Cuomo’s apology shredded by alleged victim for refusing to admit ‘predatory behavior’

NEW YORK — One of the women accusing Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment on Monday blasted his attempted apology as a “manipulative” exercise in victim-blaming.

Charlotte Bennett, a former health policy adviser to Cuomo who went public over the weekend with claims that the governor made sexual overtures, said in a statement that his qualified mea culpa on Sunday smacked of a refusal “to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior.”

“As we know, abusers — particularly those with tremendous amounts of power — are often repeat offenders who engage in manipulative tactics to diminish allegations, blame victims, deny wrongdoing and escape consequences,” Bennett said.

“It took the governor 24 hours and significant backlash to allow for a truly independent investigation. These are not the actions of someone who simply feels misunderstood; they are the actions of an individual who wields his power to avoid justice.”

Bennett’s pushback came on the heels of New York Attorney General Letitia James getting the green light to open an independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo after the governor at first proposed that a retired federal judge conduct the probe.

Debra Katz, Bennett’s attorney, said her client will “cooperate fully” in James’ inquiry.

In a statement Sunday, Cuomo apologized to Bennett and Lindsey Boylan, another former aide accusing him of harassment, by admitting that “some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation.”

Though he said he’s sorry for such “playful” remarks, Cuomo denied ever inappropriately touching or sexually harassing anyone.

Bennett did not accuse Cuomo of touching her, but said he made inappropriate remarks that she interpreted as sexual advances, including asking whether she’d ever been with an older man. Boylan, an ex-economic adviser to Cuomo, made more serious allegations, charging that Cuomo once forcibly kissed her in his office.

In her statement, Bennett suggested there may be other Cuomo aides who have been subjected to harassment.

“To the governor’s survivors: I am here. Lindsey is here. You do not have to say a single word. But if you choose to speak your truth, we will be standing with you. I promise,” she said.

Katz said Cuomo’s Sunday statement could backfire.

“We are confident that no disinterested investigator who reviews this evidence would adopt the governor’s self-serving characterization of his behavior as mentorship or, at worst, unwanted flirtation,” the attorney said. “He was not acting as a mentor and his remarks were not misunderstood by Ms. Bennett. He was abusing his power over her for sex. This is textbook sexual harassment.”

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