Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) has called for an independent investigation led by the Attorney General into allegations of sexual misconduct by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Over the weekend, a second woman emerged with sexual misconduct claims against the politician: former assistant Charlotte Bennett, 25, told The New York Times that Cuomo, 63, had often questioned her about her sex life and asked her if she had “ ever been with an older man. ” Bennett came forward after Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development officer, said the governor had harassed her several times between 2016 and 2018, including by giving her an unsolicited kiss on the lips in his Manhattan office. Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Sunday that the claims needed to be investigated. Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett’s detailed accounts of Gov. Cuomo’s sexual harassment are extremely serious and painful to read, she tweeted. “There must be an independent investigation – led not by a person selected by the governor, but by the attorney general’s office.” Cuomo has denied the allegations.
On Sunday, Beth Garvey, Cuomo’s special counsel and senior adviser, issued a statement following AOC’s public demands. She wrote that the governor’s office “wants the sexual harassment claims against the governor to be impeccably reviewed.” She then said that although they had elected former federal judge Barbara Jones, they had now decided to change their strategy “to avoid even the perception of a lack of independence or political interference.” The office subsequently asked the Attorney General of the State of New York and the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal to “jointly select an independent and qualified private lawyer with no political affiliation to thoroughly review the case and issue a public report. bring. “
Attorney General Letitia James in New York said in a statement on Sunday: “Allegations of sexual harassment should always be taken seriously. There needs to be a truly independent investigation to thoroughly review these troubling allegations against the governor, and I stand ready to oversee that investigation and make any appointments. “