Cuomo Confronts Sexual Harassment Accusations, Apologizes

NEW YORK CITY — A visibly emotional Gov. Andrew Cuomo emerged from a long absence from the public eye and directly addressed sexual harassment claims against him.

“I’m sorry for whatever pain I’ve caused anyone,” he said during a Wednesday briefing. “I never intended it and I will be the better for this experience.”

Cuomo also said he won't step down or step aside — rebuffing growing calls for his resignation from New York politicians.

Cuomo last appeared publicly on video on Feb. 19 and spoke with reporters on Feb. 22 — since then, his former aide Lindsey Boylan published a lengthy essay detailing her claim that the governor gave her an unwanted kiss and sexually harassed her.

Boylan's account sparked a political firestorm that was further fueled by accusations from another aide — Charlotte Bennett — who said Cuomo asked her questions about her sex life.

A third woman, Anna Ruch, came forward and said Cuomo made an unwanted advance at a wedding. Ruch's encounter with Cuomo was captured in a photograph showing the governor clutching her face.

Cuomo mostly laid low while the accusations and calls for his resignation multiplied. He issued statements blaming his "jokes" for unintended harassment and denied any inappropriate touching.

When Cuomo finally appeared Wednesday, he asked New Yorkers to await the results of an independent investigation by Attorney General Letitia James before they make an opinion. He said he has no intention of resigning.

"I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this," he said. "First, I fully support a woman's right to come forward. And I think it should be encouraged in every way. I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable."

"It was unintentional. And I truly and deeply apologize for it," he said, voice cracking. "I feel awful about it. And, frankly, I am embarrassed by it and that's not easy to say, but that's the truth."

Cuomo denied touching anyone "inappropriately." Later, with prompting from CBS 2 reporter Marcia Kramer, he noted that as a sort of politician's "custom" he has grabbed hundreds of people, women and men alike, by the face, hugged them or kissed them.

His father Gov. Mario Cuomo performed the same gesture, he said. It was never meant to make people feel uncomfortable, he said.

"It doesn't matter my intent — what matters is if anybody was offended by it," he said. "I could intend no offense but if they were offended by it, then it was wrong. And if they were offended by it, I apologize. If they were hurt by it, I apologize. And if they felt pain from it, I apologize."