{"id":186107,"date":"2021-03-02T05:44:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T10:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=186107"},"modified":"2021-03-02T08:38:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T13:38:00","slug":"third-woman-accuses-cuomo-of-making-unwanted-advances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/third-woman-accuses-cuomo-of-making-unwanted-advances\/","title":{"rendered":"Third Woman Accuses Cuomo of Making Unwanted Advances"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthird-woman-accuses-cuomo-of-making-unwanted-advances%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=186107&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A third woman has come forward with harassment allegations against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-nyc\">New York<\/a> Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-andrew-cuomo\">Andrew Cuomo<\/a>, as calls for the Democrat\u2019s resignation continue to grow.<\/p>\n<p>Anna Ruch, 33, told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/03\/01\/nyregion\/cuomo-harassment-anna-ruch.html\">The New York Times<\/a> late Monday that she and the governor met at a wedding in September 2019, where he made unwanted advances toward her. She alleged that he placed his hand on her bare lower back, called her \u201caggressive\u201d when she promptly removed it, and then put his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,\u201d Ruch told The New York Times. \u201cI turned my head away and didn\u2019t have words in that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The news outlet\u00a0published a photograph of the incident showing both of the governor\u2019s hands on her neck and face.<\/p>\n<p>Ruch\u2019s account follows allegations from two of Cuomo\u2019s former aides in recent days. Both Lindsey Boylan, the former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser\u00a0to Cuomo, and Charlotte Bennett, another former aide to the governor, have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment.<\/p>\n<p>Boylan, a Democrat running for the post of Manhattan borough president, in a <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@lindseyboylan4NY\/my-story-of-working-with-governor-cuomo-e664d4814b4e\">post published last week<\/a>, accused Cuomo of making inappropriate remarks, and allegedly touching and kissing her without consent. She said he would go out of his way to \u201ctouch me on my lower back, arms, and legs,\u201d compare her to one of his rumored former girlfriends, and once suggested that they should \u201cplay strip poker\u201d on a flight from an event in October 2017.<\/p>\n<p>Bennett, a former executive assistant and health policy adviser to Cuomo, accused the governor of sexually harassing her, including asking inappropriate questions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared,\u201d Bennett told The New York Times. \u201cAnd was wondering how I was going to get out of it and assumed it was the end of my job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cuomo\u2019s office didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment by The Epoch Times about Ruch\u2019s account. The Epoch\u00a0Times also reached out to Ruch\u2019s\u00a0photography business.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3701785\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cuomo-and-derosa-1200x800-1.jpg\" alt=\"cuomo\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p>New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds a protective mask to his face as he and Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa arrive for a briefing at New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., on May 7, 2020. (Mike Segar\/Reuters)<\/p>\n<p>Ruch told The New York Times that she was left feeling uneasy after Cuomo touched her back.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI promptly removed his hand with my hand, which I would have thought was a clear enough indicator that I was not wanting him to touch me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI felt so uncomfortable and embarrassed when really he is the one who should have been embarrassed,\u201d she added, recalling the moment the governor placed his hands on her cheeks.<\/p>\n<p>That particular encounter was captured in several photographs by a friend on Ruch\u2019s cellphone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the act of impunity that strikes me,\u201d Ruch said. \u201cI didn\u2019t have a choice in that matter. I didn\u2019t have a choice in his physical dominance over me at that moment. And that\u2019s what infuriates me. And even with what I could do, removing his hand from my lower back, even doing that was not clear enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was when my friend looked at me and said, \u2018Are you OK?\u2019 with such genuine concern in her face that I realized how obviously inappropriate it was,\u201d Ruch added, \u201cnot only to me but to those around me as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 63-year-old governor is facing increasing calls to resign following the sexual harassment allegations, which come at a time when he\u2019s facing intense scrutiny over how his state handled the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe pattern of sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Governor Cuomo is unacceptable, and I believe the women coming forward,\u201d New York City Councilman Antonio Reynoso said on Twitter.<\/p>\n<p>New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a Democrat, called for Cuomo\u2019s resignation in a Twitter post on Feb. 27.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a New Yorker, a legislator, Chair of the Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee, and a survivor of sexual abuse, I am calling for Governor Cuomo to resign,\u201d Biaggi wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) on Feb. 27 said the governor should \u201cimmediately resign,\u201d calling him a \u201ccriminal sexual predator.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bennett\u2019s account of \u201cCuomo\u2019s sickening workplace sexual harassment and grooming\u201d is \u201cso horrific it makes your skin crawl,\u201d she said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EliseStefanik\/status\/1365820950210560006\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Cuomo\u2019s office has denied the allegations from both Boylan and Bennett. In a statement on Feb. 28, he acknowledged that some of his interactions with women \u201cmay have been insensitive or too personal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The statement maintained that Cuomo has \u201cnever inappropriately touched anybody\u201d and said his office would cooperate with an investigation.<\/p>\n<p>New York Attorney General Letitia James <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/new-york-ag-says-wont-accept-cuomos-proposal-for-independent-probe-into-sexual-harassment-claims_3715081.html\">said Sunday<\/a>\u00a0she rejected Cuomo\u2019s proposal for an independent review.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe state\u2019s Executive Law clearly gives my office the authority to investigate this matter once the governor provides a referral,\u201d James, a Democrat, said.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, James said she was launching the probe after Cuomo\u2019s office sent her the referral.<\/p>\n<p>After news of Ruch\u2019s account was published, Bennett extended her support in a tweet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis inappropriate and aggressive behavior cannot be justified or normalized. Thank you for your courage and strength,\u201d Bennett <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_char_bennett_\/status\/1366555463765151746?s=20\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel nauseous thinking about Anna\u2019s experience,\u201d Boylan wrote on Twitter. \u201cI am sending her love and light. Charlotte and I are with you, Anna.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A third woman has come forward with harassment allegations against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as calls for the Democrat\u2019s resignation continue to grow. Anna Ruch, 33, told The New &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2274526,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cuomo-and-derosa-1200x800-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Third Woman Accuses Cuomo of Making Unwanted Advances","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-186107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cuomo-and-derosa-1200x800-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Third Woman Accuses Cuomo of Making Unwanted Advances","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2274526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}