[ THEME MUSIC ] >> ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," CALLS GROW FOR GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO TO RESIGN BUT HE SAYS HE'S STAYING.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO RESIGN.

>> ANNA GRONEWOLD FROM POLITICO AND KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO ARE HERE WITH THE LATEST.

THEN, STATE SENATOR ALESSANDRA BIAGGI AND LEAH HEBERT FROM THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT WORKING GROUP JOIN ME WITH ANALYSIS.

PLUS, IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 WAS DIAGNOSED IN NEW YORK.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK.

I'M DAN CLARK AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] I'M DAN CLARK.

SINCE OUR LAST SHOW, TWO MORE WOMEN HAVE ACCUSED GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR INCLUDING SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND NOW A SMALL BUT GROWING NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS ARE CALLING ON HIM TO RESIGN.

FOR NOW, THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKELY.

MOST DEMOCRATS SAY THEY WANT TO WAIT FOR THE STATE AG'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE THE CLAIMS BEFORE MAKING ANY BIG MOVES.

CUOMO SAID THIS WEEK, HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO RESIGN.

I WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

THEY ELECTED ME AND I'M GOING TO SET OFFER PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A FULL PLATE.

WE HAVE COVID.

WE HAVE RECOVERY.

WE HAVE REBUILDING.

WE HAVE A TEETERING NEW YORK CITY.

>> REPUBLICANS MEANWHILE WANT CUOMO TO STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE OF WHERE THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW WITH THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH IS LED BY DEMOCRATS.

CUOMO HAS UNTIL THE END OF MARCH TO NEGOTIATE A $190 BILLION STATE BUDGET WITH LAWMAKERS AND REPUBLICANS DON'T THINK HE CAN DO IT WHILE FACING MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS.

YOU'LL REMEMBER, HE'S ALSO UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR THE STATE'S HANDLING OF NURSING HOMES.

HERE'S SENATOR REPUBLICAN LEADER ROB ORTT.

THE SCANDALS ARE INCREDIBLY DAMNING.

HE'S GOT TWO INVESTIGATIONS.

IT ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO MY POINT THAT I SAID, HOW CAN SOMEONE CONTINUE TO DO THE JOB THAT WE EXPECTED THE GOVERNOR TO DO AMIDST ALL THESE DISTRACTIONS.

>> LET'S BREAK IT ALL DOWN WITH KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO AND ANNA GRONEWOLD FROM POLITICO.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> SURE THING.

THANKS.

>> KAREN, IS THE GOVERNOR GOING TO RESIGN?

>> WELL, HE SAID ON WEDNESDAY THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO RESIGN.

HE SEEMED PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT THAT.

I THINK HE DID CERTAINLY BUY HIMSELF SOME TIME BY WHAT HE SAID ON WEDNESDAY.

HIS KIND OF APOLOGY, NON-APOLOGY WHERE I'M SORRY THAT I MADE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE BUT I DIDN'T MEAN IT.

SO I THINK HE'S GOING TO TRY TO STICK IT OUT, BUT REALLY ANY OTHER POLITICIAN THAT I'VE COVERED IN MANY YEARS THAT'S BEEN IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, THEY'VE RESIGNED BY NOW.

SO THIS IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT, UNCHARTERED TERRITORY.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE FIRST WOMAN CAME FORWARD WITH DETAILS, LYNDSEY BOYLAN.

IT'S BEEN GOING ON A WEEK AND A HALF, WHICH SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY.

ISN'T THAT LONG IN TIME, BUT USUALLY WITHIN A FEW DAYS, SOMEBODY IS GONE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WATCH HOW LONG BECAUSE HE'S REALLY LOST CONTROL OF THE NARRATIVE AT THIS POINT.

>> I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE IN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW.

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS.

I READ DAVID PATTERSON'S RECENT BOOK ABOUT HIS WHOLE TIME IN POLITICS AND, THERE'S THIS WHOLE PART ABOUT HOW HE WAS TOLD HE WAS GOING TO BE ASCENDING TO THE GOVERNORSHIP.

I'M WONDERING IF THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE HAPPENED.

OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S SOMETHING ON MY MIND.

>> I DON'T THINK THEY ARE AT THIS POINT >> I DON'T EITHER.

BUT I'M CURIOUS WHAT'S IN KATHY'S HOCHUL'S HEAD RIGHT NOW?

IS SHE PREPARING TO ASCEND TO THE GOVERNORSHIP?

WHO KNOWS?

>> YES, SHE'S GONE VERY QUIET.

>> CERTAINLY, THERE WOULD BE SO MANY THINGS IN THAT SCENARIO SHE WOULD HAVE TO HANDLE THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN A PART OF OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THERE'S A PLACE FOR HER TO STEP INTO THAT.

SHE WOULD BE VERY QUALIFIED TO DO BUT IT SEEMS THAT CUOMOHAS REALLY LEFT HER OUT OF THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND EVEN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

SO SHE WOULD BE JUMPING INTO A LOT OF PLACES THAT SHE HASN'T NECESSARILY HAD THAT SPOT BEFORE.

>> SHE'D ALSO BE GOING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHERE THE NINE TOP EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS HAVE LAST YEAR OVER ARGUMENTS WITH CUOMO'S TO AIDES ARGUING ON HOW TO EVEN HANDLE THE PANDEMIC.

SHE COULDN'T SAY I HAVE THESE EXPERTS.

GIVE ME YOUR ADVICE AND LET'S GO.

NO, IT'S LIKE THE GOVERNOR AND FIVE OF HIS TOP AIDES ARE RUNNING THE STATE RIGHT NOW.

IT MAKES IT HARD FOR HIM TO LEAVE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES >> IT MAKES YOU WONDER AS WELL WITH THE TOP AIDES RUNNING EVERYTHING, AND THE GOVERNOR'S INNER CIRCLE IS SO TIGHT ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS OTHER TOP AIDE, JOE PERCOCO, WAS ACCUSED OF FEDERAL CHARGES AND IS NOW IN PRISON.

HE'S REALLY JUST SHRUNK THAT CIRCLE.

SO HE HAS A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY CLOSE TO HIM.

>> AND IT'S SHRINKING A LITTLE BIT THIS WEEK WITH ONE OF HIS TOP AIDES, GARETH RHODES, GOING BACK TO ONE OF THE AGENCIES AND THE TOP FEMALE PRESS AIDE.

SHE SAID THE JOB WAS IN THE WORKS BUT SHE'S LEAVING TO TOO.

SO THAT CIRCLE COULD SHRINK AS THIS GOES ON.

>> RIGHT.

EXACTLY.

ALSO THIS WEEK, THURSDAY EVENING AND FRIDAY MORNING, CHARLOTTE BENNETT, THE SECOND ACCUSER OF THE GOVERNOR, GAVE AN INTERVIEW TO CBS NEWS, SOME VERY GRAPHIC DETAILS ABOUT HER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR.

ANNA, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT INTERVIEW?

DO YOU THINK IT PUSHES THINGS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TOWARDS TROUBLE FOR THE GOVERNOR, OR DO YOU THINK THINGS KIND OF STAY WHERE THEY ARE?

>> WELL, IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT ONE OF WOMEN HAS GONE LIVE WITH KIND OF A BACK AND FORTH.

AND IN A VERY PUBLIC, WIDESPREAD WAY.

SHE-- I THINK THERE WASN'T A LOT OF REASON-- WHEN YOU SAW HER AND WHEN YOU HEARD WHAT SHE SAID.

THERE WASN'T A LOT OF REASON TO DOUBT ANY OF THAT AND SHE, I THINK, DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING NECESSARILY THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT OR WE HADN'T HEARD FROM HER, HER LAWYERS, BUT JUXTAPOSING HER ON TV LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORNING WITH THE APOLOGY WE SAW FROM THE GOVERNOR, IF YOU DID SORT OF A SPLIT SCREEN, I THINK THAT THERE-- THERE WOULD BE NOT A LOT OF REASON NOT TO BELIEVE WHAT CHARLOTTE SAID.

>> ALSO CBS IS PLAYING OUT OVER THREE NEWS CYCLES, THURSDAY NIGHT, FRIDAY MORNING, FRIDAY NIGHT.

SO THAT KEEPS DRILLING IT IN, AND YEAH.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A DEVASTATING INTERVIEW.

SHE WAS VERY COMPELLING.

IT'S HARD NOT TO BELIEVE HER, THAT SHE WOULD JUST MAKE UP THIS WHOLE THING AND MAKE THIS ACT.

NOT SAYING THAT-- WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR AT ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPORT TO COME OUT TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH.

SHE'S VERY COMPELLING.

SHE MAKES A GOOD CASE FOR AN OLDER BOSS, KIND OF GROOMING HER TO BE EVENTUALLY ESSENTIALLY HIS SEX PARTNER, TRYING TO FIND OUT HER VULNERABILITIES.

SHE'S A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND SHE HAS MADE THAT PUBLIC AND SHE SAID THAT HE KIND OF PROBED HER ABOUT THAT, TO SEE IF SHE HAD ANY INSECURITIES OR WEAKNESSES THAT ESSENTIALLY HE COULD PREY ON.

THAT'S HER ACCOUNT, WHICH I FOUND THAT PART VERY CHILLING.

>> I THINK THAT WILL BE WHAT'S INTERESTING.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS GOING TO GO ABOUT THIS REPORT, BUT THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS.

WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR?

AND SHE-- HOW CAN YOU PUT IN A REPORT SOMETHING THAT SHE IS DEAD SET ON SAYING THAT SHE BELIEVES THAT SHE FELT AND WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S INTENT WAS?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER ALLEGATIONS MIGHT COME OUT, BUT THAT'S A VERY TRICKY THING TO INVESTIGATE.

>> I AGREE >> I SHOULD SAY THAT WE'RE TAPING ON FRIDAY MORNING.

SO IF BY THE TIME THIS AIRS AT YOUR PBS STATION AND THE GOVERNOR HAS RESIGNED, I'M NOT GOING TO BE OFFENDED IF YOU CHANGE THE CHANNEL.

I HOPE YOU THAT STAY WITH US.

BUT I UNDERSTAND.

>> IT COULD HAPPEN.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> SOMETHING CHARLOTTE BENNETT SAID THAT WAS VERY COMPELLING.

SHE SAID, HE'S A TEXTBOOK ABUSER WHO LET HIS TEMPER RULE THE OFFICE AND THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT CHARGES ASIDE, I THINK THAT STATEMENT WOULD RING TRUE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WITH STORIES THAT WE HAVE HEARD AND SOME OF US HAVE MAYBE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND.

I THINK IT WAS ISSUE IN JUNE OR EARLY JULY, ONE OF THE TWO, THAT BASICALLY TRIED TO FRAMED THE NURSING HOMES, THE DEATHS FROM COVID AS A RESULT OF ASYMPTOMATIC VISITORS AND STAFF.

WE NOW KNOW, DUE TO THE REPORTING A COUPLE OF TOP AIDES OF THE GOVERNOR, ACTUALLY WENT INTO THAT REPORT AND BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED TOOK OUT THE NUMBER OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS THAT DIED AFTER THEY WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL, WHICH IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOREVER NOW.

ANNA, I WANT TO GO TO YOU.

HOW ARE PEOPLE REACTING TO THIS?

IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY BIG THING IN SOME RESPECTS.

>> I THINK IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE NUMBERS AND THAT THE NUMBERS THAT CAME OUT MORE RECENTLY WERE DIFFERENT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ALL SUSPECTED.

>> YES.

>> THAT'S KIND OF THE CONCLUSION THAT WE HAD DRAWN, BUT TO HAVE REAL REPORTING, ACTUAL PROOF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IS-- I THINK THAT'S DEVASTATING IF WE MOVE BACK TO THE DIFFERENT SCANDAL BEFORE THE ONE THAT WE WERE WORKING ON THIS WEEK.

I THINK THEY-- THE ADMINISTRATION HAD SAID THOSE WEREN'T FINALIZED AND THOSE WEREN'T SOMETHING THEY COULD VERIFY AT THE TIME AND THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE THEM.

AT THAT POINT, THE NUMBERS HAD BANK SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR FOR SO LONG, THAT IT'S SURPRISING THAT THOSE WEREN'T VERIFIED AND THOSE WEREN'T SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD SAY DEFINITIVELY THEY WANTED IN OR NOT.

>> IT MAKES IT LOOK MORE AND MORE LIKE A COVER-UP.

THEY SAID, WELL, THE NUMBERS WEREN'T VERIFIED AND WE TOOK THEM OUT AND THEY APPARENTLY ARGUED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF, MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE GONE NOW, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR THEM THAT THEY HAVE ONE EXCUSE AFTER ANOTHER.

LATER ON, THEY SAID IT WAS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INQUIRY THAT THEY COULDN'T REVEAL THE NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF THEIR INVESTIGATION, SO THERE'S JUST A NUMBER OF EXCUSES AND IT JUST SHOWS, ONCE AGAIN, IT SEEMS LIKE A COVER-UP ALWAYS ENDS UP BEING WORSE THAN THE CRIME.

IF THEY WOULD HAVE SAID, YEAH, THERE WERE A LOT OF NURSING HOME DEATHS IN HOSPITALS, IT'S A TERRIBLE THING.

WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT.

IF THEY WOULD HAVE SAID THAT LAST JUNE, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

>> KAREN, WE HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

HOW ARE LAWMAKERS REACTING TO THIS?

>> WELL, THEY'RE POISE RIGHT NOW TO TAKE AWAY THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS AND THEY'RE WAITING AND WATCHING AND HOPING THIS HE CAN GET A BUDGET DONE WITH THIS GUY ALL THAT'S GOING ON.

>> WELL, IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.

WE'LL SEE.

IT'S DUE BY THE END OF MARCH.

THEY HAVE A FEW DAYS.

WE'LL SEE, ANNA GRONEWOLD FROM POLITICO, KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO.

THANK YOU BOTH, AS ALWAYS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNOR IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

BUT FIRST, IT'S NOW BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 WAS DIAGNOSED HERE IN NEW YORK AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG YEAR AND ONE FILLED WITH PLENTY OF UPS AND DOWNS, PROBABLY MORE DOWNS.

HERE'S A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST YEAR IN A PANDEMIC.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> THIS HYSTERIA THAT YOU SEE, THIS FEAR THAT YOU SEE, THE PANIC THAT YOU SEE IS UNWARRANTED.

WE HAVE DEALT WITH WORSE VIRUSES.

THIS SPREADS LIKE THE FLU, BUT MOST PEOPLE WILL HAVE IT AND THEY GET ON WITH THEIR LIVES.

>>REPORTER: IT'S NOT THAT CUOMO WAS INTENTIONALLY DEALING OUT FALSE INFORMATION.

HE WAS TELLING THE PUBLIC WHAT THE STATE KNEW ABOUT THE VIRUS AT THE TIME, WHICH WAS VERY LITTLE.

THERE WERE LESS THAN 200 CASES OF COVID-19 IN NEW YORK AT THE TIME AND THE VIRUS WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE NEW YORK CITY SUBURBS, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SMALL PART OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY, SCHOOLS WERE STILL OPEN STATEWIDE AND NURSING HOMES WERE STILL ALLOWED TO HAVE VISITORS.

>> CLOSING OFF ALL VISITORS, NO.

WE'RE ONLY DOING THAT IN NEW ROCHELLE.

A NURSING HOME MAY MAKE THAT DECISION, BUT IT'S A HARD DECISION, RIGHT?

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE NURSING HOME.

THEY'RE LOOKING TO SEE VISITORS.

THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR FAMILY.

>> IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN PUBLIC AND YOU CANNOT MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING, THEN HAVE A MASK AND PUT THE MASK ON WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN SOCIALLY DISTANCED PLACES.

>>REPORTER: THE VIRUS PEAKED IN APRIL WHEN MORE THAN 18,000 PEOPLE WERE HOSPITALIZED AND NEW YORK SAW MORE THAN 800 DEATHS FROM THE VIRUS PER DAY.

CUOMO'S DAILY BRIEFING ON THE DISEASE TURNED BLEAK AND THERE WAS A FEAR THAT THE STATE'S HOSPITAL SYSTEM WOULD RUN OUT OF BEDS FOR SICK PATIENTS.

>> THE HOSPITALS THAT WILL HAVE THE GREATEST ISSUE WILL BE THOSE HOSPITALS THAT ARE USUALLY THE MOST STRESSED IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

[ STOCK MARKET BELL RINGING ] >> IT WOULD BE MORE THAN A MONTH BEFORE THE STATE REOPENED ITS ECONOMY STARTING UPSTATE AND EVENTUALLY MAKING ITS WAY TO NEW YORK CITY.

OVER THE YEAR, MORE THAN TWO MILLION NEW YORKERS WOULD LOSE THEIR DRIVE OVERWHELMING THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM.

CUOMO ENDED HIS BRIEFINGS IN LATE JUNE WHEN THE STATE'S POSITIVITY RATE WAS LESS THAN 1%.

>> COVID ISN'T OVER.

WE STILL HAVE MUCH MORE TO DO.

WE HAVE TO MONITOR THE LOCAL INFECTION RATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MUST ENSURE COMPLIANCE AND DO TRACING.

>>REPORTER: THAT SECOND WAVE STARTED IN SEPTEMBER AND GOT WORSE THROUGHOUT THE FALL AND THE EARLY WINTER WITH POSITIVITY RATES ACROSS THE STATE CLIMBING ABOVE 10% AT TIMES.

>> I AM TELLING YOU, WE ARE IN A DANGER ZONE.

THE INFECTION RATE IS GOING UP QUICKLY, THE FASTER THE INFECTION RATE GOES UP, THE FASTER THE HOSPITALIZATION RATE GOES UP, THE HOSPITALIZATION RATE GOES UP, THE HOSPITALS REACH CAPACITY.

>>REPORTER: NOW, ONE YEAR AFTER THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, THE NUMBERS TELL THE STORY OF MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION NEW YORKERS WHO WERE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS AND NEARLY 40,000 THAT DIED AND CUOMO, ONCE CONSIDERED A NATIONAL FIGURE, IS UNDER FIRE FOR HIS HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC AND NEW ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

>> HOW CAN THE NEEDS OF NEW YORKERS COME BEFORE THE NEEDS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AS THEY DEAL WITH COOPERATING WITH THESE TWO INVESTIGATIONS?

AND THAT WAS WHY I CALLED FOR THE GOVERNOR TO RESIGN AND STEP ASIDE.

>>REPORTER: CUOMO WAS ALREADY UNDER FIRE FOR HIS ADMINISTRATION'S HANDLING OF NURSING HOMES, WHERE MORE THAN 13,000 RESIDENTS DIED FROM COVID-19 OVER THE LAST YEAR.

AND LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE NOW CALLING FOR CONSEQUENCES, AFTER CUOMO'S TEAM WITHHELD DATA ON NURSING HOMES FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS.

THAT DATA HAS SHOWN 4,000 MORE NURSING HOME RESIDENTS DIED FROM COVID-19 THAN THE PUBLIC KNEW ABOUT.

>> THIS ISN'T FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE.

THIS IS ARBITRARILY MAKING DECISIONS THAT MIGHT BE BEST FOR THE GOVERNOR BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE BEST FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK STATE.

>>REPORTER: NOW CUOMO'S FACING NEW ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT WHICH COULD MEAN THE END OF HIS CAREER IN POLITICS IN THE MEANTIME, LAWMAKERS HAVE DECIDED TO END HIS EMERGENCY PANDEMIC POWERS AND FEDERAL PROSECUTORS HAVE LAUNCHED A PROBE INTO CUOMO'S HANDLING OF NURSING HOMES.

THE TIME LINE OF THAT INVESTIGATION IS UNCLEAR, BUT LAWMAKERS ARE HOPING FOR ANSWERS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WE'RE NOW SEEING THE LOWEST POSITIVITY RATES FOR COVID-19 SINCE NOVEMBER AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN.

IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S NOW BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE NEW YORK ENACTED A SERIES OF NEW LAWS ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT, AND THOSE LAWS ARE NOW IN THE SPOTLIGHT GIVEN THE CLAIMS AGAINST CUOMO, AND AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT MOVEMENT WERE SENATOR ALESSANDRA BIAGGI, A DEMOCRAT AND THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT WORKING GROUP, A GROUP OF FORMER STAFFERS IN THE LEGISLATURE WHO SAY THEY EXPERIENCED HARASSMENT WHEN THEY WORKED THERE.

I SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH SENATOR ALESSANDRA BIAGGI AND LEAH HEBERT, A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP AND ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO WAS HARASSED BY FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER VITO LOPEZ.

>> SENATOR BIAGGI AND LEAH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> OF COURSE.

SENATOR, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

THE GOVERNOR APOLOGIZED OR NOT APOLOGY GUISED ON WEDNESDAY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE.

IT WAS HIS FIRST PUBIC LICK APPEARANCE SINCE THE ALLEGATIONS CAME OUT.

YOU WATCHED IT.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT?

WHERE DO YOU THINK WE GO FROM HERE?

>> WELL, I THINK THE FIRST PLACE TO START IS THAT NOTHING THAT THE GOVERNOR SAID CHANGES THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE ALL LIVING THROUGH AT THIS MOMENT.

I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNOR KNOWS HOW SERIOUS HIS BEHAVIOR IS BEING TAKEN AND IT SHOULD BE TAKEN.

I THINK IT WAS CLEAR JUST FROM SOME OF THE WORDS AND THE LANGUAGE THAT HE USED, BUT I THINK STILL MY LOGIC REMAINS THE SAME, THAT IT HAS BEEN EVEN BEFORE THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AND THE LOGIC IS ESSENTIALLY THE FACT THAT IF WE ALL-- IF ALL OF NEW YORKERS CAN AGREE THAT A GOVERNOR WHO ACTS ABUSIVELY OR HAS A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT HE CREATES IS NOT WORTHY OF THE OFFICE THAT HE HOLDS SHOULD RESIGN, WHICH I HOPE THAT WE ALL COULD AGREE, AND WE ALSO THEN CAN AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE THREE WOMEN WHO HAVE COME FORWARD NOT ONLY ARE THEY CREDIBLE, BUT I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THEM.

I HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THAT BUT IF WE HONE IN ON WHAT CHARLOTTE HAD SAID AND THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT DENIED THAT, AND IF WE CAN AGREE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT DENIED WHICH IS HE ASKED A YOUNGER STAFFER ABOUT HER SEX LIFE BUT IF WE CAN AGREE THAT IS NOT ONLY ABUSIVE BUT TOXIC, WE SHOULD CONCLUDE THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD RESIGN.

I THINK THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS UNFORTUNATELY JUST INADEQUATE ULTIMATELY IN TERMS OF WHAT IS NECESSARY TO TAKE SERIOUSLY AND HOLD ACCOUNTABLE HIS ACTIONS.

>> LEAH, I WANT TO TURN TO YOU.

CAN YOU ZOOM OUT FOR US FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

BECAUSE I HOPE THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T EXPERIENCE IT IN THE WORKPLACE SO THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ANY CONTEXT FOR THIS.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR VIEWERS AND LISTENERS WHAT THE GOVERNOR DID, WHY IT WAS WRONG, AND WHY IT'S CLASSIFIED AS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

>> SURE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR ME THIS HAS BEEN REALLY HARD AS A VICTIM MYSELF, WHO HAS GONE THROUGH ALMOST IDENTICALLY WHAT LYNDSEY AND CHARLOTTE HAVE COME FORWARD TO SAY HAPPENED TO THEM.

THESE INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS ARE NOT JUST QUESTIONS.

THEY ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTING A PERSON'S ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB.

IT IS-- IT FEELS THREATENING.

IT FEELS HUMILIATING.

IT FEELS SHAMEFUL, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS-- AND WE'VE SEEN THIS-- A POWER OF RETALIATING AGAINST PEOPLE WHO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HIM.

SO VICTIMS' ARE ARANEOUS IN THEIR RESPONSE TO HIM.

WE SAW THIS IN LYNDSEY'S STATEMENT IS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION.

THAT SOMETHING THAT US SURVIVORS-- HOW YOU SURVIVE THAT MOMENT, HOW YOU SURVIVE TOMORROW, HOW DO YOU MOVE ONTO ANOTHER JOB AND GET ANOTHER CAREER, HOW DO YOU PAY YOUR BILLS?

WILL YOU STILL BE ABLE TO LIVE IN YOUR APARTMENT?

AND WHEN YOU WORK FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, IT'S NOT LIKE WORKING IN A PRIVATE COMPANY.

WHEN YOU WORK FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THEY'RE CONNECTED TO EVERYONE IN YOUR FIELD.

SO FOR SOMEONE LIKE CUOMO WHO WHEN LYNDSEY FIRST CAME OUT RETALIATED AGAINST HER BY LEAKING A CONFIDENTIAL FILE AND THEN ALSO, TOO, JUST HIS REACTION IN, YOU KNOW, WHEN CHARLOTTE, WHO IS SO INCREDIBLY YOUNG, CAME FORWARD AND, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS TRANSFERRED AND THEN HAD TO LEAVE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE.

WHEN SHE CAME FORWARD AS A SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVOR TO HIM.

HE STILL PERSISTED IN ALL OF THE INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS TO HER.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED AT THE HANDS OF A (INAUDIBLE) AND THE TRAUMA SHE'S GOING THROUGH IS THE TRAUMA I EXPERIENCED IN THIS SITUATION.

>> THE GOVERNOR'S BEHAVIOR, YOU'RE PIVOTAL ON CREATING THE NEW STRONGER SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWS.

WHAT WE HAVE READ FROM THE ACCOUNTS DO WE KNOW IF THE GOVERNOR MAY HAVE BROKEN SOME OF THOSE LAWS?

IF SO, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT?

>> SO HE MOST CERTAINLY DID BREAK THOSE LAWS.

THE LAWS THAT WE PASSED LAST YEAR AND YOU KNOW, WITH SUPPORT OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND SENATOR BIAGGI SPONSORED THAT LAW, IT ELIMINATED THE SEVERE OR PERVASIVE STANDARD THAT WAS-- PROHIBITED SO MANY PEOPLE FROM COMING FORWARD.

IRONICALLY, THE GOVERNOR TRIED TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS BEING HIS IDEA WHICH CLEARLY HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN, SO WHAT THE LAW DOES IS IT BASICALLY PROHIBITS HARASSMENT BASED ON GENDER.

IF THE CONDITIONS SUBJECT YOU TO WORSE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THINGS THAT ARE BETTY, SLIGHT OR TRIVIAL.

SO WHEN YOUR60-YEAR-OLD BOSS ASKS IF YOU HAVE SEX WITH OTHER MEN, WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE MONOGAMOUS, THESE ARE NOT PETTY SWIPES.

BEING KISSED ON THE LIPS, BEING FORCIBLY KISSED ON THE LIPS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A PETTY SLIGHT.

NOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ARE GOING TO BE UP TO WHAT THE AG REPORT SAYS, BUT IT'S ALSO UP TO THE VICTIMS WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO PURSUE THEIR CLAIMS IN COURT.

I THINK THE OTHER CONSEQUENCES AND THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES ARE WHAT THE VOTERS AND HIS COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO DO BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, HE CANNOT-- HE CAN NO LONGER LEAD.

>> SENATOR, IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWS?

IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNOR DID SOMETHING THAT MAY HAVE BROKEN THE LAWS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING MORE THAT THE SITUATION CAN KIND OF SHINE A LIGHT ON?

>> THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING MORE.

WE ONLY BEGAN THE WORK OF MAKING OUR LAWS STRONGER IN 2019.

WE SET OUT TO DO SO MUCH.

OBVIOUSLY, THE PANDEMIC HAS SLOWED US DOWN.

ALTHOUGH, IF IT WAS UP TO ME, LAST YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE PASSED AN ADDITIONAL SET OF LAWS TO MAKE NOT ONLY THIS BEHAVIOR THAT'S BEING DESCRIBED HERE PROHIBITED FROM WORKSPACES IN WAYS THAT PERHAPS IT ALREADY ISN'T, BUT JUST TO REALLY LIKE SET THE TONE HERE, RIGHT?

BECAUSE WHAT IS VERY CLEAR TO ME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CHANGE THE LAWS AND IT WAS NO EASY TASK BUT WHAT IS CLEARER NOW IS THAT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S EASIER TO CHANGE THE LAW THAN TO CHANGE AND SHIFT THE CULTURE, AND THAT IS DEEPLY TROUBLING AND SO THE MORE LAWS THAT WE PASS THAT SEND A SIGNAL THAT SAY ONE VOICE IS ENOUGH TO SPEAK UP, IT IS A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY NO MATTER WHERE YOU WORK, RIGHT?

ELIMINATING THIS THREAT OF LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IF YOU SPEAK UP OR SPEAK OUT AND YOU SIGNED AN NDA.

HOLDING OURSELVES AS MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.

ARE CONSIDERED EMPLOYERS BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T ENOUGH, IN THE LAST HOUR OF 2019 WHEN WE WERE NEGOTIATING THE BILLS THAT EVERYONE, OF COURSE, KNOWS ABOUT, THAT PIECE OF THE PROVISION WAS TAKEN AWAY.

WHY?

BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE IS NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING NOT ONLY BAD BEHAVIOR BUT HARASSMENT AND ABUSE AND MISCONDUCT THROUGHOUT THE HALLWAYS AND I WANT EVERYONE WHO IS LISTENING RIGHT NOW TO THINK ABOUT HOW HARD IS IT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR BOSS ABOUT WANTING TO GO ON VACATION, WANTING TO TAKE TIME OFF, LEAVE EARLY, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT ANXIETY THAT WE FEEL WHEN WE TRY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH OUR BOSS, IMAGINE THAT AND THAT PERSON IS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, OKAY.

SO THE POWER DYNAMIC HERE IS JUST TREMENDOUS AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT IN US TALKING ABOUT IT AND THAT WE KEEP REPEATING THE CALL FOR THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS THAT WE ALSO INVITE IN AND CALL IN PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HISTORICALLY WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.

>> AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE ALL HERE TO SEE THE DAY WHEN ALBANY ISN'T KNOWN AS A PLACE WHERE SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS PERVASIVE AND JUST A PART OF THE JOB AND JUST A PART OF THE CULTURE.

I HOPE THAT WE ALL GET TO SEE THE DAY WHERE THAT NO LONGER EXISTS BUT WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

LEAH HEBERT FROM THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT WORKING GROUP AND SENATOR ALESSANDRA BIAGGI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> AND WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY OVER NURSING HOMES.

JOIN US FOR MORE ON THAT NEXT WEEK WHEN WE WILL SPEAK WITH THE HEALTH CHAIR GUSTAVO RIVERA AND THE RANKER, PAT GALVAN.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S "NEW YORK NOW."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.