Gov. Andrew Cuomo admitted Tuesday that he has “touched people” amid mounting allegations of sexual harassment against him.
“Have I touched people? Yes,” Cuomo matter-of-factly responded during a COVID-19 press briefing in Binghamton 🅺when he was asked by a reporter if he has ever to𒁏uched “anybody” or any women in the governor’s mansion.
Cuomo later followed up, “Of course, you touch people,” and ex𝓡pไlained that he has “shook hands” with folks.
“I didn’t touch them inappropriat꧒ely,” he insisted.
For the second day in a row, Cuomo had to fend off questions from in-person reporters, including Th🌱e Post, about his sex h𒁏arassment scandal and reports that he has fostered a toxic work environment.
Cuomo had gone mont🅠hs holding virtual-only press conferences and phone-in calls with reporters before that, insisting that the coronavirus pandemic was the reason even when COVID-19 safety guidelines cou🧸ld have allowed for in-person briefings to resume.
“I told you, I never touched any🍃one inappropriately,” the governor said when asked by The Post Tuesday about a female aide who has accused Cuomo of groping her while they were alone in a room inside the Executive Mansion in Albany🍨.
When pressed whether he committed the act regardless of whether he believed it was inappropriate or not,⭕ Cuomo replied, “I have never touched anyone inappropriately, ওgroping would be inappropriate.”
Cuomဣo again decla𓂃red that he “didn’t do anything wrong” as he denied the slew of sexual assault and misconduct claims against him.
“When I was in 🅠the Attorney General’s office, when I was an assistant district attorney, I used to say to 𒈔my team, ‘Be careful when you only hear one side of the story,” Cuomo said.
“I say to my daughters now, ‘Be careful when you’re on the other side of the story. You’ve only heard one side of the story,’” Cuomo added.
“I said yesterday, I haven’t done anything wrong. I said from the beginning, I haven’t done anything wrong. I said to anyone who I made feel awkward or misinterpreted my comments, I apologize. But I didn’t do anything wrong. If someone felt awkward, I apologize.”
Cuomo simply answered “𝓡no”🀅 when asked by The Post if he believes he created a toxic work environment.
“I know that’s what you report that people say,” said Cuomo. “Let’s get both sides of the story. I understand there are political agendas here. I will understand your agenda. Let’s get both sides of the story and then the New Yorkers can decide.”