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Potential Cuomo challenger Tom Reed accused of sexual misconduct

Potential Cuomo challenger Tom Reed accused of sexual misconduct

New York Republican MP Tom Reed was accused by a former lobbyist of rubbing her back while drunk, unhooking her bra and moving his hand over her thigh after a day of ice fishing in Minnesota at an Irish bar in 2017. This was the result of a new report on Friday.

The Washington Post allegation against Reed by today’s U.S. Army Lt. Nicolette Davis, arrives as Reed – co-chair of the so-called bipartisan problem-solving caucus in Congress – is considering running for governor of New York next year.

Current Governor Andrew Cuomo has been accused by more than half a dozen women, including a current employee, of sexually molesting them or of otherwise inappropriately touching or talking to them.

And Reed – who denied Davis’ report as “incorrect” – was one of those who harshly criticized Cuomo and called for the Democratic governor to resign or be charged.

The congressman, who represents New York’s 23rd district, has campaigned for years on behalf of women who have alleged sexual assault and misconduct.

“These incidents of sexual harassment and abuse patterns are heinous and have absolutely no place in our society, let alone in the highest levels of government. Such behavior is worrying and unacceptable,” Reed said of Cuomo last month.

Cuomo has refused to act inappropriately against women and has refused to step down despite leading Democrats calling for it.

A spokesman for Aflac, the insurance company Davis was lobbying at the time of the incident, told CNBC: “Aflac takes these allegations very seriously and above all values ​​the safety and dignity of our employees.”

“When this matter was raised to officers and colleagues who were absent from the event, we immediately provided support and advice to Nicolette so that she could personally determine how to proceed to bring this deeply troubling experience to light.” said the spokesman.

“Aflac continues to support Nicolette 100% as we strongly condemn any form of abuse or harassment.”

Davis told The Post that she was 25 in 2017 when she felt the then 45-year-old Reed’s hand on her back as she sat next to him in a Minneapolis pub after an ice fishing event and similar beneficial activities the campaign committee of the then representative. Erik Paulsen, a Republican from Minnesota.

She told the newspaper that Reed looked drunk during the fishing event and that he slipped and fell on the ice.

Later, when she was sitting next to him at dinner, she told The Post that Reed’s hands began to wander.

“A drunk congressman rubs my back,” said Davis after texting a staff member that evening. “HELP, HELP.”

The Post reported that Davis said she was frozen in fear but asked a person who was in her right to help. This man pulled Reed away from the table and took him out of the pub, she told the paper.

“Davis’ report of Reed’s actions in 2017 was supported by a person sitting at the table that evening,” the Post reported.

“The person said The Post Reed was visibly drunk and put his hand on Davis’ back before being led out of the restaurant while the rest of the group stayed. This person spoke on condition of anonymity and carried out possible career implications at.”

The paper also quoted the woman Davis posted from the bar, Jessica Strieter Elting, who said Davis described how Reed touched her and unhooked her bra. Strieter Elting heads Aflac’s Washington political affairs team.

Brad Knox, a senior vice president at Aflac who was an advisor to the company at the time, told The Post that he recalled Davis telling him that Reed drank and reversed an item of their clothes.

“I wanted to cry because nobody should be exposed to this, especially not a new young lobbyist,” Knox told the newspaper.

Reed’s office issued a statement to CNBC: “This report of my actions is inaccurate,” Reed said of Davis’ allegations. Reed also said, “I stand by my record” for voting on women’s issues.

Davis did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

A spokesman for the House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Did not immediately respond to an email asking for comment.

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Cuomo once more refuses to resign over sexual harassment scandal

Cuomo again refuses to resign over sexual harassment scandal

Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks about the latest allegations.

Source: New York State

A combative New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, again refused to resign Friday, arguing that calls from a growing number of Democratic lawmakers he dismissed over a sexual harassment scandal are “ruthless and dangerous” for ignorance of the facts.

“I didn’t do what was claimed, period,” Cuomo told reporters. “Politicians who don’t know a single fact but still form a conclusion and then an opinion are, in my opinion, ruthless and dangerous.”

“I’ve never molested anyone, I’ve never attacked anyone, I’ve never molested anyone,” said the three-time Democratic governor after suggesting that the women who complained about him had some motivation to lie. He didn’t say what that motivation could be.

He also said, “I haven’t had an inappropriate sexual relationship.”

“I will not resign,” said Cuomo. “I was not elected by the politicians, I was elected by the people.”

Several women, including three former aides, say Cuomo sexually molested them, while a fourth woman, who currently works for Cuomo, reportedly told supervisors that he aggressively fumbled under her blouse at the governor’s mansion.

Other women said he touched her and talked to her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.

A majority of the Democratic members of the US House of Representatives from New York districts called on Cuomo to resign on Friday.

Those calls came a day after nearly 60 Democratic members of the state assembly called for the governor’s resignation and after the Democratic Assembly spokesman approved an impeachment investigation into Cuomo’s behavior towards women and a cover-up of data related to care home deaths in Covid.

“The repeated allegations against the governor and the way in which he responded to them made it impossible for him to continue governing at this point,” wrote Justice Justice of the House Jerry Nadler, DN.Y., on twitter. “Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of the New York people. Governor Cuomo must resign.”

Cuomo said these calls were premature at best.

“Politicians take positions for all sorts of reasons, including political expediency and bowing to pressure,” he said. “But people know the difference between playing politics, bowing to break culture, and the truth.”

“I also want to be clear. There is still a question of the truth,” Cuomo told reporters when he denied touching anyone inappropriately, as several women have claimed.

“I’m not going to speculate on people’s possible motives, but I can tell you the former [state] Attorney General, who has been through this situation many times, there are often many reasons to make an allegation and so you need to know the facts before making a decision, “he said.

The governor noted that there are now two reviews of the allegations: one overseen by Attorney General Letitia James and the other the congregation’s impeachment investigation.

“Nobody wants them to go faster and more thorough than me. Let them do it,” said Cuomo. “I’m not going to discuss this issue in the press. That’s not how it is done. This is not how it should be done.”

“Serious allegations should be weighed seriously, right? That is why they are labeled serious,” he said. “To be serious, you need the facts before you come to a conclusion. How do you come to a conclusion before you know the facts?”

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Cuomo sexual harassment probe attorneys appointed, impeachment mulled

Cuomo sexual harassment probe lawyers appointed, impeachment mulled

The New York attorney general on Monday appointed a former top federal attorney and a senior labor lawyer to lead the investigation into allegations that Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually molested several women.

Also on Monday, a spokesman for the New York Congregation minority leader William Barclay told the media that a Republican-sponsored resolution to initiate impeachment proceedings against Cuomo would be introduced by the end of the day.

Republicans have a relatively small minority of seats in the assembly and cannot force Democrats to indict Democrat Cuomo.

However, there were growing calls from the Democrats for Cuomo to step down. The governor has said he will not resign voluntarily.

In another development on Monday, Cuomo said his attorney, Kumiki Gibson, would be leaving that post to take a position in the private sector. Beth Garvey, who is Cuomo’s special advisor and senior advisor, will take on Gibson’s acting job.

Garvey was implicated in a failed attempt to induce a former federal judge, instead of Attorney General Letitia James, to investigate allegations that Cuomo molested former aides and behaved inappropriately with other women.

After a backlash to the idea, Cuomo’s office suggested that James share oversight of the probe with the state’s chief judge. The attorney general denied the agreement, and the governor’s office then said it would ask them to oversee the investigation on their own.

James said Monday the investigation would be led by Joon Kim, who served as acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York from March 2017 through the following January, and Anne Clark, who has represented numerous plaintiffs in sexual harassment lawsuits .

Kim is a partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton law firm, while Clark is a partner at Vladeck, Raskin & Clark.

“The people of New York deserve a full and independent investigation into these allegations, and I am determined to persevere,” said Clark in a statement released by James’ office.

In a statement, Kim said, “These are grave allegations that require strict and impartial investigation. We will act sensibly and pursue the facts wherever they lead.”

James also named three other lawyers, Jennifer Kennedy Park, Abena Mainoo, and Yannick Grant, to help conduct the investigation.

“We are committed to an independent and thorough investigation into the facts,” said James.

Kim and Clark “are independent legal professionals with decades of experience conducting investigations and fighting to uphold the rule of law,” said James.

“There’s no question that they both have the knowledge and background to lead this investigation and give New Yorkers the answers they deserve.”

Debra Katz, attorney for one of Cuomo’s accusers Charlotte Bennett, said the selection of Kim and Clark “shows that Attorney General Letitia James takes this matter very seriously”.

“We are encouraged by the experience and background of the attorneys who will investigate Charlotte’s claims and expect the investigation to extend into the claims of the other women we know are out there,” said Katz.

It is important that this investigation not only focus on what Governor Cuomo said and did. It also needs to focus on the culture of secrecy, abuse and fear he has cultivated among his staff – often below Violation of the laws he signed protecting workers from sexual harassment. We look forward to working with investigators. “

The investigation began on February 24 when Lindsey Boylan, a former state business development official, wrote in a Medium post that Cuomo had “abused his governor power to sexually harass me, as he did.” many other women did. ” . “

Boylan, who is running for Manhattan District President, wrote that Cuomo kissed her once without her consent and suggested as a joke that they play strip poker while on an official flight. The governor’s office declined Boylan’s account.

Days later, another former Cuomo aide, Bennett, told the New York Times that he had asked her questions about her sex life and whether she “had ever been with an older man.” Bennett, who played soccer against one of Cuomo’s daughters in middle school, is 25 while the governor is 63.

Shortly after this article, the Times published claims by former Obama’s White House employee Anna Ruch that Cuomo put his hand on her bare lower back at a wedding reception and told her that she looked “aggressive” when he was with her His face and then asked if he could kiss her.

Cuomo has said that he “never made progress” to Bennett.

However, he also apologized last week and said, “I understand now that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. … It was unintentional.”

Karen Hinton, who served as Cuomo’s press secretary for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, told the Washington Post recently that Cuomo invited her to his Los Angeles hotel room and hugged her in 2000 when she tried to leave the room and pull her back to him when she moves again to leave.

Ana Liss, who had worked as the governor’s advisor to Cuomo, told the Wall Street Journal that he hugged her, kissed her on both cheeks and grabbed her waist.

Cuomo’s office flatly denied Hinton’s account, saying it “didn’t happen”. Referring to Liss’s allegation, his office said that Cuomo had a known habit of kissing and posing for pictures to both men and women.

“That’s what people do in politics,” said Cuomo’s senior advisor Rich Azzopardi.

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Cuomo refuses to resign over sexual harassment claims in New York

Cuomo refuses to resign over sexual harassment claims in New York

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo refused to resign Wednesday despite saying he regrets three women who claim he sexually molested them.

An emotional cuomo also urged the public to on hold as New York Attorney General Letitia James oversees an investigation into allegations made by women, two of whom had previously worked as his aides.

“I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable,” said the embattled Democrat in his first public comments on the women’s allegations. “It was unintentional.”

“And I really apologize deeply for it,” he said. “I feel terrible about it.”

“I certainly never plan to offend, hurt or hurt anyone,” said Cuomo. “This is the last thing I ever want to do.”

When asked directly whether he would resign midway through his third term, Cuomo said, “I will not resign.”

“I work for the people of New York,” he added. “I’m going to do the job that the people of the state chose me to do.”

In addition to the sexual harassment scandal, Cuomo has received widespread criticism in recent weeks for covering up statistics on Covid deaths in nursing homes and bullying lawmakers and others from the state.

The governor said he would “fully cooperate with the harassment investigation by any attorney or attorneys that James will appoint”. These lawyers have the power to compel witnesses, including Cuomo, to answer their questions.

“I ask New Yorkers to wait for the attorney general’s facts before forming an opinion,” said Cuomo.

The 63-year-old governor was first accused last week by former adjutant Lindsey Boylan of kissing her without her consent and jokingly suggested a game of strip poker on an official flight. Cuomo’s office strongly declined Boylan’s account at the time of posting on Medium.com.

Within days, another former aide, Charlotte Bennett, 25, told the New York Times that Cuomo had asked her questions last year, including whether she “had ever been with an older man,” whether she was in their relationships being monogamous and other personal questions that made her uncomfortable.

Bennett said it was clear that Cuomo was seeking a sexual relationship with her.

On Monday, the Times published claims by another woman, Anna Ruch, who said that Cuomo, whom she did not know, put his hand on her bare lower back at a wedding. The governor then told her she was “aggressive” when, according to Ruch, he put his hands around her face.

Ruch, who previously worked in the White House during the Obama administration, said Cuomo then asked if he could kiss her.

A photo of an uncomfortable looking Ruch with Cuomo on his face accompanied this article.

Bennett on Monday beat up Cuomo for his “predatory behavior” and asked other women to come forward if they had similar complaints about his behavior.

Ruch’s report increased the number of people who have urged Cuomo to resign, including New York Democratic MP Kathleen Rice.

On Wednesday, Cuomo spoke to reporters for the first time about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and related developments in New York. Then he turned to the sexual harassment scandal that had plagued him since last week.

“I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly,” he said. “Firstly, I fully support a woman’s right to speak up and I think that should be encouraged in every way.”

After apologizing for making the women uncomfortable, Cuomo said, “I’m embarrassed and it’s not easy to say, but that’s the truth.”

“I want you to know … I’ve never touched anyone inappropriately,” said the governor. “I never knew then that I was making someone feel uncomfortable.”

“And I never plan to offend, hurt, or hurt anyone.”

“I learned an important lesson from an incredibly difficult situation for myself and other people,” said Cuomo.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused someone. I never meant to, and I’ll be better for the experience.”

While interviewing reporters, Cuomo later said, “You can find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people, men, women. It’s my usual and customary way of greeting.”

“By the way, it was my father’s way of greeting people,” he said, referring to his late father, Mario Cuomo, who himself was governor.

Cuomo tried last weekend to see who would investigate Boylan’s and Bennett’s allegations, saying that a former federal judge would do the job.

The governor then sought the state chief magistrate to work with James to oversee the investigation.

Cuomo’s efforts sparked a political backlash, and James explicitly opposed the deal. The governor gave in quickly and his office said James would handle the probe himself.

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Cuomo backers pause fundraising throughout sexual harassment scandal

Cuomo backers pause fundraising during sexual harassment scandal

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference ahead of the opening of a Covid-19 mass vaccination site in the New York borough of Queens on February 24, 2021.

Seth Little | AFP | Getty Images

Andrew Cuomo’s top funders pause and reassess their support for the New York governor who has been accused of sexual harassment by three women, according to three people directly involved in fundraisers.

Some of these people refused, fearing retaliation from the governor, who will be the subject of an independent state investigation. Cuomo is running for a fourth term in next year’s elections.

“Nobody gives him anything now. Everything is on hold,” said a finance manager.

Others expressed confusion about the crisis Cuomo is facing.

“I think people who like him and have been with him for a long time are scratching their heads asking how he got himself into that position,” said Bernard Schwartz, a New York businessman who has supported Cuomo for years, on Monday opposite CNBC.

“If he does not present himself fully and openly and honestly, he does not deserve a fourth term, although I like him very much,” said Schwartz, who has donated $ 70,000 for Cuomo’s campaign since 2019. Schwartz said he planned to call Cuomo in the coming days.

Cuomo is a moderate democrat who has built a huge and powerful network of donors. As of July, his campaign has raised over $ 4 million, government records show. His campaign started the new year with a war chest of over $ 16 million.

The fundraiser and donors are the latest group to push Cuomo back after the allegations became public. Federal and state Democratic lawmakers, including the administration of President Joe Biden, have supported an independent investigation into the claims made against Cuomo.

New York Attorney General Letitia James’s office will select an independent outside attorney to conduct the investigation. A Cuomo press representative did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Former Cuomo adviser Charlotte Bennett, 25, accused the governor of asking questions about her personal life, such as whether she was monogamous in relationships and whether she was “with an older man”.

The 63-year-old Cuomo admitted that he had conversations with aides who “were misunderstood as undesirable flirtation”. He has denied ever touching or suggesting anyone inappropriately.

Another former adjutant, Lindsey Boylan, 36, has accused Cuomo of kissing her without consent, among other things. He has denied their claims.

A third woman, Anna Ruch, 33, told the New York Times that Cuomo made an unwanted advance on her at a wedding. The newspaper article features a picture of Cuomo trying to hold the head of an uncomfortable looking Ruch. A Cuomo spokesman did not comment directly on Ruch’s allegation, according to The Times.

The relationships Cuomo has built with his financial network were evident in the early stages of the presidential primaries when he signaled his donors to support Biden.

John Catsimatidis, founder of the New York-based supermarket chain Gristedes, is another donor who weighed on the controversy. Catsimatidis, who is expected to run for a second Republican run for Mayor of New York, didn’t rule out walking away from Cuomo.

“Let’s see what the investigation shows,” Catsimatidis told CNBC on Monday. Catsimatidis gave Cuomo’s campaign $ 10,000 in 2018, records show.

Several Wall Street executives close to Cuomo donors and trustees told CNBC, on condition of anonymity, that fund-raising efforts have either been interrupted or will be reassessed in the wake of the allegations.

“They’re more of a wait and see. When this is over, they don’t want to get on the wrong side of the governor,” said one person. “So you’re in a wait and see mode, which means you’re not writing a check now, but you’re not ready to cut it off completely either.”

A longtime Cuomo employee who has regularly contributed to his campaigns told CNBC that the sexual harassment allegations could force New York voters to seek another leader for their state. Cuomo has been implicated in other scandals, including the state’s underreporting of nursing home deaths from Covid-19.

Meanwhile, companies that funded Cuomo’s most recent inauguration in 2018, and in some cases supported him throughout the past year, are silent on the allegations.

AT&T, Comcast, the United Health Group, Ernst and Young, Citigroup, JPMorgan, and Bank of America are among the major companies that have contributed to Cuomo’s political work. JPMorgan and Citi officials declined to comment. The other companies did not respond to requests for comment. Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which is owned by CNBC.

After the deadly January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, these companies decided to either pause contributions to Republican and Democratic lawmakers, stop donations to lawmakers who questioned election results, and their general policies regarding campaign contributions to lawmakers on both sides of the government to review gear, or to suspend its political donations altogether.

Veteran Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf stated that most corporations will not push Cuomo back, at least not yet, as many are headquartered in New York and do much of their business in the state.

“Many of these companies are based in New York and have interests in New York. They will likely stand with the governor because it is in their best interest to do so,” Sheinkopf said.

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Andrew Cuomo sexual harassment accuser speaks as investigation quickens

Andrew Cuomo sexual harassment accuser speaks as investigation speeds up

One of the two women who accused New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment broke his “predatory behavior” on Monday and urged other women to come forward if they have similar complaints about him.

Charlotte Bennett’s motion came when New York Attorney General Letitia James said Cuomo’s office had formally requested an independent investigation into the allegations of Bennett and another former aide, Lindsey Boylan.

“Anyone who needs to hear that knows I have room for you too,” Bennett said in a statement. “To the governor’s survivors, I’m here. Lindsey is here.”

“You don’t have to say a single word. But if you choose to tell your truth, we’ll be with you. I promise.”

Bennett has hired a senior workplace discrimination attorney, Debra Katz, who said in her own statement that Bennett “will fully cooperate with the Attorney General’s investigation”.

“We are confident that no uninterested investigator reviewing this evidence would accept the governor’s selfish characterization of his behavior as mentoring or, in the worst case, undesirable flirtation,” said Katz. “He was not a mentor and his remarks were not misunderstood by Mrs. Bennett.”

“He abused his power over her for sex. This is sexual harassment textbook.”

James said in a statement of her authority over the investigation, “This is not a responsibility we take lightly as allegations of sexual harassment should always be taken seriously.”

Bennett said in her statement that Cuomo “refused to acknowledge his predatory behavior or accept responsibility for it”.

“As we know, perpetrators – especially those of tremendous power – are often repeat offenders who use manipulative tactics to reduce allegations, blame victims, deny wrongdoing, and escape consequences,” she said.

Bennett noted that “it took the governor 24 hours and significant backlash to allow a truly independent investigation” after she published her allegations in an article in the New York Times on Saturday.

“These are not the actions of someone who simply feels misunderstood. They are the actions of an individual who uses his power to avoid justice,” said Bennett.

Cuomo first suggested over the weekend that Bennett and Boylan’s allegations be investigated by a former federal judge who had previously worked with the governor’s top advisor.

Cuomo then turned and his office suggested that James and Judith Kaye, Judith, who heads the state’s Supreme Court, jointly oversee the investigation.

James refused to share the oversight. And the governor’s office, dealing with a growing political backlash to both the allegations and his machinations to control the investigation, agreed to ask the attorney general to conduct the investigation.

Bennett said, as she presented her report, “I fully expected to be attacked by those who reflexively question the honesty or motivation of those who report sexual harassment. Those voices do not deter me.”

She also said, “Moving forward was an excruciating decision. I decided to share my story because I believed that I would be supported and believed. Often times, this is not the case.”

“Sharing my experience was only possible because previous survivors stood up and told their stories. I hope my story will make other survivors feel like they can stand in their truth.”

CNBC has approached Cuomo’s office for comment.

A referral letter from Cuomo’s office to James on Monday approved her request that a private attorney or attorney general investigate Bennett and Boylan’s claims.

The letter from Cuomo’s special adviser Beth Garvey stated that the results of this investigation “will be published in a public report.”

The letter also states that “due to the nature of this review,” the governor’s office will not approve or send weekly reports that would normally be expected under state law authorizing the attorney general to represent outside attorneys on such an investigation .

“All New York State employees have been directed to cooperate fully with this review,” Garvey wrote in the letter published by James.

“I will act as the witness interview or drafting point of contact for the Executive Chamber and put you in touch with an appropriate attorney at another agency or establishment for any documents or witnesses required for the review,” Garvey wrote.

Bennett, 25, told the Times in an article published Saturday that 63-year-old Cuomo had asked her questions, including whether she “had ever been with an older man,” whether she was monogamous in her relationships and other personal questions they asked make her feel uncomfortable.

Boylan has said that Cuomo kissed her once without her consent and jokingly suggested playing strip poker on an official flight.

Cuomo has denied the 36-year-old Boylan’s claims.

However, in a statement released on Saturday, the governor did not deny Bennett’s claims about what he had said.

“I never intended to offend or harm anyone. I spend most of my life at work and colleagues are often personal friends,” said Cuomo on the day.

“At work I sometimes think I’m playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I occasionally tease people in ways I think are good-natured,” said the governor.

“I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal, and that because of my position, some of my comments made others feel in ways I never intended. I acknowledge that some of the things I have said may be considered undesirable Flirting was misunderstood As far as someone felt this way, I’m really sorry. “

Cuomo also said, “To be clear, I’ve never touched anyone inappropriately or suggested anyone, and I never wanted anyone to feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations the New Yorkers deserve answers to.”

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Entertainment

T.I. and Tiny Accused of Sexual Assault; Lawyer Seeks Investigation

T.I. and Tiny Accused of Sexual Assault; Lawyer Seeks Investigation

The night took a turn for the military veteran when TI and Ms. Harris invited her and a few others to join them as they left the club, she said. She believed that they would continue the party elsewhere and remembered that she had willingly joined in.

Instead, they went to a hotel room where, according to the attorney’s letter, the other guests were quickly told to leave, and the woman began to suffer from the effects of everything she had ingested – despite consuming less than two drinks, the letter said. Her friend, whom she had been separated from, never made it into the room; She threw up in the lobby toilet, she said in an interview.

According to the letter, Ms. Harris suggested that the military veteran “freshen up” and took her to the bathroom, where the woman, drunk and overwhelmed, allowed Ms. Harris to undress and bathe her and TI

When they got back to bed, all three were naked and the veteran vomited, the letter said. TI then tried “to put his foot in her vagina.” She said no, said the letter. The woman remembered TI laughing at her because she vomited and he went to get condoms.

“The next thing she remembers,” the letter went on, “was waking up naked on the couch with a towel thrown over her, with a very painful vagina.” A security guard knocked on the door and told her to go, she remembered.

The woman fled. When her friend picked her up, she recounted the rest of her night, they said in separate interviews. At home, the woman made her way to the bathroom and scrubbed her body with soap and Tide with bleach, she said. She was too embarrassed to see a doctor, she said, but later treated herself for an infection.

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New York AG able to oversee Cuomo sexual harassment probe

New York AG ready to oversee Cuomo sexual harassment probe

New York Attorney General Letitia James

Lucas Jackson | Reuters

New York attorney general Letitia James said Sunday she was ready to oversee an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, but needed an official referral from the governor’s office, which includes a subpoena.

“I am ready to oversee this investigation and make any necessary appointments,” James said in a statement. “Given state law, this can only be achieved through an official referral from the governor’s office based on state law (§ 63-8) and must include subpoena authority. I request the governor to make this referral immediately.”

Cuomo’s office on Sunday withdrew a plan to appoint a former federal judge who is in close contact with one of the governor’s top advisors to oversee an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him.

The Cuomo administration said it would ask James and Janet DiFiore, the chief justice of the state’s highest court, to decide who will oversee an independent investigation. The decision would help “avoid even perceiving a lack of independence or inferring politics,” Cuomo’s special adviser Beth Garvey said in a statement.

“We will leave all decisions regarding the investigation at the discretion of the independent attorney chosen by the Attorney General and the Chief Justice,” Garvey said.

The governor’s reversal came after a number of Democrats criticized the governor’s initial decision to conduct a review and called for an independent investigation into the allegations after a second aide came forward to allege sexual harassment against Cuomo. Some Democratic lawmakers also joined some Republicans in urging Cuomo to resign immediately.

Cuomo’s office initially said it would select former federal judge Barbara Jones to lead the review. Jones had worked with Cuomo’s top advisor, Steven Cohen.

The calls for an independent investigation follow a New York Times report released Saturday night describing the allegations made by Charlotte Bennett, a 25-year-old former aide to the governor, who said Cuomo asked her about her sex life and whether she did it was monogamous in relationships and had ever “been with an older man”.

It was the second allegation against the governor in a week. Former adjutant Lindsey Boylan, a former state economic development officer, released detailed information about sexual harassment against Cuomo last week, including a kiss without her consent in his Manhattan office. Cuomo has denied Boylan’s allegations.

Cuomo responded to Bennett’s allegations in a statement on Saturday, saying he intended to act as a mentor and “never make any progress on Ms. Bennett, nor did I ever intend to act in an inappropriate manner”.

Pressure from democrats

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Cuomo should undergo an independent review of both allegations in an interview on CNN on Sunday. President Joe Biden supports this and “we believe we should move forward as soon as possible”.

A spokesman for Senator Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said the Senator believes the allegations “should be investigated thoroughly and independently.” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, DN.Y., also called for an “independent, transparent and prompt investigation into these grave and deeply worrying allegations.”

MP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., along with other Democrats, called for an independent investigation into the governor, led not by someone chosen by Cuomo, but by the Attorney General.

“Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett’s detailed reports of sexual harassment by Governor Cuomo are extremely serious and painful to read,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a tweet on Sunday morning. “There needs to be an independent investigation – not one led by someone chosen by the governor, but by the attorney general.”

The new allegations also come after a January report that the Cuomo government failed to report thousands of Covid-19 deaths in state nursing homes.

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, a Democrat, said Sunday that Cuomos state lawmakers must immediately revoke emergency powers overriding local scrutiny and called for two separate independent investigations into the sexual misconduct allegations and the undercounting Deaths in nursing homes.

“New Yorkers have seen detailed, documented reports of sexual harassment, multiple cases of intimidation and admitted withholding of information about the deaths of over 15,000 people,” De Blasio said in a statement. “Questions of this magnitude cannot hang over their heads as New Yorkers fight a pandemic and economic crisis.”

New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi praised the two women for their allegations and called on the governor to step down in a statement posted on Twitter Saturday night.

“The harassment of these former employees is part of a clear pattern of abuse and manipulation by the governor, and that pattern makes him unworthy of the highest office in New York,” wrote Biaggi.

Republicans again urged Cuomo to resign after the second allegation, including MP Elise Stefanik, RN.Y., who described the governor as a “criminal sexual predator” in a statement on Saturday and said he should resign immediately.

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Business

The writer of League of Legends is investigating its C.E.O. after sexual harassment claims.

The publisher of League of Legends is investigating its C.E.O. after sexual harassment claims.

Riot Games, the video game publisher that produced the popular League of Legends, said Tuesday it is investigating allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination against its executive director Nicolo Laurent.

Mr. Laurent and Mr. Riot were sued in the Los Angeles Supreme Court in January by Sharon O’Donnell, a former executive assistant to Mr. Laurent. In court documents, Ms. O’Donnell said Mr. Laurent made repeated sexually stimulating remarks about her, asked her to work in his house when his wife was away, and told women who worked for Riot how to cope with stress bypasses The coronavirus pandemic was “having children”.

“Riot Games is a male-dominated culture,” the lawsuit said. Women workers like Ms. O’Donnell were “discriminated against, harassed and treated as second-class citizens,” it said.

When she denied Mr. Laurent’s advances, Ms. O’Donnell said in the lawsuit that he yelled at her, became hostile, removed some of her responsibilities, and finally fired her in July.

Ms. O’Donnell “believes this was because she refused to have sex or an affair with the defendant,” according to the lawsuit, which Daily Esports first reported Tuesday.

Riot denied Ms. O’Donnell’s allegation in a statement, saying she was “fired from the company over seven months ago due to several well-documented complaints from various people”.

According to Riot, an outside law firm was investigating Mr. Laurent and was overseen by a committee of the company’s board of directors. Riot said Mr. Laurent is cooperating with the investigation.

Riot, owned by the Chinese internet giant Tencent, has grown into one of the world’s most famous video game companies.

According to an estimate by research firm SuperData, the flagship League of Legends, released in 2009, had sales of more than $ 1.8 billion last year. And the series of professional competitions that Riot has built around the game has drawn tens of millions of fans, turning star gamers into esports celebrities that can make millions of dollars.

But Riot has also come under fire for its sexist, toxic workplace. In 2019, it was agreed to pay $ 10 million to the 1,000 women who had worked at the company since 2014 to settle a class action lawsuit for gender discrimination and unequal pay.

The California Department for Fair Employment and Housing, which has been investigating Riot since 2018, said last year the women could be eligible for up to $ 400 million, which Riot denied. Earlier this month it was said that court action would be taken to provide “class-wide relief” for the women who worked at Riot.

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Entertainment

FKA Twigs Sues Shia LaBeouf For Sexual Battery

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) FKA Twigs attends the 2020 BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena on February 18, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson / Redferns)

Singer FKA Twigs has filed a lawsuit against Pieces of a woman Star Shia LaBeouf, who claims the actor subjected her to “relentless abuse” including sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional stress. The New York Times The news was released on December 11 and revealed numerous examples of the alleged abuse listed in the lawsuit, including an incident in 2019 where LaBeouf reportedly attacked Twigs outside a gas station while on a road trip.

Both in the lawsuit and in an interview with The New York TimesTwigs, nee Tahliah Barnett, said her goal in the lawsuit against LaBeouf is to help other women and explain how abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status. “I want to be able to raise awareness of the tactics that abusers are using to control you and take your agency away,” Twigs said The New York Times. “What I went through with Shia was the worst I’ve ever been through in my entire life. I don’t think people would ever think it was going to happen to me. But I think that’s the thing. It can happen to everyone. “

“I don’t think people would ever think it would happen to me. But I think that’s the thing. It can happen to anyone.” – FKA branches

Twigs, who filed the lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, dated LaBeouf for a year after they met on the set of Honey boy The musician claims LaBeouf earned her trust in “excessive displays of affection” in the early stages of their relationship, before becoming abusive. She accuses the actor of knowingly inflicting a sexually transmitted disease on her, isolating her from her professional environment by convincing her to stay with him in Los Angeles, and manipulating her emotionally to cast doubt on her creative team. According to The New York TimesTwigs reported on an event in the spring of 2019 where she was packing to leave LaBeouf and he showed up unannounced. He “grabbed” her hard, picked her up, and locked her in another room, where he yelled at her. Your housekeeper is a sworn witness to this incident.

“The entire time I was with him I could have bought a business flight ticket to my four-story townhouse in Hackney,” she said The New York Times. She says she didn’t because “he got me so deep that the idea of ​​leaving him and coming to terms with me just seemed impossible.”

The New York Times reports that the lawsuit also listed previous examples of abuse, including allegations made by Karolyn Pho, a stylist who was previously dated with LaBeouf. She claims the actor pinned her to a bed while drunk and “hit her with the head so that she was bleeding”.

Although LaBeouf did not comment on the lawsuit, he sent two separate emails The New York Times on the allegations against him. In the first he wrote: “I am unable to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel. I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, just rationalizations. I have looked at myself and everyone around me for years abused I am ashamed of this story and apologize for those I have hurt. There is nothing I can really say. “

When he became aware of the detailed allegations made by Twigs and Pho, he wrote again that “many of these allegations are not true,” but he owed women the opportunity to make their statements publicly and to take responsibility for these things done. “” I am not cured of my PTSD and alcoholism, “he wrote, explaining that he is a sober member of a recovery program,” but I am determined to do what I have to do to recover, and it I will forever feel sorry for “people I might have hurt along the way.”

Branches told The New York Times After seeing how expensive it can be to get out of abusive situations, she plans to donate a significant portion of the monetary damage to domestic violence charities.

Image source: Getty / Jim Dyson