Lindsey Boylan came forward several months ago with claims that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had repeatedly sexually harassed her while she worked for him.
Now Boylan has had enough. She is releasing details of what she says happened under Cuomo, including detailed screenshots of texts and conversations.
Boylan previously served as Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Special Advisor to Cuomo and is currently candidate for New York’s 10th congressional district in this year’s elections.
She said she is coming forward now so that no woman ever feels she has to work under similar conditions again. Boylan also refuses to be intimidated by Cuomo’s power and influence.
What Details is Boylan Now Claiming?
Among the updated details that Boylan’s now releasing is basically that Cuomo was a disgusting pig on a regular basis to her and other women in his office. He propositioned her many times to play “strip poker” while on his private jet. It was then that Boylan said she realized he was a sexually sadistic bully.
“Governor Andrew Cuomo has created a culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected. His inappropriate behavior toward women was an affirmation that he liked you, that you must be doing something right. He used intimidation to silence his critics. And if you dared to speak up, you would face consequences,” she wrote in a recent post.
After another Cuomo employee opened up to Boylan about harassment she’d suffered under him, Boylan decided to first come forward in mid-December. She was especially irked when she saw that Biden might be considering Cuomo for Attorney General and decided that his true character needed to be revealed.
As Boylan writes:
“There are many more of us, but most are too afraid to speak up. I’m compelled to tell my story because no woman should feel forced to hide their experiences of workplace intimidation, harassment and humiliation — not by the Governor or anyone else.”
🚨🚨 My Statement Calling for the Resignation of Governor Cuomo 🚨🚨 https://t.co/gWvBm4rS31 pic.twitter.com/jZZEobvE92
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) February 24, 2021
Cuomo’s Denials and More Revolting Revelations
Boylan says she is not surprised by Cuomo’s denials and those of his staff, since they know they’ll lose their jobs if they admit anything bad about him.
In further revolting revelations, Boylan talks about how other friends and colleagues warned her to be cautious around Cuomo. Soon after meeting her, he apparently got a “crush” on her she says. Cuomo started calling her by the name of his ex-girlfriend “Lisa” and would constantly touch her back, arms and legs.
Nonetheless, Boylan says she was already used to disrespectful men treating her like an object and she didn’t become truly alarmed until December, 2016 when the governor personally requested to see her alone at the Capitol after an office celebration. Boylan, who is married, was worried what would happen and called her husband.
She recalled the warnings she’d gotten and went to the end of the hall at the Albany capitol to see Cuomo as he’d ordered. He was, after all, her boss. He ultimately didn’t make a move on her, but showed off his various office memorabilia and let her go. However, in the coming weeks and months he showered Boylan with attention. Even though he was unsuccessful, Boylan said she consistently felt like he was pressuring her to accept his advances because of the power he had over her.
She says Cuomo often made insulting comments about female colleagues’ weight and appearances as well as their boyfriends and husbands, mocking their love lives and personal choices.
Finally things reached a head when Cuomo simply grabbed her and kissed her on the lips strongly while she was trying to walk out of a room. She became increasingly uncomfortable over the coming weeks and eventually resigned in 2018.
Cuomo has already denied this, which is par for the course, but is there any longer a doubt that Cuomo should be removed from office?
