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Two more former aides accuse Gov. Andrew Cuomo of inappropriate behavior

In this file photo New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at a vaccination site in the Brooklyn borough of New York, on February 22, 2021. (AFP photo)

Two more former aides have come forward to accuse New York governor Andrew Cuomo of sexually harassing behavior.

In an interview with The Washington Post on Saturday, Karen Hinton, a former press aide to the governor, said Cuomo had summoned her to his "dimly lit" hotel room in 2000 and embraced her twice after a work event.

Hinton said she pulled away from Cuomo but the governor pulled her back toward his body, holding her in embrace before she left the room.

Cuomo led the US Department of Housing and Urban Development at the time.

In a statement to the Post, Peter Ajemian, Cuomo’s director of communications, denied the allegations.

"This did not happen," he said. "Karen Hinton is a known antagonist of the Governor’s who is attempting to take advantage of this moment to score cheap points with made up allegations from 21 years ago. All women have the right to come forward and tell their story — however, it’s also the responsibility of the press to consider self-motivation. This is reckless."

Hinton, however, said "attacking the accuser is the classic playbook of powerful men trying to protect themselves."

Also, Anna Liss, another former aide, said that Cuomo had behaved inappropriately towards her while she worked for the governor as a policy and operations aide from 2013 to 2015.

The governor called her “sweetheart” and asked if she had a boyfriend, she recalled to the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.

So far, four women have alleged sexual misconduct against the governor.

Charlotte Bennett, the second woman who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, said Cuomo had asked her a series of inappropriate questions about her personal life while she was an executive assistant and health policy adviser until November. 

Also, Lindsey Boylan, 36, alleged that the governor had made several “inappropriate gestures” toward her while she worked for the state government between 2015 and 2018.

Cuomo, who has dismissed calls for resignation, bowed to pressure for an independent probe into the misconduct claims and said he would “fully cooperate” with the lawyers assigned by New York Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the accusations.


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