WASHINGTON: Under mounting political pressure, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo agreed on Sunday to allow an independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him by two former aides.

Cuomo faced a rising storm of criticism, including from several fellow Democrats, after former aide Charlotte Bennett told The New York Times the governor sexually harassed her last year. That came just four days after ex-aide Lindsey Boylan described unwanted physical contact from Cuomo.

A senator, a congresswoman and a presidential spokeswoman, all Democrats, on Sunday demanded an independent inquiry — not led by someone named by Cuomo.

Hours later, Cuomo’s special counsel Beth Garvey issued a statement saying that in order “to avoid even the perception of a lack of independence or inference of politics,” the governor had asked state attorney general Letitia James and New York’s chief judge Janet DiFiore to “jointly select an independent and qualified lawyer in private practice without political affiliation to conduct a thorough review of the matter and issue a public report.” Cuomo, who denies any wrongdoing, had earlier chosen former federal judge Barbara Jones to lead a probe.

But high-profile figures in his own Democratic Party said that was insufficient, and James said early Sunday that she was ready to open an inquiry.

“There must be a truly independent investigation to thoroughly review these troubling allegations against the governor, and I stand ready to oversee that investigation,” James said in a statement.

‘Extremely serious’

Earlier on Sunday, Senator Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, had joined in calls for a truly independent inquiry.

“Not the investigation that he announced himself?” an ABC interviewer asked.

“I wouldn’t consider that to be independent,” replied Hirono, who regularly asks nominees seeking Senate confirmation if they have ever committed sexual improprieties.

And a prominent young liberal in the House, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tweeted that the “detailed accounts” of Cuomo’s accusers “are extremely serious and painful to read”. She, too, called for an independent inquiry led by the attorney general’s office.

“Every woman should be heard, should be treated with respect and with dignity,” Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for President Joe Biden, said on CNN. “There should be an independent review of these allegations.”

According to the 25-year-old Bennett, Cuomo, who is 63, said in June that he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships, the Times reported.

While Cuomo never tried to touch her, “I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared,” she said.

Cuomo became a national star last spring with his straight-talking yet empathetic coronavirus briefings. They fueled speculation that President Joe Biden -- then a candidate — might consider him as a running mate.

Cuomo said in a statement Saturday he “never made advances toward Ms Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate.” He said he wanted instead to support and mentor Bennett.

On Wednesday, Lindsey Boylan said in a blog that Cuomo had harassed her when she was working for his administration, from 2015 to 2018.

Boylan, 36, alleged that the governor had given her an unsolicited kiss on the lips, suggested that they play strip poker and went “out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs.” Cuomo’s office said those “claims of inappropriate behavior are quite simply false”.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2021