Andrew Cuomo, New York governor accused of harassment, increasingly isolated
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo.
© AFP
Text by: Loubna Anaki Follow
5 mins
His daily press conferences punctuated the lives of New Yorkers at the heart of the coronavirus epidemic.
They had made him a national star.
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, is now in turmoil.
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From our correspondent in New York
,
For Andrew Cuomo, every day now brings its share of scandals.
The governor of New York is accused of sexual harassment by at least five women.
So far, only one former collaborator has agreed to testify on television.
Charlotte Bennett, 25, told CBS what she had suffered one day in the governor's office: “
He hinted at me.
That my age suited him and that he felt lonely.
I thought to myself
: "he's trying to sleep with me
.
"
"
Charlotte Bennett does not hesitate to call her former boss a predator.
“
I really liked my job, I really respected the governor.
I saw him as a mentor.
But I think it's strategic, that predators look for loopholes, possible traumas.
"
Cuomo's apology
The American press also published a photo taken at a party, and provided by another accuser.
We see Andrew Cuomo with both hands on the face of the young woman, visibly uncomfortable.
Anna Ruch explains that he would have tried to kiss her.
After dismissing the accusations, the 63-year-old governor finally apologized: “
I understand today that my actions have made people uncomfortable.
It was not my intention.
And I offer my sincere apologies.
And I never touched anyone inappropriately.
"
Apologies denounced by his accusers, including Charlotte Bennett: “
These are not excuses.
The problem is not what I thought I understood.
The problem is his behavior.
The point is, he harassed me and he didn't apologize for harassing me!
"
Andrew Cuomo dismisses the idea of a resignation
An investigation has been opened by the New York State prosecutor,
who this week appointed a team of lawyers to investigate.
Andrew Cuomo also faces another federal investigation.
This time on the management of the health crisis.
His administration is accused of having, on purpose, downplayed the numbers of deaths due to Covid-19 in nursing homes in the state.
Long hailed for his management of this coronavirus crisis, Andrew Cuomo now faces criticism from all sides.
But for him, it is out of the question to leave: “
I work for the people of the State of New York.
They elected me.
And we still have a lot of things to manage
: the Covid, the recovery, the reconstruction, we have a New York city in crisis.
So no, I'm not going to quit.
"
Isolated
Yet more and more elected officials are calling for resignation.
Andrew Cuomo has long reigned supreme over New York.
Today, the career of the powerful governor seems compromised as Bill Hyers, Democratic political adviser, explains: “
Politically, he is mortally wounded.
It's not something you can easily get out of.
There is going to be story after story for the coming year and a half.
"
Andrew Cuomo was counting on a assured fourth term.
Bill Hyers assures him that he will have competition when no one would have dared to face him before: "
I have already received calls from people whom I have never heard of and who say to me
" I will be candidate
"and I answer them
:" But who are you? "
.
I really believe that everyone is testing the waters.
"
Andrew Cuomo appears more and more isolated every day.
This week, his publishing house decided to curb the promotion of his book.
The governor recounts how he managed, according to him, to manage the Covid-19 and had titled it
An American Crisis: Governance lessons from the Covid epidemic
.
And on CNN, Andrew Cuomo's brother Chris Cuomo is now banned from interviewing the governor.
The journalist used to receive him regularly on the air.
►
To read also: Harassment, health crisis: the powerful governor of New York Andrew Cuomo falters
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Harassment, health crisis: the powerful governor of New York Andrew Cuomo falters