Cuomo's Troubles Pile Up As Third Woman Accuses Him Of Unwanted Advances

A third woman has come forward accusing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of inappropriate behavior, as pressure mounted on him to leave the office.

Anna Ruch, 33, told The New York Times that Cuomo left her "shocked and embarrassed" after he tried to kiss her at a New York City wedding reception in September 2019. She said that was the first time she met him.

She said the Governor put his hand on her bare lower back when she went to thank him for the wedding speech. Ruch said she tried to remove his hands with hers, prompting the Governor to comment that she seemed “aggressive”. He then placed his hands on her cheeks and asked if he could kiss her.

She said she was bewildered and pulled away as Cuomo drew her close. Her account was corroborated by a friend, who was near her during the incident. The friend also produced text messages and photographs from the event.

Cuomo, already accused by two former aides, hasn't reacted to the fresh accusation yet. He said Sunday that his "interactions may have been insensitive" and "some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation."

Charlotte Bennett, one of the accusers, slammed him saying "he refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior.”

“These are not the actions of someone who simply feels misunderstood,” Bennett wrote. “They are the actions of an individual who wields his power to avoid justice.”

The Governor's office had asked New York attorney general Letitia James to pick an independent attorney to investigate the charges. Meanwhile, more New York Democrats want Cuomo out, reported The Hill.

Voices seeking his ouster have gained strength with many legislators and journalists accusing Cuomo of bullying tactics.

“There’s an ongoing pattern here of abuse of power," said Angelo Santabarbara, the Democratic representative in the New York State Assembly. "I firmly believe that the governor’s resignation is for the good of the state at this point.”

These scandals, along with charges of underreporting of Covid-19 nursing home deaths and the administration's delay in providing data about the deaths to state lawmakers, are likely to affect Cuomo's plans for another term in office.

“The governor has had his time. Three terms is long enough. I believe that the governor should not be seeking a fourth term, and if any more complaints arise, he may not be able to finish this term,” said Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti, D-Westchester County.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio too opened fire at the Governor saying if someone purposefully tried to use their power to force a woman to have sex with them, he should not be in public service.

Cuomo, whose popularity hit an all-time high last year due to his handling of the pandemic, was recently accused of threatening Assemblyman Ron Kim for publicly criticizing his nursing home crisis.

“I think more and more people are going to be talking about what they’ve experienced,” the mayor said Monday, adding "more truth will come out."