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- A former staffer who reported NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo for allegedly groping her detailed her account.
- The unnamed staffer told the Albany Times Union that Cuomo slammed the door before groping her.
- "I remember looking down like, 'Holy s—,'" she said of the alleged incident.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
The former staffer who reported that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo allegedly groped her in the governor's mansion spoke with the Albany Times Union to detail her account.
So far, 10 women have come forward to accuse Cuomo of some degree of sexual harassment and misconduct. The former staffer's reported incident at the governor's mansion last fall has been the most serious to date, with Albany police saying they were looking into the matter.
Cuomo is facing several other scandals and a months-long impeachment investigation as most of New York's congressional delegation has called on him to step down.
"I remember him slamming (the door) so hard that I remember thinking to myself that I'm sure the staff is, like, 'Is everything OK up there?' He came right back and he pulled me close and all I remember is seeing his hand, his big hand. I remember looking down like, 'Holy sh–,'" the unnamed former aide said.
At around half Cuomo's age, the accuser was summoned to Cuomo's residence in late November by Stephanie Benton, one of the governor's executive assistants, according to the Times Union.
The former aide was called in to help Cuomo with an issue on his cell phone, which was reportedly a common request from the governor.
Once she entered the room, the former aide said Cuomo said very little and began approaching her.
"And that wasn't just a hug," she said. "He went for it and I kind of like was, 'Oh, the door is right there.' ... I was mortified that a woman who works here is going to come in and see. ... I was terrified of that happening, because that's not who I am and that's not what I'm here for."
In response to the Times Union's latest reporting, Cuomo once again denied any wrongdoing.
"I have never done anything like this," Cuomo said in a statement. "The details of this report are gut-wrenching."
Despite the calls for his ouster, Cuomo has remained in his post and conducted several closed press briefings, where he is often flanked by leaders of key constituencies, such as Black clergy members or military personnel.
Last month, Cuomo said in refusing to resign that lawmakers demanding his resignation were "bowing to cancel culture."
"People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture, and the truth," the governor said.
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