Andrew Cuomo now facing allegations by male former aides: report

Embattled New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) is faces new allegations of misconduct by former staff in a new report by The Washington Post.

"A former press aide of Andrew M. Cuomo says he summoned her to his dimly lit hotel room and embraced her after a work event in 2000, when Cuomo led the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and she was a consultant for the agency. The woman, Karen Hinton, says she pulled away from Cuomo, but he pulled her back toward his body, holding her before she backed away and left the room," the Post reported.

Hinton is the third female former staffer to come forward with allegations.

The newspaper also reported, "Two male aides who worked for Cuomo in the New York governor's office say he routinely berated them with explicit language, making comments such as calling them 'pussies' and saying, 'You have no balls.'"

"The newest accounts of Cuomo's workplace behavior by former aides in interviews with The Washington Post come after several women have publicly accused the New York governor of inappropriate personal comments or unwelcome physical contact. The allegations have engulfed one of the country's top Democratic officials in crisis and put a sharp focus on the workplace culture he has fostered during his three decades in public office," the newspaper reported. "The Post reached out to more than 150 former and current Cuomo staffers, stretching back to his time at HUD in Washington. Most did not respond. Among those who did, the majority spoke on the condition of anonymity, because they said they still fear his wrath and his power to destroy careers."

That dynamic was on display as Peter Ajemian, Cuomo's director of communications, lashed out at Hinton for her allegation.

"This did not happen," he said. "Karen Hinton is a known antagonist of the Governor's who is attempting to take advantage of this moment to score cheap points with made up allegations from 21 years ago. All women have the right to come forward and tell their story — however, it's also the responsibility of the press to consider self-motivation. This is reckless."