the governor taking place at a well-attended celebration far from any official setting. Andrew M. Cuomo and New York City Mayor . These are not the actions of someone who simply feels misunderstood, Ms. Bennett wrote. Its the act of impunity that strikes me, Ms. Ruch said. Kisco, New York until they eventually split in 2019. Andrew Cuomo announced June 15 that he was lifting the state's COVID-19 restrictions . She claimed on Wednesday Cuomo had harassed her several times between 2016 and 2018, at one time planting an unwanted kiss on her lips in his Manhattan office, and on another occasion asking her to play strip poker on his taxpayer-funded jet as they flew back from a meeting in western New York. The moment Cuomo grabbed Anna Ruch's face and asked "can I kiss you" at a reception in 2019 was caught on camera by a photographer. Often, we end up feeling like we dont have agency at all. ', DeRosa said in a statement to DailyMail.com, 'There have been misogynistic rumors in Albany and in government for years but I never thought I'd have to respond to them in the press. "It took the governor 24 hours and significant backlash to allow for a truly independent investigation," she said in a statement. The unseemly possibility of Cuomo, 63, getting hot and heavy with the married DeRosa, 39, emerged during the probe that uncovered evidence he sexually harassed 11 women including nine current. A third woman is accusing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of. The Governor also stopped to help a stranded motorist on the Sprain Brook Parkway near Hawthorne, New York,on Feb. 9, 2017. New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul and New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, left, wave to supporters after being elected to a third term inManhattan onNov. 6, 2018. Andrew Cuomo made an unwanted advance toward a woman at a 2019 wedding, The New York Times first reported on Monday evening and a friend of the woman who says they . The Governor must resign.. DeRosa had married former Cuomo spokesman Matthew Wing just 12 days earlier on August 27. Reached by The Post on Monday night, Ruch said the photo of Cuomo clutching her face speaks for itself. I wanted to say, That wasnt OK., Cuomo Accused of Unwanted Advance at a Wedding: Can I Kiss You?, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/nyregion/cuomo-harassment-anna-ruch.html. It is unfortunate that Ms. DeRosa has chosen to retaliate against a victim of sexual harassment by falsely accusing her of extortion, Licul said. New York, UNITED STATES: New York Attorney General Elect Andrew Cuomo joins hands with his father . Boylan said thatCuomokissed her without consent and asked inappropriate questions, like if she wanted to play strip poker. The bride from the 2019 nuptials, which the governor officiated at Manhattan restaurant Toro, also applauded Ruch for coming forward. Cuomo's problems deepened on Monday when video of him urging reporter Beth Cefalu to 'eat the whole sausage' at the 2016 New York State Fair emerged. The Governor and I have been close friends and colleagues for over ten years we've had countless meals together and suggestions or innuendo around that is inappropriate, offensive and wrong.'. I didnt witness this. Cuomo is seen presenting his Covid-19 Mountain during his coronavirus briefings. The governor had kissed her cheek, she was told. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Cuomo fraudster-pal Joe Percoco released from halfway house, Andrew Cuomo lawsuit says ethics agency has no authority to take his book millions, Bidens mortgage equity will screw up the homebuying market, Beyond Cuomos deceptions: New Yorks true COVID death toll. Andrew Cuomo has had a fairly long political career, from his time as U.S. secretary ofHousing and Urban Development under the Clinton administration to New York state's 56th governor. Cuomo has been single since September 2019, when he and longtime girlfriend Sandra Lee, the TV cooking show star, announced theyd broken up after 14 years together. James Aug. 3 report detailing the avalanche of allegations led Cuomo to resign under pressure of impeachment a week later and now has him facing a misdemeanor charge for allegedly groping the breast of another aide, 33-year-old Brittany Commisso, inside Albanys Executive Mansion, the governors official residence. Her husband, Gareth Rhodes, is a current Cuomo staffer, according to his LinkedIn account. The signing took place at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan on July 8, 2015. Ruch told The New York Times that she first met Cuomo at the aforementioned wedding reception back in September 2019. nd when she removed it, the governor remarked that she seemed aggressive and placed his hands on her cheeks, according to the Times. Gov. Her first impression was positive enough. Stefanik has now called for the criminal prosecution of both Cuomo and DeRosa for covering up the nursing home COVID deaths. At the weekend Stefanik called on Cuomo to resign because of the growing sexual harassment scandal. I didnt have a choice in that matter. Andrew M. Cuomoduring an event on Aug. 8, 2017, at La Guardia Airport in Queens. They're pictured in June 2020, A witness who snapped the photos told DailyMail.com, that they sat in a booth typically reserved for parties of four or more, The pictures show DeRosa's brand-new wedding ring as she sits with Cuomo, who is wearing a white shirt and purple tie. Normally those booths are reserved for parties of four or more but I guess if you are the governor you get to sit where you want. Governor Andrew Cuomo endorses Nassau County Executive candidate Tom Suozzi, left, during a Democratic party rally at the Albertson VFW Hall Oct. 25, 2013. Andrew Cuomo receives the endorsement of NARAL Pro-Choice New York during a press conference on the steps of City Hall onSept. 29, 2010. He asked the public to reserve judgment on the allegations until the inquiry is complete. Cefalu said she found nothing inappropriate about his remark although others have called it 'creepy' and 'cringey. Gov. The picture of Anna Ruch and the New York governor is remarkable not for its aesthetic quality, but for the familiar moment that it captures. DeRosa's official title is secretary to the governor. 'He was quite brazen about it. Andrew Cuomo. She has faced her own experiences of sexual harassment. The moment Cuomo grabbed Anna Ruch's face and asked "can I kiss. Politico previously reported that AOC's fellow left-wing . They have since broken up, Sandra Lee was seen for the first time Sunday since the explosive sexual misconduct allegations came out against Cuomo. Cuomo attended DeRosa and Wings August 27, 2016, nuptials at the swank Sagamore Resort on Lake Georges Green Island and made a toast congratulating the newlyweds, a source who attended told The Post. . First reported by the New York Times, the order Cuomo signed was meant for a state of emergency, and he rescinded the EO effective June 25th. Andrew M. Cuomo delivers his State of the State address virtually from The War Room at the state Capitol onJan. 11, 2021, in Albany. Kisco, New York. Andrew Cuomo asked one of his accusers to help him find a girlfriend then rejected her suggestion of Chelsea Handler because he thought the comedian was 'crazy'.. NEW York Gov Andrew Cuomo has been accused of unwanted touching and asking a young woman if he could kiss her at a wedding. Ruch told The New York Times that she first met Cuomo at the aforementioned wedding reception back in September 2019. Gov. Gov. Prominent Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have all commented on the seriousness of the allegations and the need for a probe.