New York Office of the Executive
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo picked a "no excuses" backdrop for his latest event.
- The Cuomo announcement was closed press, with the governor's office citing "COVID restrictions."
- Mired in multiple scandals, Cuomo has offered several excuses for his alleged behavior.
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Flanked by military personnel and top union brass, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke in front of a "no excuses" banner at an event on Tuesday at the Javits Center in Manhattan.
Like all of his recent public appearances as he combats several scandals – including a looming impeachment investigation, a federal investigation, and calls to resign over his alleged sexually inappropriate behavior – this Cuomo event was closed to the press because of "COVID protocols."
When Cuomo has taken questions from reporters over the past few weeks, it has been on a conference call where his team can pick who gets to ask questions and cut the line to quash any followup questions.
On those calls, Cuomo has offered several excuses for his alleged misconduct.
The governor accused Democratic lawmakers calling for his resignation of "bowing to cancel culture" in his refusal to resign.
"People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture, and the truth," Cuomo said on the mid-March call.
Cuomo explained that his "playful" office behavior could be "misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation," but that it was all "good natured." Former aides have accused Cuomo of inquiring about their relationships and sexual history as well as, in some instances, groping them.
While Cuomo has touted his efforts to empower women, former aides say he would call them in for assistance with his iPhone as a pretext for further advances behind closed doors.
The Albany Times Union reported that Cuomo had a penchant for hiring "attractive young women" who mostly performed "minimal clerical duties," including dictation, and were "often given assignments that require one-on-one encounters with him."
The sexual harassment scandal is not the only controversey Cuomo has made excuses for. At a February press briefing, Cuomo accused Donald Trump, Fox News, and the New York Post of conspiring against him to turn his administration's handling of COVID-19 nursing home deaths into a scandal.
Cuomo did not mention New York Attorney General Tish James as part of that conspiracy, with her office accusing the administration of undercounting nursing home-related deaths from the virus.
James now oversees the independent investigation into Cuomo's alleged sexual misconduct.