The investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Gov. Andrew Cuomo has come to a groundbreaking conclusion.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “That Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, and in doing so, violated federal and state law.”
James and a team of independent investigators released their final report, after a months-long probe into the conduct of New York state’s 56th governor.
Read Also: Twitter Closes New York, San Francisco Offices Permanently Over CDC’s Coronavirus Warnings
The attorney general’s report includes instances of the governor’s repeated and unwanted touching of, and conversations with, current and former state employees, as well as retaliatory efforts.
As CBS2’s political reporter Marcia Kramer reports, it’s the report everyone except Cuomo has been waiting for, and it includes bombshell findings that the governor sexually harassed women in and out of government.
The findings, which came after Cuomo was questioned for 11 hours several weeks ago, are that the governor sexually harassed former employees, sexually harassed women who did not work in the governor’s office, and he took retaliatory action against one woman.
“These interviews and pieces of evidence reveal a deeply disturbing, yet clear picture,” James said. “The independent investigation found that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, many of whom were young women, by engaging in unwanted groping, kisses, hugging, and by making inappropriate comments. Further, the governor and his senior team took actions to retaliate against at least one former employee for coming forward with her story, her truth.”
James says that over the course of five months, investigators spoke to 179 individuals and reviewed more than 74,000 pieces of evidence.
“Our investigation revealed that these were not isolated incidents. They were part of a pattern of sexually harassing behavior was not limited to his own staff, it extended to other state employees including a state trooper who served on his protective detail,” lead investigator Joon Kim said.
The report finds the executive chamber was a hostile work environment and 11 allegations of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior leveled against the governor are credible.
Investigators say that Cuomo engaged in “repeated physical violations” of women, groped an assistant, and allegedly had unwelcome contact with a female state trooper.
Cuomo also repeatedly made “offensive and gender-based” comments to staffers and employees.
Monday, Cuomo continued to flatly deny the allegations detailed in the report.
“I cooperated with the review, and I can now finally share the truth,” Cuomo said. “The facts are much different than what has been portrayed.”
Cuomo insisted he “never touched anyone inappropriately or made sexual advances.”
Cuomo didn’t resign, despite many fresh calls for him to do so. During his statement, he showed a slideshow that showed him touching, kissing and hugging numerous people, saying it is behavior he’s engaged in for years.
James said the investigation has concluded, and the allegations are “civil in nature,” though prosecutors are welcome to review the report and make their own decisions about possible criminal charges.
James said next steps are up to Cuomo, the Assembly, and the public – but the investigation into sexual harassment by the New York Attorney General’s office is over.
“The report speaks for itself,” James said. “The governor violated state and federal laws.”
As to the allegations from the 11 accusers against Cuomo, “I believe them,” James said.
A separate investigation into the governor’s book deal remains open.
The investigation found that the executive chamber was a toxic environment where “you could not say no to the governor,” lead investigator Joon Kim said.
It was a work environment “ripe for harassment,” Kim said.