An upstate New York woman said Monday that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo grabbed her face and kissed her cheek at her home during a visit to inspect local flood damage, becoming the latest woman to accuse the embattled governor of inappropriate behavior.
Sherry Vill made the allegations during a Zoom news conference with attorney Gloria Allred, describing a spring 2017 visit to her Rochester-area home after flooding near Lake Ontario.
Cuomo kissed her cheek in front of family members while inspecting her flood-damaged home in what Vill, who has been married for decades, felt was a “highly sexual manner.” He kissed her cheek again outside her home in a “very aggressive manner,” Vill said.
"I felt like I was being manhandled,” said Vill, now 55. Vill, who is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, said the governor towered over her.
There was no immediate comment from the Cuomo administration.
A series of women, some who worked for Cuomo, have accused him of making inappropriate comments about their looks, giving them unwanted hugs or kisses, or making comments they interpreted as gauging their interest in an affair. Among his accusers are two aides who still work in the governor’s office. One, who has yet to speak publicly, reportedly said the governor groped her at the Executive Mansion last summer.
Cuomo has denied touching anyone inappropriately but said he’s sorry if he made anyone uncomfortable. The Democratic governor has brushed off widespread calls for his resignation and asked that people wait for the results of an investigation overseen by state Attorney General Letitia James.
{{/usCountry}}Cuomo has denied touching anyone inappropriately but said he’s sorry if he made anyone uncomfortable. The Democratic governor has brushed off widespread calls for his resignation and asked that people wait for the results of an investigation overseen by state Attorney General Letitia James.
{{/usCountry}}Allred said Vill would cooperate with James' investigation.
The state Assembly is conducting a separate investigation into whether there are grounds to impeach the governor.
The accusation Monday has similarities to allegations made by Anna Ruch, who told The New York Times that Cuomo touched her face and back and asked to kiss her moments after they met at a wedding reception.