The New York state Assembly’s damning report on sexual harassment allegations against disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s corroborates claims by a 12th accuser who said he forcibly kissed her while touring her flood-damaged home and then sent her signed photos of the visit.
Sherry Vill, 55, publicly accused Cuomo in March of “manhandling” her when he visited Greece, just outside Rochester, in 2017 after the area was ravaged by floods.
The legislative report released Monday lists the married mother of three as one of Cuomo’s accusers for the first time.
Vill was interviewed by investigators retained by New York state Attorney General Letitia James earlier this year, but her allegations were not detailed in that report, which was released in August and only listed 11 accusers.
According to the legislative report released Monday, Cuomo grabbed Vill’s hand and kissed her on both cheeks without her consent when she was talking to the then-governor about the state of her flood-damaged home.
Vill said Cuomo told her she was beautiful as they were walking out of her home before later grabbing her hand and kissing her again without consent.
According to the report, the mother told investigators she “felt uncomfortable.”
Following Cuomo’s visit, Vill said, she received a phone call from someone in the governor’s office inviting her to attend one of his future events.
She noted that none of her family members or neighbors who had also met Cuomo during the flood tour received an invite.
“Ms. Vill also later received signed photos from the then-Governor’s visit; neither her family members nor her neighbors received photographs either,” the report said.
When Vill first came forward with her allegations in March, she described the encounter as “so strange and inappropriate” — and added that it still made her nervous because of his power.
“I am still afraid of him, but I am no longer willing to remain silent,” she said at a press conference at the time.
Cuomo resigned in August to avoid a likely impeachment trial after the James report revealed he had sexually harassed at least 11 women in violation of state and federal law.
The Assembly investigators said they reviewed that investigation as part of their own probe, which ultimately found “overwhelming evidence” that Cuomo engaged in sexual harassment.
Cuomo has denied that he ever intended to touch anyone inappropriately and said he never meant to make anyone uncomfortable with sexual remarks.
He has demanded that Assembly investigators hand over the evidence they have against him, but Judiciary Committee members have said Cuomo isn’t entitled to it.
