Bennett stated within the interview that she believed the governor propositioned her for intercourse, describing an encounter with the governor th
Bennett stated within the interview that she believed the governor propositioned her for intercourse, describing an encounter with the governor that she stated left her “deeply uncomfortable.”
“I believed he’s making an attempt to sleep with me,” she stated. “The governor’s making an attempt to sleep with me and I’m deeply uncomfortable and I’ve to get out of this room as quickly as attainable.”
Bennett stated that on June 5 she was requested to take dictation in Cuomo’s workplace. After she completed, she stated, he informed her to show off the tape recorder, telling her that he was lonely, drained and on the lookout for a girlfriend.
Bennett stated Cuomo requested whether or not she “had hassle having fun with being with somebody due to my trauma” and “if I used to be delicate to intimacy,” referring to a dialog in mid-Could throughout which the governor turned fixated on her historical past as a sexual assault survivor.
“You had been raped. You had been raped. You had been raped and abused and assaulted,” Bennett stated Cuomo informed her on the time.
Cuomo then requested whether or not Bennett was OK with an age distinction, making it clear that “he was fantastic with anybody over 22,” she stated in regards to the June dialog.
Bennett additionally shared particulars about textual content messages she despatched to a buddy instantly after that encounter.
“Wait what…did he do one thing?” Bennett’s buddy requested.
“No nevertheless it was like essentially the most express it might be,” she wrote again.
The New York Instances was the primary to report on Bennett’s harassment allegations and the texts.
One other former state worker, Lindsey Boylan, first detailed allegations in a Medium put up of an undesirable kiss from Cuomo. A 3rd lady, who was not employed by the state, informed The Instances that Cuomo requested to kiss her at a marriage the place the 2 of them met for the primary time.
On Wednesday, Cuomo addressed the allegations for the primary time in a information convention, the place he apologized however stated he wouldn’t resign.
“I by no means touched anybody inappropriately,” he stated. “I by no means knew on the time that I used to be making anybody really feel uncomfortable. …And I actually by no means, ever meant to offend anybody or harm anybody or trigger anybody any ache.”
The governor’s workplace on Monday directed state Legal professional Basic Letitia James to maneuver ahead with an impartial investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment.
A Quinnipiac ballot launched on Thursday discovered {that a} majority of New Yorkers don’t want the governor to resign, however that in addition they don’t want him to run for one more time period.
Bennett stated she watched his remarks, however stated it was not an apology.
“It’s not a problem of my emotions. It’s a problem of his actions,” she stated. “The very fact is that he was sexually harassing me and he has not apologized for sexually harassing me.”
If you’re a survivor of sexual assault, or you understand somebody who’s, assist is out there. Within the U.S., name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Phone Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be linked with a educated workers member from a sexual assault service supplier in your space.