Former Gov. Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan's candid op-ed detailing Cuomo's inappropriate behavior has compelled other public figures to speak out on the toxic environment they experienced while working in the Cuomo administration. According to Boylan, Gov. Cuomo kissed her on the mouth in his office without permission, made sexual innuendos and once asked her to play "strip poker."
New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi knows what it feels like to be bullied by the Cuomo administration. She was one of three female Democratic lawmakers to reportedly be called "f**king idiots" by Cuomo advisor Rich Azzopardi. Biaggi said she supports Boylan and said that she too witnessed "inappropriate" behavior when she worked for the administration.
State Sen. @Biaggi4NY — who said she believes a former aide’s allegations that Gov. Cuomo sexually harassed her — told @InsideCityHall other people have stories of toxic or abusive behavior in the governor's administration. #NY1Politics pic.twitter.com/qJG5k5AEAm
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) February 25, 2021
But Azzopardi showed no remorse in yet another dismissive statement.
"Alessandra Biaggi has chronically misrepresented her role during her brief time in the Governor's office - the Governor did not interact with her when she worked there - further, the majority of the senior staff never knew who she was or that she worked in the office until after she left and ran for office," he said on Wednesday.
Biaggi said that his take was "fascinating," before recalling how staff tried to bully her.
Fascinating.@RichAzzopardi, is that why I got a dozen phone calls from senior staff, twisting my arm out of running?
— Alessandra Biaggi (@Biaggi4NY) February 25, 2021
Was Alphonso David (my boss) not senior staff? Was I not the lead attorney assigned to the Council for Women & Girls, which Melissa DeRosa ran?
Nice try. https://t.co/flTGAwaoN9
Cuomo is currently under investigation for his role in the state's nursing home scandal. Concerned folks also want an investigation into the sexual harassment claims as well.