♪
>>> NOW AT 11:00. ♪
>>> NOW AT 11:00.
>> GOVERNOR CUOMO SEXUALLY
HARASSED CURRENT AND FORMER
EMPLOYEES.
>> NEW YORK’S GOVERNOR FIGHTING
FOR HIS POLITICAL LIFE IN THE WAKE OF A BLISTERING REPORT.
>> THESE WOMEN WENT THROUGH
HELL.
? AND
>> AND A CLIMATE OF FEAR IN HIS
OWN OFFICE.
>> TOXIC, HOSTILE, ABUSIVE.
>> TONIGHT THE DENIAL.
>> THE FACTS ARE MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT HAS BEEN PORTRAYED. >> AND THE DEEPENS CRISIS AS THE
POLITICAL FALLOUT NOW REACHES
THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> ARE YOU NOW CALLING ON HIM TO
RESIGN? >> YES.
>> AND TONIGHT, 12 HOURS AFTER
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RELEASED
THIS REPORT, THE FALLOUT
CONTINUES TO GROW. THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE AT
11:00, IM’M ADAM KUPERSTEIN. >> IT’S THE LATEST RESPONSE TO
THE DAMNING FINDING OF THE CIVIL
REVIEW WHICH INCLUDED COUNTS OF UNWANTED TOUCHING AND SUGGESTIVE
COMMENTS BY 11 WOMEN, MOST
CURRENT OR FORMER STATE
EMPLOYEES.
>> THE REPORT IS OVER, BUT THE
FIRESTORM IS NOT.
WE HAVE MORE ON WHAT LIES AHEAD
FROM THE EMBATTLED GOVERNOR.
>> Reporter: FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE. >> I THINK HE SHOULD RESIGN.
>> Reporter: TO THE ALBANY STATE
HOUSE.
FELLOW DEMOCRATS WANT HIM OUT. IN A KEY DEVELOPMENT, THE STATE
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER WITH THE POWER
TO IMPEACH NOW ANNOUNCING THAT
GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS LOST THE
CONFIDENCE OF THE ASSEMBLY’S
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY AND CAN NO LONGER REMAIN IN OFFICE.
BUT CUOMO REMAINS DEFYIANT.
>> THAT IS JUST NOT WHO I AM. >> Reporter: AS PRESSURE MOUNTED
FROM BOTH NEW YORK SENATORS.
>> AS I SAID, I CONTINUE TO
BELIEVE THAT HE SHOULD RESIGN. >> Reporter: AND THE GOVERNORS
OF NEW JERSEY, DIDN’T,
PENNSYLVANIA AND RHODE ISLAND,
WHO SAID IN A JOINT STATEMENT
THEY’RE APPALLED AT THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL’S FINDINGS AND URGED
CUOMO TO RESIGN.
>> GOVERNOR CUOMO SEXUALLY
HARASSED CURRENT AND FORMER NEW YORK STATE EMPLOYEES BY ENGAGING
IN UNWELCOME AND NON-CONSENSUAL
TOUCHING. >> Reporter: IN COMPILING THE
REPORT, INVESTIGATORS
INCUMBENTEDCONDUCTED
179 INTERVIEWS, FINDING THE 11 CUOMO ACCUSERS CREDIBLE AND THE
GOVERNOR’S DENIALS NOT.
ONE IS AN UNNAMED STATE TROOPER WHO MET HER ON A BRIDGE.
HE RECRUITED HER TO WORK ON
SECURITY DETAIL.
SHE ALLEGES HE MADE SEXUALIZED
COMMENTSEN RAN HIS HAND ACROSS
HER BELLY AND HIS FINGER DOWN
HER NECK TO THE CENTER OF HER
BACK.
>> THESE WERE NOT ISOLATED
INCIDENTS. THEY WERE PART OF A PATTERN.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER NEW ACCUSER SAYS INSTEAD OF SHAKING HER HAND
WHEN HE MET HER, HE PRESSED HIS
HAND ON HER BREASTS AS HE READ
THE WORDS ON HER TEE SHIRT.
>> THE FACTS ARE MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT HAS BEEN PORTRAYED.
>> Reporter: IN A PRE-TAPED,
CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED RESPONSE THAT INCLUDED A SLIDE SHOW, HE
SAYS HE’S OLD-FASHIONED AND
TOUCHES PEOPLE TO DISPLAY WARMTH.
>> THEY DESCRIBE MOTIVES I NEFFV
HAD.
>> Reporter: THERE IS AUDIO OF
HIM SINGING TO CHARLOTTE BENNETT
ON THE PHONE. ♪ DO YOU LOVE ME ♪
>> Reporter: CUOMO OFFERING A
NEW EXPLANATION FOR WHY HE ASKED ABOUT HER SEX LIFE, SAYING SHE
REMINDED HIM OF HIS OWN FAMILY
WHO HAD ALSO SURVIVED SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND WAS TRYING TO HELP.
>> THIS YOUNG WOMAN BROUGHT IT
ALL BACK.
SHE’S ABOUT THE SAME AGE.
I THOUGHT I COULD HELP HER WORK
THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME.
I DID ASK HER QUESTIONS I DON’T
FORMALLY ASK PEOPLE. >> Reporter: BENNETT RESPONDED
TUESDAY NIGHT TO SAY "DON’T BUY IT."
>> DO YOU THINK HE’S GASLIGHTING
YOU?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HE’S TRYING TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF
BY MAKING ME OUT TO BE SOMEONE
WHO CAN’T TELL THE DITCHFFERENCE
BETWEEN SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND
MENTORSHIP.
>> IT’S PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION HERE.
>> Reporter: THE GOVERNOR
CLEARLY LOOKING TO RIDE THIS OUT
SOMEHOW.
HE WANTS TO WIN A FOURTH TERM NEXT YEAR.
BUT IF THE ASSEMBLY VOTES TO
IMPEACH HE’LL HAVE TO STEP ASIDE
IMMEDIATELY, PENDING A FINAL
DETERMINATION IN THE STATE
SENATE.
MELISSA ROUSSEAU, NEWS 4 NEW YORK.
>> ALL RIGHT, MELISSA, THANKS. PRIOR TO TODAY’S REPORT, INITIAL
PUBLIC RESEARCH SHOWED A
MAJORITY OF NEW YORK VOTERS SHOWED HE SHOULD NOT RESIGN, BUT
WITH WHAT THE FINDINGS REVEALED,
IS THAT STILL THE CASE?
CHECKEY BECKFORD TOOK THAT
QUESTION TO VOTERS IN QUEENS.
>> Reporter: EVEN IN THE HOME
BOROUGH OF QUEENS, MANY AGREED
CUOMO SHOULD RESIGN.
BUT THERE ARE HOLDOUTS WHO WORRY
ABOUT LOSING HIS LEADERSHIP AS THE STATE CONTINUES TO NAVIGATE
THE PANDEMIC. >> I FOE HE’SKNOW HE’S DONE A LO
US.
>> Reporter: SHE WANTS THE
GOVERNOR TO KEEP HIS JOB.
>> I’M REALLY TORN.
I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE WOMEN AND
EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK IF SOMEONE COMES IN, I DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOING TO
DO AS GOOD FOR US. >> Reporter: BUT LIKE MOST
PEOPLE WE HEARD FROM, THIS PANMA
FEELS HE SHOULD STEP DOWN. >> IF SO MANY HAVE COME FORWARD,
I THINK THE EVIDENCE IS
OVERWHELMING.
>> Reporter: THE BOMBSHELL
FINDINGS IN THE STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL’S REPORT AND THE
GOVERNOR’S HARD-LINE RESPONSE,
DENYING WRONG DOING WHILE
BLAMING MISINTERPRETATIONS AND
POLITICS NOT SCORING POINTS WITH SOME VOTERS OR LEGAL EXPERTS.
>> A PRERECORDED RESPONSE, I
THINK HE SHOULD COME OUT ON THE NEWS AND SPEAK UP.
>> I THIS I THIS WAS A STRATEGIC
ERROR.
>> Reporter: A FORMER DEFENSE
ATTORNEY BELIEVES HIS MONTAGE
MEANT TO SHOW HIS HISTORY OF
DOLING OUT HUGS AND KISSES TO
EVERYONE BACKFIRED. >> SHOWING PHOTOS OF HIM KISSING
AND TOUCHING PEOPLE IN A CONSENSUAL FASHION BECAUSE
THAT’S THE WAY HE DEALS WITH
PEOPLE GENERALLY, THERE ARE
WOMEN WHO SAY HE TOUCHED THEIR
BREASTS OR BUTTOCKS, WHICH IS CLEARLY CRIMINAL CONDUCT.
>> Reporter: CHECKEY BECKFORD,
FUS 4 NEWS 4 NEW YORK.