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The editorial office
Updated February 28, 2021 at 7:44 p.m. ET
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference on Feb.22.
Photo:
seth little / Agence France-Presse / Getty Images
No one will ever consider Andrew Cuomo a likable person, so the New York governor notes that he has few allies as he faces allegations of sexually molesting two women who previously worked for him. Even so, even if he refused to offer the same due process to others, he deserves a fair investigation into the facts without rushing to judgment.
Mr. Cuomo denies Lindsey Boylan’s allegations, which have been known for some time. The second accuser, 25-year-old Charlotte Bennett, came forward on Saturday in one
History. The alleged behavior doesn’t match that of Matt Lauer, let alone Harvey Weinstein. If the details are correct, they suggest behavior that would fire a CEO by current standards. Ms. Bennett says Mr. Cuomo made his inappropriate comments last June.
The 63-year-old governor first said he believed he was a mentor to Ms. Bennett and “never made any progress.” He later admitted in a statement that he was often “playful” and liked to “joke” with employees that some might have “misunderstood as undesirable flirtation”. He also bowed to Attorney General Letitia James’ request that a private attorney be appointed to investigate the allegations. The result will be made available to the public. Mrs. James wants to be the governor herself.
The allegations emerge as Mr Cuomo is already under fire for covering up the number of deaths in nursing homes from Covid-19 after his government ordered homes to admit Covid patients from hospitals. The press largely ignored this scandal during the election year
was
One thing, but it’s finally Mr. Cuomo’s turn in the pandemic dock, and rightly so. The left has never liked the governor or his bullying dominance in New York politics, and it now feels a chance to knock him out if he runs for a fourth term in 2022, if not before.
When Brett Kavanaugh was accused by Christine Blasey Ford in 2018 of harassment without confirmation, Mr. Cuomo made a statement saying, “I believe Dr. Ford’s statement is very convincing. Only a political skeptic could find a reason not to believe her. What is your possible motive for lying? . . . Here is a fundamental fact that offends Judge Kavanaugh: Why doesn’t he use a polygraph? Dr. Ford did it. “
Contrary to Mr. Cuomo’s outright rush to judge this episode, we will await the results of the investigation into the governor’s conduct.
Journal Editorial Report: The proposed January 6th investigation is too partisan. Image: Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images
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Published in the print edition of March 1, 2021.
