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Cuomo Denies Allegations Of Sexual Harassment From Former Aide
By
Sydney Pereira
Published Dec 14, 2020
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By
Sydney Pereira
Published Dec 14, 2020
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A former aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo has accused him of sexually harassing her for years regarding her looks while she worked in his administration, an allegation the governor repeatedly denied during a press briefing on Monday.
Lindsey Boylan, a former deputy secretary for economic development in Cuomo's administration for about three-and-a-half years, according to her LinkedIn page, said in a Twitter thread on Sunday that Cuomo had "sexually harassed me for years."
"Many saw it, and watched," she wrote. "I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years."
She said she is not alone in her experiences working for the governor.
Cuomo denied the claims during a press conference on Monday.
"It's not true," Cuomo said. "Look, I fought for and I believe a woman has the right to come forward and express her opinion and express issues and concerns that she has. But, it's just not true."
Boylan has not responded to messages requesting an interview. She tweeted she does not want to speak to journalists but would rather focus on "validating the experience of countless women and making sure abuse stops."
In a previous Twitter thread earlier this month, she called the Governor's office a "toxic" workplace environment.
Boylan left the Governor's office in October 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile. Last year, she ran a failed primary campaign against Rep. Jerry Nadler on Manhattan's west side and is currently running for the Manhattan Borough President's seat in 2021 in an already crowded race.
Although Cuomo has not faced any formal sexual harassment complaints, he has a track record of speaking to and about women in a way that stands out as awkward or inappropriate.
In a 2016 local news channel's video, he told a female reporter, "I wanna see you eat the whole sausage" during a cringe-worthy segment in which she sits down with the governor for lunch.
And when State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins was sworn into her seat—a historic day for the State Senate—Cuomo took it upon himself to poke fun at the #MeToo movement during a quick briefing with journalists. "I'll bring you all up on charges under the Me Too movement," Cuomo said. Instead of apologizing, he said he was "assaulted" by press.
Another former aide to Cuomo, Alexis Grenell, openly derided the governor for being incapable of keeping "his vanity in check" in a recent essay published in The Nation. His recent book, she wrote, was "an undignified victory lap by the facts-first persona that won him legitimate praise to begin with, underscoring the point that for Cuomo it was always more about presentation than substance."
Meanwhile, Cuomo is among a host of contenders for Attorney General under President-Elect Joe Biden's administration, according to the Associated Press. Cuomo called it "flattering" to be considered, but said Monday he intends to continue serving as governor.
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Governor Andrew Cuomo
sexual harassment
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Sydney Pereira
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