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New York governor faces more serious accusation from the sixth woman

WION Web Team
New York, United States of AmericaUpdated: Mar 11, 2021, 09:51 AM IST
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The filing of the lawsuit, which coincided with New York Democrats overwhelmingly endorsing Cuomo’s successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as their nominee in this year’s election, was a reminder that he still faces potential legal jeopardy over the events that hastened his resignation in August. Photograph:(Reuters)

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According to the newspaper, the woman had been called to Cuomo's governor's mansion in Albany last year on the "apparent pretext" of helping him with a problem with his phone.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo, already under investigation for sexual harassment, is facing more serious allegations of groping a female employee.

This female employee was the sixth woman to have accused Cuomo of harassment.

But on Wednesday, it reported new details of the unnamed woman's encounter with the governor, citing a person with "direct knowledge" of her claims.

According to the newspaper, the woman had been called to Cuomo's governor's mansion in Albany last year on the "apparent pretext" of helping him with a problem with his phone.

"They were alone in Cuomo's private residence on the second floor when he closed the door and allegedly reached under her blouse and began to fondle her, according to the source," the newspaper wrote.

The employee also said the powerful Democratic governor touched her inappropriately on other occasions, according to the newspaper. 

And the daily reported that her story first came out when she, along with other staff members, watched Cuomo give a press conference on March 3 denying earlier allegations. She became emotional before telling a female supervisor what had happened. She hasn't registered a formal complaint as of now.

Cuomo denied the new allegation, which he told the newspaper was "gut-wrenching." He has repeatedly denied all the claims against him and said that he would await the results of an independent investigation into the allegations, overseen by the state attorney general Letitia James. 

Previous accusers have referred to sexual harassment or inappropriate gestures. One former aide, Lindsey Boylan, has alleged that the governor gave her an unsolicited kiss on the lips and suggested that they play strip poker, allegations Cuomo has denied. 

Cuomo, initially praised for his state's handling of the pandemic, has suffered a spectacular fall from grace, with Republicans and his accusers also calling for his resignation. The new claim further weakens the position of the governor, who has been in power for 10 years and whose term expires in 2022.