Andrew Cuomo Reflects on Past Allegations
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York shared that he’s “learned a lesson” regarding the sexual harassment allegations against him. He mentioned that he won’t initiate cheek kisses anymore unless the other person does so first.
Cuomo, now running as an independent candidate for mayor of New York in 2021, resigned after accusations of sexually harassing 13 female state employees. During an interview with ABC’s “The View,” he was asked about his message for voters who are having difficulties looking past those allegations, especially after the Justice Department found “credible allegations.”
“When the report was released, I felt it was politically motivated, and it was. I wasn’t even aware of the allegations at that point. The report included details I didn’t know, and then for five years, that report went around to five district attorneys across the state—no one found anything,” Cuomo stated.
A report from the New York State Legislature, which came out in November after Cuomo’s resignation, revealed “overwhelming evidence” of sexual harassment by him toward state employees. New York Attorney General Letitia James conducted an independent investigation at the time, concluding that Cuomo had harassed multiple women with unwanted groping, kissing, hugging, and inappropriate remarks.
Cuomo maintained that no criminal charges arose from these allegations, expressing that if he “offended anyone in any way,” it was “not intentional.” He reflected, “Five years of civil litigation for individual actions didn’t yield anything. It was tough for me and my family. I have three daughters, ages 30, 30, and 28—not so young anymore, but still, it was challenging for us.”
“If I offended someone, I didn’t mean to. I’ve learned a painful lesson about being careful with my words—the jokes, the comments. I won’t kiss anyone unless they lead the way,” he noted. “This experience taught me to be mindful; people’s feelings are real and need to be respected.”
Despite the findings of the independent report, a judge dismissed criminal charges against him in January 2022 after Albany County prosecutors stated that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to continue the case.
However, the Justice Department published a report in January 2024, confirming evidence that Cuomo had harassed 13 women—two more than those identified in the earlier investigation by James. The Justice Department indicated that Cuomo “created a sexually hostile work environment,” failed to address the situation, and retaliated against those who reported harassment.
In a June interview with The New York Times, Cuomo expressed regret over his resignation in 2021, stating that he believed he was hindering government operations at that time.
