Two, ethical issues are currently swirling around New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. Invariably, when I write a post that brushes against or even inserts itself in politics, I anticipate push-back. While I won’t shy away from the fact that Cuomo is a Democrat or that the Democratic party seems to be avoiding dealing with the problem, this post is about alleged sexual harassment and those in power looking the other way.
Andrew Cuomo Needed Ethics Training
On February 26, 2021, Jesse McKinley wrote a piece for the New York Times, entitled: “Cuomo Is Accused of Sexual Harassment by a 2nd Former Aide.” The aide stepped forward and talked of a private meeting between Cuomo and the aide where the governor asked her several questions of a sexually explicit, inappropriate nature.
In that meeting the governor mentioned his own personal loneliness and needing to be hugged. There was little doubt in the aide’s mind that the governor wanted to sleep with her.
to McKinley:
“Mr. Cuomo said in a statement to The Times on Saturday that he believed he had been acting as a mentor and had ‘never made advances toward Ms. Bennett, nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate.’ He said he had requested an independent review of the matter and asked that New Yorkers await the findings ‘before making any judgments.’”
One word against the other? Not quite.
As it turned out, two days before, on February 24, 2021, Lindsay Boylan, “a former state economic development official who said that Mr. Cuomo had harassed her on several occasions from 2016 to 2018, at one point gave her an unsolicited kiss on the lips at his Manhattan office.”
Now there is a third complaint of sexual harassment that has emerged, of an unwanted advance at a wedding where Cuomo, 63, gave an unwanted kiss to another young woman.
As is typically the case, Cuomo – obviously a powerful man – is denying he sexually harassed three younger women. Let’s put that aside, and talk for a bit about the Democratic party.
The Party
Ethics require an equal application of judgment.
Democrats have long espoused a zero-tolerance policy. They forced out Senator Al Franken for sexual harassment and went after Brett Kavanaugh. At this point, several in the party have called for “an investigation,” but it seems to be a stalling tactic.
Said the Boston Globe, writer, James Pindell, on March 2, 2021:
“An investigation suggests that there are facts to find out. In the case of Bennett, the facts appear to be agreed upon and established to a certain degree. What needs to be established is Cuomo’s intent, something that no investigation can resolve.”
Obviously, in calling for an investigation, the hope is that the public will essentially forget about it. Cuomo is up for re-election. By being silent, the hope, as Pindell states:
“that people will simply move on from a political crisis involving a popular governor. And by refusing to condemn him now, Democrats are lending a hand to that effort by team Cuomo.”
In addition, New York State has 19 Democratic members of Congress. Only one has called on him to resign. The rest want the investigation.
The Power and The Glory?
Cuomo is powerful and in cases of sexual harassment, it is usually powerful men and naïve young women. The men see it as opportunity. Who was going to stand up to one of the most powerful politicians in the state? Where would the oversite be that would immediately censure the governor? He knows that. Though the accusation may stain him, his removal would be an embarrassment to the party. The “investigation” is an ethical joke.
There are many who are asking exactly “what” a zero-tolerance policy implies? For Cuomo, it is apparently nothing more than a rationalization to do whatever he wants to satisfy his needs for sex and power.
There are numerous parallels, such as corporate executives in numerous workplaces, and heads of associations harassing relatively powerless employees. I have seen it in action and I am sure, so have you.
Will the party do the right thing? It is highly doubtful. In the era of MeToo and zero tolerance, apparently power and privilege still win.
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