Cuomo’s Response to Investigation Includes Photo Trove of Biden, Harris, Obama and More Hugging and Kissing People
Screenshot from Andrew Cuomo’s response
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has a lengthy response to the findings of the New York Attorney General’s Office that includes photos of himself and other prominent politicians hugging and kissing people.
The investigation concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. In his on-camera statement Tuesday, the governor said, “I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.”
One part of Cuomo’s defense included him claiming that images of him interacting with women have been “weaponized” against him. He proceeded to show pictures of himself being close with a variety of individuals over the years, giving some of them kisses on the cheek and the forehead.
The written defense [PDF] from Cuomo’s attorney addresses how he interacts with his staff, and makes comparisons to other prominent politicians.
“He is informal with his staff and banters with all employees, again, regardless of gender, in an effort to bring collegiality and levity to their high- pressure and demanding positions. He is interested in their lives. His close staff members have become his family, which is not uncommon when working in politics,” it says, citing reports about staffers to former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
This too includes photos of himself hugging and kissing many people, but goes a little further to say, “Democratic and Republican politicians, male and female alike, use handshakes, hugs, and kisses to connect with others.”
As evidence of this, Cuomo’s defense includes photos of the following people hugging and/or kissing people:
- President Joe Biden
- Vice President Kamala Harris
- Former President Barack Obama
- Former President George W. Bush
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi
- Governor Mario Cuomo (Cuomo’s father)
It also includes photos of Obama and Bush hugging hurricane victims.
This 83-page response report for #AndrewCuomo is bonkers…and includes EIGHT PAGES of politicians hugging to prove…something? https://t.co/PKcCwKbzgy pic.twitter.com/HoWpAdQj2d
— Pilar Melendez (@pbmelendez) August 3, 2021
Exhibits 1 and 2 in Andrew Cuomo’s lawyer’s defense are just photos of various politicians hugging or kissing each other… https://t.co/kE2pub0Xts pic.twitter.com/KE1LKDgkWO
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) August 3, 2021
Cuomo included photos of Obama and Bush hugging *hurricane victims* in his 85-page defense, most of which is pictures pic.twitter.com/err8EldLwh
— Eliza Relman (@eliza_relman) August 3, 2021
The governor’s response addresses the allegations from the women saying he sexually harassed them. It questions Lindsey Boylan’s credibility and says her “agenda and motivations are obvious.”
