BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo had until this Friday to respond to the sexual harassment allegations.
That was was until this Tuesday morning's announcement; Cuomo's attorney, Rita Glavin, spoke for roughly 45 minutes about the report not being vetted.
To view Gov. Cuomo's official resignation speech, click here.
However, in Cuomo's announcement following Glavin, he admitted to having "slipped" to calling his colleagues pet names, but claims the investigation was politically motivated.
To view attorney, Rita Glavin's report findings, click here.
"I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing, and therefore, that's what I'll do, because I work for you," Governor Cuomo said.
Regretful words from the state governor after he announced his resignation, amid sexual harassment allegations.
Eight months after the first public sexual harassment allegation against him was announced, the governor is stepping down.
"The most serious allegations made against me had no credible factual basis in the report, and there is a difference between alleged improper conduct and concluding sexual harassment. Now, don't get me wrong, this is not to say that there are not 11 women who I truly offended. There are, and for that I truly, deeply apologize."
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However, Cuomo and his defense team believe the investigation had ulterior motives. In a 45-minute press conference Tuesday morning, Cuomo's attorney, Rita Glavin, stated the report was not vetted and dissected the 165-page report.
Glavin said, "The report, as I've said before contains errors, and it omits key evidence. It omitted evidence that undermined the narrative, that began in Day 1 of this investigation. This was not about an independent review of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding them. From Day 1, this was about building a case."
She said the governor had no opportunity to respond, once the report came down, and said he was convicted in everyone's mind.
"The investigators credited people that they know had lied in the past or had motives to lie, and the report didn't explore this or any of it. This is about the veracity and the credibility of a report that is being used to impeach and take down an elected official."
On page 142, where it states Cuomo had groped Brittany Commisso in the mansion on November 16, 2020, Glavin said investigators failed to collect or review evidence to determine if this accusation was factual.
"Everyone has to ask themselves, why didn't they do that? Why didn't they get all of the emails from that day? Why didn't they get the records of when Ms. Commisso left the mansion? Why didn't they speak to any of the witnesses? And there were many who were in the mansion that day," Glavin stated.
She also notes that on page 147, the report does not credit the executive chamber for stepping in, even though she says it did.
"It said, "We understand that certain criminal authorities, including the Albany Police Department have been alerted to the most egregious allegations of physical touching, including the groping of executive assistant 1. I ask you, why didn't the report say the executive chamber promptly reported it to the Albany Police Department?"
Another line Glavin said is incorrect, is the conversation about what accuser Lindsey Boylan, said during the governor's campaign.
"There were a number of conversations about what Ms. Boylan was saying, and what was going on in the campaign. One of Ms. Boylan's top media consultants resigned when she made these allegations. Did the attorney general investigators talk to all of those people?" She added, "The complainants needed to be scrutinized just as much as the governor and the chamber, and that didn't happen here."
Cuomo's resigination takes effect in 14 days.
