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Eleven women raise accusations against Andrew Cuomo (archive picture): "What he did to me is a crime"
Photo: MIKE SEGAR / REUTERS
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is increasingly troubled over allegations of harassment from numerous women.
"What he did to me is a crime," Cuomo's former chief assistant Brittany Commisso said in a TV interview broadcast on Monday.
The governor groped her twice.
A few hours before the interview was broadcast, Cuomo's close associate Melissa DeRosa resigned over allegations against her boss.
"The governor must be held accountable," said Commisso in an interview with the broadcaster CBS and the newspaper "Times Union".
The Democratic Party politician "broke the law."
"It was not wanted"
Commisso described how Cuomo groped her on two occasions in work situations.
"He may have thought it was normal," she said.
“But it wasn't normal for me and the other women he did this to.
It was not wanted and it was certainly not consensual. "
In addition to Commisso, ten other women are making sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo.
Nine of the women are or have been employed by the New York state authorities.
Commisso has filed a criminal complaint against Cuomo.
According to media reports, a close confidante turned her back on Cuomo on Sunday (local time).
The Cuomo advisor Melissa DeRosa announced in a written statement that she would give up her position.
According to the prosecutor's investigation report, DeRosa was one of Cuomo's key supporters until the end.
Accordingly, she was one of a group of loyal employees who actively took action against a woman after she had raised allegations against the governor.
In the wake of the affair, Roberta Kaplan resigned on Monday as chairwoman of the Time's Up organization, which was founded as part of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.
The lawyer's office had represented Cuomo advisor DeRosa and is said to have helped the governor in his defense against the harassment allegations.
About a week ago, an investigation report by Attorney General Letitia James came to the conclusion that the governor had sexually harassed former and current employees of the state authorities.
In addition, the governor, who has been in office since 2011, created a "hostile working atmosphere" and a "climate of fear" for women.
The 63-year-old governor denies the allegations.
Cuomo repeatedly rejected calls for resignation from high-ranking party friends such as US President Joe Biden.
"I've never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances," he said.
Now impeachment proceedings are pending against him.
ime / AFP / dpa