UPDATE:
Gov. Cuomo's office responded to the allegations.
"There is simply no truth to these claims," Cuomo's Press Secretary Caitlin Girouard said in a statement to Townhall.
ORIGINAL POST:
On Sunday, a former special advisor to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) accused the governor of sexually harassing her "for years." Lindsey Boylan, the former Deputy Secretary for Economic Development for the State of New York, took to Twitter to air her grievances with the governor.
My first experience of workplace sexual harassment was when my mom got her first real office job after graduating from college when I was in high school.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
She was so excited to be taken “seriously.” Her bossed isolated her and kissed her. She never had that type of job again.
It was then how I learned how hard it is for women. How hard this world can be for us when we are trying to be taken seriously and help our community. How easily jerks can destroy the lives of women.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
And I promised myself I would never let those kind of guys win. I would work hard my whole life to put myself in positions of power to change things. To end the violence & corruption. Give voice to the voiceless.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
I am not stopping. I refuse. I will never give up.
According to Boylan, many outsiders saw the alleged sexual harassment but did nothing. She also claimed she wasn't the only woman to have been the victim of the alleged harassment.
Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
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.
Not knowing what to expect what’s the most upsetting part aside from knowing that no one would do a damn thing even when they saw it.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
No one.
And I *know* I am not the only woman.
I’m angry to be put in this situation at all. That because I am a woman, I can work hard my whole life to better myself and help others and yet still fall victim as countless women over generations have. Mostly silently.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
I hate that some men, like @NYGovCuomo abuse their power.
The former employee did not provide any additional information about the alleged harassment, like who witnessed the instances or what specifically took place. She did, however, say she's not interested in going into greater detail with reporters.
To be clear: I have no interest in talking to journalists.
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
I am about validating the experience of countless women and making sure abuse stops.
My worst fear is that this continues. And as @FKAtwigs said yesterday, my second worst fear is having to talk about and relive this.
Earlier in December, she said working under the Cuomo administration was the most "toxic environment" she had ever worked in.
Most toxic team environment? Working for @NYGovCuomo. https://t.co/mtM1VYXxSH
— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 5, 2020
Boylan worked for the State of New York from Mar. 2015 to Oct. 2018, her LinkedIn profile reads. She had various jobs in the state's economic development programs, including the Empire State Development, the state's public-benefit corporation.
She is currently running as a Democrat for Manhattan borough president. Her run comes after unsuccessfully primarying Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) earlier this year. She lost the race by more than 40 points.