Cuomo says he "never touched anyone inappropriately"

[Jose Garcia]

Source: CBS News

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday he "never touched anyone inappropriately" or "made inappropriate sexual advances," after an explosive state Attorney General's investigation found he sexually harassed multiple current and former staffers, as well as women who did not work for his administration.

"The facts are much different than what has been portrayed," Cuomo said in a speech at the governor's mansion.

"I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am, and that's not who I have ever been," he said.

Cuomo said he understands "there are generational and cultural perspectives that I have not fully appreciated" and said, "I have learned from this."

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/live-updates/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-probe/

[spooky3]

1. His statement is as bad (though in a different way) as the sexual harassment.

It’s appalling that he blames this on “politics.” And he was responsible for initiating the changes in NY law and policy on SH. Not sure if that’s ironic, or that he was trying to deflect in advance.

[zuul]

4. His statement was truly awful. I cringed for him since he clearly doesn't care.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

2. "...generational and cultural perspectives that I have not fully appreciated"

[Polybius]

3. Oh man, he needs to resign ASAP

He's basically calling the AG a liar.

[napi21]

5. I don't think a lot of you really understand what was going on there. I'm now 77 so no longer

working, but I did work in an office environment from age 18 on. Cuomo's actions were common practice. It was important for women to handle it as they saw fit in order to be seen as promotable to management some day. I know from personal experience that that's the way it worked. I began as a file clerk & years later, retired as a director of finance after several promotions & relocation to three different States.

Although there are a few exceptions, most of the men mean no harm, nor do they want to upset the women they work with. If you were upset by their words or actions an you told them to knock it off, they did.

I realize it's 2021, and my experiences are from the 60's through 1990 and things are very different now. I'm only trying to explaine to you that Cuomo is still functioning in the past and he doesn't see what everyone's complaining about. Someone needs to tell him exactly that, and that he must move into the new era or quit!

[LizBeth]

7. "Cuomo's actions were common practice." A very true and reality based point that most of us women

were forced to live. I do not necessarily agree that most men meant no harm. I think they well did mean to dominate and intimidate and have their little fun at women's expense but it was a norm rather than otherwise.

[spooky3]

10. I also don't agree that the men meant no harm, any more

than racists didn’t mean harm when they made racist comments or excluded people of color from good jobs.

They felt entitled and that no one would hold them to account.

[LizBeth]

12. +1

[spooky3]

8. No. I'm close to Cuomo's age and can assure you

that the law has been very clear for decades on this, and companies have had training programs forever. Cuomo himself backed recent changes in NY law that clarified and toughened up the policies in the NY state government. There is ZERO possibility that he “didn’t understand” or that “generational differences” account for his behavior.

[LizBeth]

9. +1, privilege allowed him to feel he could continue. And all the decades he got away with it

reinforced that belief. And is friends around him that enabled or participate with him.

[spooky3]

11. Exactly! Nt

[twodogsbarking]

14. He knew. The rest is details.

[treestar]

16. It's a good thing he backed those changes

No Republican would have.

[spooky3]

17. What good are the changes when he ignores them

And breaks his own rules?

Please stop defending the indefensible.

[treestar]

19. Tons of people who lived under them

and went along with him? What? If he doesn't obey, they are worthless? (if he has been proven guilty). Stop labeling arguments and respond to them instead.

[spooky3]

20. I have responded and am done discussing this with you. Read the report.

Read up on the law on sexual harassment. Stop defending the indefensible.

[cadoman]

56. but how could he have known if he forced staff to take the training programs for him? /s

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Cuomo, beyond simply being a bad person who should be in prison, is dead weight for us politically. Many of you will not fully understand how bad the nursing home situation was until he has a campaign opponent calling him out on it.

Should have been cut long ago, but better late than never.

[Historic NY]

23. The replacement will pardon Trump

the Lt. Gov. will never win statewide.

[onenote]

36. Do you think Letitia James is part of this "plan"?

To put it another way...do you believe her report or not?

[onenote]

38. Still trying to understand the "plan" you referred to.

Are you saying the women who came forward were plants working on Trump's behalf? That they lied? That Letitia James -- the highly respected Attorney General of New York -- had the wool pulled over her eyes?

Defending Cuomo sends a message -- and its not a good one.

[Flash953]

45. I agree with you Hamersjill

I don't have all day to get all the info on Cuomo. I know Leticia James is doing things against the NRA and looking into criminal investigations of Trump. I would like the AG to take down the NRA and Trump first.

[onenote]

47. James filed suit against the NRA last August. And the criminal investigation of Trump

is largely in the hands of the District Attorney.

Cuomo himself asked James to conduct an investigation of the harassment claims against him last March. Do you think she should have stonewalled that investigation?

[Historic NY]

53. She doesn't control pardons.

The Republicans are already lining up in Westchester & Long Island to capture the throne .

[onenote]

54. Do you think the Repubs weren't going to "line up" to win the governor's race

no matter which Democrat is running?

This notion that Cuomo is the victim of some "plan" is ludicrous unless you think James is part of that plan. Which itself is ludicrous.

[Karma13612]

52. What are you

Basing that statement on, pardoning Trump????????????????????????????????????????????

[AngryOldDem]

24. I compared this to Mad Men in another post

I love that show, but seeing how the workplace was back then is extremely uncomfortable to watch. And I’m of that age, too, to know for a fact it was not exaggerated. What a gag-inducing place the governor’s office must have been (or still is, for all we know). Cuomo seems to honestly not get why his behavior is just offensive and wrong.

[Rebl2]

26. He knows

better in 2021! I guess he’s okay if men treat his daughters this way?

[Lancero]

28. I really gotta love people citing age like its some sort of defense for his actions.

At his age, shouldn't he know better?

[napi21]

42. Yes, he SHOULD know better, but his age is used because several decades ago, what he did was common

practice. Anyone who was in the workforce for a log time had to change with the times. Unfortunately it seems Cuomo did not learn.

[Polybius]

48. People are supposed to change with the times

Just like people used to say fussy. Saying it in 2021 makes a person look silly. It's been replaced by picky.

[Apollo Zeus]

51. +1 He is 63 -- not 163

and it hitting on and touching 25-year-old employees is never appropriate.

He is burying his legacy with his non-apology / "I did nothing wrong" nonsense.

[Faux pas]

6. Yeah Sure Ya Betcha

[BradAllison]

13. Pretty cringy he went that way.

Don't run again.

[Polybius]

55. If he does, he'd get trounced in the primary

Even de Blasio would beat him one-on-one.

[Harker]

15. Plenty of crimes don't involve physical contact...

and parsing doesn't help. It compounds the insensitivity.

He should resign.

Now.

[MontanaMama]

18. If he laid a hand on any woman anywhere on her body

without her permission, it was inappropriate. He can fuck right off as far as I'm concerned.

[AngryOldDem]

21. According to him.

I’m dumbfounded that he admits to what he did, but can’t see how or why it’s offensive. And he further demeans the women who brought these allegations to boot.

What did he hope to gain with that whole cringy slideshow of him acting like a gold-plated creeper? If anything, that closes the case.

He needs to do himself a favor and resign.

[Jose Garcia]

29. What the hell does that have to do with Cuomo sexually harassing women?

[rpannier]

32. It's not important

What is important is that the Democratic Attorney General of the State of New York put together a commission to investigate Cuomo and found that he had committed serious offenses; violating both state and federal laws

If you want to go pure politics; Cuomo is NOT the only Democrat that can win the governor's race. Just about any Democrat will win it.
Trump flunkies wanting to run for governor is a non-starter

[Cozmo]

30. Just because people have gotten away with sexist, racist behavior in the past doesn't make it OK

We all gotta evolve.

[NotANeocon]

31. Criminals don't get to decide what "inappropriate" means.

[TexasBushwhacker]

39. Exactly

He didn't say he never touched anyone, just that he didn't do it "inappropriately". Well, the perpetrator doesn't get to make that decision. Like Harvey Weinstein. He said all the sex he had with actresses was "consensual". Has he looked in the mirror lately? Geez!

[paleotn]

33. Irrelevant.

Investigators have evidence he did.

[GulfCoast66]

35. Ive fired men who also never touched their victim.

I’m old enough to remember when women at my company regularly had to put up with skivvy comments. But no more.

About the time I became a manager 26 years ago it started changing. Over the next 5 year many men were fired and way more who could not change retired.

I personally terminated several. If the Governor worked for me and my HR department came back with same investigation results I would fire him. And not blink an eye. And the Union would not strongly support any grievance he filed. They would represent, but as anyone in a union workforce knows there is being there as a union representative and actually fighting for the member.

[spooky3]

40. Thank you for posting this. nt

[GulfCoast66]

41. It's nothing but the truth.

We learned over a decade ago in my company that if you are making a woman feel uncomfortable it’s on you. Not her.

You do it more than a one or 2 times you are gone.

The biggest problem was men thinking the way they talked to other men of their mindset was cool for the ‘girls’ since they were now in the workplace.

It took a while to change that bullshit. But I tell my employees that if they use any language or say anything they would not say to their grandmother they are on thin ice.

I’ve seen what my wife put up with over 30 years ago at our company. She is now in a position of power and believe me, she has an even less tolerant policy than me. As long as I’m a manager that shit won’t be allowed at all. Fortunately that is true throughout my company of over 120,000 employees. And that has now been extended to all marginalized groups.

[Flash953]

44. Does anyone know what Leticia James is doing with the NRA? What about the issues with Trump?

Whats the latest on the NRA? Does Frump owe New York any Taxes?

[onenote]

46. She filed suit against the NRA last August. The civil investigation into the Trump organization is

ongoing. District Attorney Cyrus Vance is pursuing a criminal investigation.

The Cuomo investigation was conducted by James at Cuomo's request.

[Raine]

49. He has a different definition of what is inappropriate and appropriate

from the women he touched INAPPROPRIATELY.