2 More Women Accuse NY Gov. Cuomo of Harassment

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference before the opening of a mass Covid-19 vaccination site in the Queens borough of New York, on Feb. 24, 2021. Seth Wenig/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Two more women came forward on March 6 to accuse New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of inappropriate conduct.

Ana Liss told The Wall Street Journal in a story published March 6 that when she worked as a policy aide to the governor between 2013 and 2015, Cuomo called her “sweetheart,” and once kissed her hand and asked personal questions, including whether she had a boyfriend. She said he sometimes greeted her with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks.

Karen Hinton told The Washington Post in a story published March 6 that when she worked as a press aide to the governor in 2000, Cuomo summoned her to his hotel room and embraced her even after she pushed away.

Cuomo’s director of communications, Peter Ajemian, denied Hinton’s allegation in a statement to the Post.

“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.”

A spokesman for Cuomo told the Journal that some of the behavior Liss was describing was the kind of innocent glad-handing that politicians often do at public events.

“Reporters and photographers have covered the governor for 14 years watching him kiss men and women and posing for pictures,“ said Rich Azzopardi, a senior adviser to Cuomo. ”At the public open-house mansion reception, there are hundreds of people, and he poses for hundreds of pictures. That’s what people in politics do.”

During a press conference on March 3, Cuomo denied ever touching women “inappropriately” but apologized if his action caused pain.

“I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable,” he said. “I never, ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or cause anyone pain.”

Cuomo’s workplace conduct has been under intense scrutiny in recent days as several women have publicly told of feeling sexually harassed or at least made to feel demeaned and uncomfortable by the Democrat. Cuomo is simultaneously facing escalating scrutiny over nursing home deaths from the CCP virus that occurred on his watch.

Former adviser Lindsey Boylan, 36, said he made inappropriate comments on her appearance, once kissed her on the lips at the end of a meeting, and suggested a game of strip poker as they sat with other aides on a jet flight. Another former aide, Charlotte Bennett, 25, said Cuomo asked if she ever had sex with older men and made other comments she interpreted as gauging her interest in an affair.

Another woman, who did not work for the state, described Cuomo putting his hands on her face and asking if he could kiss her after they met at a wedding.

The state’s attorney general plans to hire an outside law firm to investigate the sexual harassment allegations. Some lawmakers have called for Cuomo to resign over his workplace behavior and separate allegations that his administration misled the public about CCP virus fatalities in nursing homes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.