New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has released a statement responding to recent accusations of sexual harassment, admitting that he can be “playful and make jokes” at work, but reaffirmed that he had no wrong intentions and is sorry to anyone who “misinterpreted” his actions “as an unwanted flirtation.”
“At work sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I do, on occasion, tease people in what I think is a good natured way,” he admits in the statement. “I do it in public and in private.”
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He continues: “You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business.”
The new statement comes after a second former staffer came forward to accuse the Governor of sexual harassment in the workplace. Charlotte Bennett, who worked for Cuomo in 2020 detailed his misconduct in a new story published on Medium, earlier this weekend.
“I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that,” Cuomo concluded.
[Via]