Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a news conference. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images
ALBANY, N.Y. — One of the former aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who has accused him of sexual harassment is encouraging others to come forward if they've had similar experiences.
Charlotte Bennett said in a statement first reported by the New York Times that the governor has refused to take responsibility for predatory behavior. And, referring to another accuser and former Cuomo aide, Lindsey Boylan, she addressed any other women who may have experienced similar harassment.
“To the Governor’s survivors: I am here," she wrote. "Lindsey is here. You do not have to say a single word. But if you choose to speak your truth, we will be standing with you. I promise."
Bennett also criticized Cuomo's subsequent wrangling with state Attorney General Tish James over how the investigation should proceed as an effort to avoid an independent investigation.
"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," Bennett wrote in the statement.
Bennett has accused the governor of asking her about her personal relationships, asking her whether she had sex with older men and saying he was open to relationships with women in their 20s. Cuomo is 63. Bennett, 25, reported her discomfort to the governor's chief of staff and was transferred to a health policy position out of the governor's immediate orbit. She has since taken a job outside New York.
Cuomo on Sunday appeared to respond to Bennet's allegations by acknowledging that he may have crossed a line at times. The governor's statement has drawn a significant backlash from some top Democratic officials.
"I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended," the governor said in a statement. "I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation."
Bennett said coming forward was a difficult and personal decision for her. She went public after Boylan said Cuomo suggested they play strip poker aboard a state plane and kissed her without consent in his New York City office.
Debra S. Katz, Bennett's lawyer, called for James to determine if the governor has spoken to other women in his administration in similar fashion. She also said the attorney general should scrutinize how Cuomo's office handled Bennett's allegations at the time they were made internally.
Cuomo's special counsel Beth Garvey has said that the allegation was handled "in accordance with applicable law and policy." She said Bennett was consulted on the resolution with a transfer.
The full statements from Bennett and her lawyer are below:
Statement of Charlotte Bennett in response to Governor Cuomo’s remarks:
“The Governor has refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior. As we know, abusers — particularly those with tremendous amounts of power — are often repeat offenders who engage in manipulative tactics to diminish allegations, blame victims, deny wrongdoing and escape consequences. It took the Governor 24 hours and significant backlash to allow for a truly independent investigation. 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.
“In a clear effort to perform a sensitivity that he simply does not possess, the Governor has implied that he wants his supporters to stand down and respect my decision to speak out. In coming forward I fully expected to be attacked by those who reflexively question the honesty or motivation of those who report sexual harassment. I am not deterred by these voices. Instead, I have focused on the overwhelming love and support I have received from friends and strangers alike. Thank you for holding space for me and lifting me up in what has been one of the most vulnerable moments of my life.
“Coming forward was an excruciating decision. I decided to share my story because I had faith that I would be supported and believed. This is often not the case. Sharing my experience was only possible because of past survivors who stood up and told their stories. I hope that my story helps other survivors feel like they can stand in their truth.
“To survivors reading this: I believe you. I see you. I hear you. Your story is valid, your pain is real and your anger is justified. I am sending you my love, support and solidarity. You are carrying an unbelievable burden — one that takes time and energy to untangle. Each journey, including my own, is a long and winding one. No two are the same. That said, I believe we can empower each other. For anyone who needs to hear this, know I am holding space for you, too.
“To the Governor’s survivors: I am here. Lindsey is here. You do not have to say a single word. But if you choose to speak your truth, we will be standing with you. I promise.”
Statement of Debra S. Katz
“Ms. Bennett will cooperate fully with the Attorney General’s investigation. We are confident that no disinterested investigator who reviews this evidence would adopt the Governor’s self-serving characterization of his behavior as mentorship or, at worst, unwanted flirtation. He was not acting as a mentor and his remarks were not misunderstood by Ms. Bennett. He was abusing his power over her for sex. This is textbook sexual harassment.
“If, as the Governor now acknowledges, he talked to young women who worked for his administration in this manner, the problem is a systemic one and the Attorney General must investigate whether other women were subjected to a sexually hostile work environment. It is also critical for the Attorney General to determine if anyone in the Cuomo Administration enabled his behavior. We call on the Attorney General to investigate the failure of Governor Cuomo’s chief of staff and special counsel to fully investigate Ms. Bennett’s allegation. They had a clear legal obligation to do so.”
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