Andrew Cuomo’s first accuser, a woman named Lindsey Boylan, has remembered the first post which set off a chain reaction that eventually led to his resignation as the governor of New York in 2021.
Five years ago, Boylan had accused the former New York governor of sexual harassment and creating a toxic work environment. She was part of his administration from March 2015 to October 2018, reported The New York Post. Her post on Cuomo encouraged many other women to come forward to accuse the Democrat of harassment.
In a post shared Wednesday, Lindsey Boylan remembered the tweet that started it all. “My tweet about how working Friendlys as a teen waitress was more respectful than working for the governor of New York started a series of events that would ultimately lead to the resignation of said governor,” she wrote.
Allegations against Andrew Cuomo
After gaining national acclaim for his leadership during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cuomo’s image began to unravel in 2021 when multiple women accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour. A report from independent investigators commissioned by New York attorney general Letitia James found in August 2021 that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women over a period of seven years.
The tweet that started it all
{{/usCountry}}After gaining national acclaim for his leadership during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cuomo’s image began to unravel in 2021 when multiple women accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour. A report from independent investigators commissioned by New York attorney general Letitia James found in August 2021 that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women over a period of seven years.
The tweet that started it all
{{/usCountry}}Andrew Cuomo’s downfall began with a post from Lindsey Boylan.
On December 5, 2020, Boylan tweeted that working as a teenaged waitress was more respectful than working for the Cuomo administration. She accused the former NYC governor for sexually harassing her on multiple occasions.
“Most toxic team environment? Working for @NYGovCuomo,” Boylan wrote in one tweet.
In another, she said, “I’ve had many jobs. Waitressing at @Friendlys as a teenager was an infinitely more respectful environment. Even when I had bad customers who tipped poorly.”
A few days later, on December 13, she came right out to accuse the Democrat of sexual harassment.
“Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched,” Boylan tweeted. “I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years.”
In her blog post, Boylan said that Andrew Cuomo “created a culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected.”
One example she gave dated back to October 2017, when she and Cuomo were flying home with other aides. Cuomo allegedly said “Let’s play strip poker” during the flight.
“Andrew Cuomo abused his power as Governor to sexually harass me, just as he had done with so many other women,” Boylan wrote, claiming that a former staffer told her on December 12, 2020 that she had also faced harassment from Cuomo.
Andrew Cuomo resigned as the governor of New York in October 2021.