New York governor Andrew Cuomo apologises if his ‘banter’ was misinterpreted after harassment allegations
“At work typically I believe I’m being playful and make jokes that I believe are humorous. I do, now and again, tease folks in what I believe is an effective natured manner. I do it in public and in personal. You’ve gotten seen me do it at briefings a whole bunch of instances. I’ve teased folks about their private lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married.”
His assertion comes after two ladies got here ahead with claims of harassment in opposition to the governor, with one of many ladies alleging to The New York Occasions that Mr Cuomo had requested her questions on her intercourse life and advised her he can be open to relationship a lady in her 20s.
“I imply no offence and solely try so as to add some levity and banter to what’s a really severe enterprise,” Mr Cuomo mentioned on Sunday.
“I now perceive that my interactions might have been insensitive or too private and that a few of my feedback, given my place, made others really feel in methods I by no means supposed. I acknowledge among the issues I’ve mentioned have been misinterpreted as an undesirable flirtation. To the extent that anybody felt that manner, I’m actually sorry about that,” he continued.
“To be clear I by no means inappropriately touched anybody and I by no means propositioned anyone and I by no means supposed to make anybody really feel uncomfortable, however these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve solutions to.”
His feedback come following calls from some Democrats for the governor to face down within the wake of the allegations, and following the information that an inside overview of the matter can be carried out.
Mr Cuomo has requested New York lawyer common Letitia James and Janet DiFiore, chief decide on the state’s highest courtroom, to nominate an impartial investigator to look into what occurred, after a earlier plan to have the investigation be lead by a former federal decide with ties to Cuomo allies got here in for heavy criticism.
