By Dan Murphy
Westchester resident Charlotte Bennett, one of eight accusers that have stepped forward to claim sexual harrassment from Governor Andrew Cuomo, was questioned by investigators from NY Attorney General Letitcia James’ office for four hours last week.
Bennett, who has become a hero of sorts to women who have experienced similar harrassment in the workplace, continues to speak out, but also with the help of her attorney Debra Katz. “She (Bennett) detailed her allegations of sexual harassment and provided the investigators with more than 120 pages of contemporaneous records, as well as other examples of documentary evidence, to corroborate her accusations against Gov. Cuomo and his senior staff,” Katz said.
“We remain confident that their investigation will substantiate Charlotte’s claims of sexual harassment against Gov. Cuomo, as well as the failure of his senior staff to meet their mandatory reporting requirements under the very laws he signed,” Katz said. “She also provided detailed information about the sexually hostile work environment the Governor fostered in both his Manhattan and Albany offices and his deliberate effort to create rivalries and tension among female staffers on whom he bestowed attention. One piece of new information that came to light today was the Governor’s preoccupation with his hand size and what the large size of his hands indicated to Charlotte and other members of his staff. “
“As we have said before, it is imperative that this investigation not only focus on Gov. Cuomo’s actions, but also on the culture of fear, abuse and secrecy that he and his most senior staff cultivated. To that end, we have full confidence in the investigation and the investigators. We urge others who have been subjected to inappropriate conduct by the Governor – and we know you are out there – to come forward with what you experienced. And to those who observed the behavior, we urge you to do the same.”
Investigators we have spoke to with experience in sexual harrassment cases, tell us that:
1-This will not be a “he said, she said,” conclusion. Usually, the alleged victim has emails, texts and phone calls that point to their state of mind immediately after the alleged harrassment took place, adding credibility to their claims. Bennett submitted 120 pages of records.
2-Are there other victims out there? Katz alluded to it when she said, “We urge others who have been subjected to inappropriate conduct by the Governor – and we know you are out there.” Investigators we spoke to thought that some of the alleged victims “have now moved on with their lives, they are married with a family, they don’t want to get involved in this.”
Another troubling angle that this case could take, is “are there any women out there who did have a relationship with the Governor, while working for him and for State government? If that person is out there and comes forward, that it the textbook case for harrassment if it didn’t end well.”
Another Albany insider told us that, “while its troubling that Andrew hired woman just so that he could admire them and comment on their outfits, as is alleged, so far, there is no sex in the sexual harrassment allegations, and there may not be someone out there. Was he (Cuomo) just a big talker, or did something actually happen? Is there a woman out there who let him follow through on his advances or comments.”
