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progressoid

(51,374 posts)
62. It was more than asking for a kiss.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 03:39 PM
Mar 2021

This is not a paid off accuser:

My story of working with Governor Cuomo
Lindsey Boylan

“Let’s play strip poker.”

I should have been shocked by the Governor’s crude comment, but I wasn’t.

We were flying home from an October 2017 event in Western New York on his taxpayer-funded jet. He was seated facing me, so close our knees almost touched. His press aide was to my right and a state trooper behind us.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I responded sarcastically and awkwardly. I tried to play it cool. But in that moment, I realized just how acquiescent I had become.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has created a culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected. His inappropriate behavior toward women was an affirmation that he liked you, that you must be doing something right. He used intimidation to silence his critics. And if you dared to speak up, you would face consequences.

...

I had complained to friends that the Governor would go out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs. His senior staff began keeping tabs on my whereabouts. “He is a sexist pig and you should avoid being alone with him!” my mother texted me on November 4, 2016.

...

I tried to excuse his behavior. I told myself “it’s only words.” But that changed after a one-on-one briefing with the Governor to update him on economic and infrastructure projects. We were in his New York City office on Third Avenue. As I got up to leave and walk toward an open door, he stepped in front of me and kissed me on the lips. I was in shock, but I kept walking.

...

It was all so normalized — particularly by Melissa DeRosa and other top women around him — that only now do I realize how insidious his abuse was.

After my tweets about the Governor in December, two women reached out to me with their own experiences. One described how she lived in constant fear, scared of what would happen to her if she rejected the Governor’s advances. The other said she was instructed by the Governor to warn staff members who upset him that their jobs could be at risk. Both told me they are too afraid to speak out.

I know some will brush off my experience as trivial. We are accustomed to powerful men behaving badly when no one is watching. But what does it say about us when everyone is watching and no one says a thing.

...https://medium.com/lindseyboylan4NY/my-story-of-working-with-governor-cuomo-e664d4814b4e

...more

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Cuomo should absolutely NOT resign [View all] Hoochie Coochie Man Mar 2021 OP
Let the voters decide Fullduplexxx Mar 2021 #1
So, you're okay if the voters decide to pick a Republican? brooklynite Mar 2021 #4
They're gonna decide anyway regardless of you putting words in my mouth Fullduplexxx Mar 2021 #6
Are you suggesting that the will of the voters only matters when we're talking about Dems? eggplant Mar 2021 #39
Agree, and a full independent investigation onetexan Mar 2021 #37
EXACTLY! SheltieLover Mar 2021 #2
Totally agree. Not one peep about the scores of women Trump assaulted from them. The days of Dream Girl Mar 2021 #3
+1 Ferrets are Cool Mar 2021 #19
Thank you. Rustyeye77 Mar 2021 #21
He should not resign based on accusations alone. But he should if the accusations are proven Beastly Boy Mar 2021 #5
Exactly SCantiGOP Mar 2021 #14
OTOH, even if the accusations are proven, wnylib Mar 2021 #15
That Kim guy seems especially eager to do him in...wonder why? Dream Girl Mar 2021 #26
No jorgevlorgan Mar 2021 #41
Agreed. Silver1 Mar 2021 #7
Agreed. piddyprints Mar 2021 #8
If the accusations are true he should resign. Lunabell Mar 2021 #9
Why? He did not assault them. He did wnylib Mar 2021 #16
+1 Ferrets are Cool Mar 2021 #20
If he were to racially harass someone would you apply the same standard? Lunabell Mar 2021 #31
Depends on what you mean by racially wnylib Mar 2021 #45
+1. This a slippery slope. Cuomo must fight how Biden did, rope-a-dope radius777 Mar 2021 #60
I have mixed feelings about this. wnylib Mar 2021 #61
Lots of accusers came out against Biden also, radius777 Mar 2021 #64
Well, there's no doubt that Cuomo wnylib Mar 2021 #66
By this definition of "assault " there's a picture of it Lunabell Mar 2021 #46
Surely there are more defining details about wnylib Mar 2021 #47
I will pass judgement on Cuomo when the civil cases are resolved. ahoysrcsm Mar 2021 #57
☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️ Thekaspervote Mar 2021 #10
Or Taylor-Green, or Boebert, or Cawthorn, or... Ponietz Mar 2021 #11
Suspect he will brazen it out greenjar_01 Mar 2021 #12
Exactly. What's acceptable for one party should be acceptable for the other. judesedit Mar 2021 #13
Tell that to the Dems in the NY Assembly wnylib Mar 2021 #17
wut? progressoid Mar 2021 #38
I don't know any saints. Do you? We have bigger fish to fry right now judesedit Mar 2021 #48
I'm not saying everyone as a saint. progressoid Mar 2021 #55
Asking for a kiss once is not sexual harassment. Sorry. judesedit Mar 2021 #59
It was more than asking for a kiss. progressoid Mar 2021 #62
It should be addressed. It should have been addressed before this. judesedit Mar 2021 #63
Trump was the worst sexual predator to hold office. ananda Mar 2021 #18
No but we thought he should have. forthemiddle Mar 2021 #22
And how as our "upper hand" worked out for us? Dream Girl Mar 2021 #28
The Hump was way, way worse judesedit Mar 2021 #49
It's not the same behavior treestar Mar 2021 #54
Gov. hang in there!! marieo1 Mar 2021 #23
It's rather irrelevant as to what we think. Kaleva Mar 2021 #24
+1 orangecrush Mar 2021 #29
In my opinion... kentuck Mar 2021 #25
I'm trying to figure out what you mean in this case? Rustyeye77 Mar 2021 #30
Me too. Celerity Mar 2021 #34
Sometimes I just don't understand Rustyeye77 Mar 2021 #43
perhaps they will explain, but it faces up, barring an explanation, as a very problematic comment Celerity Mar 2021 #44
Wow. I thought I was the only person to feel this way. Rustyeye77 Mar 2021 #27
Cuomo helped Republicans keep control of the State Senate madeup64 Mar 2021 #32
Your (factual btw) list is why some will defend him to the death. Celerity Mar 2021 #50
Agreed stage left Mar 2021 #33
A third woman came forward GentleAlien Mar 2021 #35
Accusations are just that treestar Mar 2021 #53
We're going to give him his day in court, MontanaMama Mar 2021 #56
Hear hear. Captain Zero Mar 2021 #36
You're correct. He should just stop doing inappropriate, stupid shit. And atone for what he's done. TygrBright Mar 2021 #40
I ambivalently agree dsp3000 Mar 2021 #42
I totally agree! The Dotard was accused of harassment and/or assault raccoon Mar 2021 #51
When Cuomo walks through a teen age dressing room and pays a stripper $130k hush money Captain Zero Mar 2021 #58
Only last week you wrote "We, as "liberals" have a higher bar and higher standard" LanternWaste Mar 2021 #52
Agreed Dem4Life1102 Mar 2021 #65
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