Andrew Cuomo's offensive 'apology'

If it weren't already a well-known truism in Albany and elsewhere that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is infamously averse to apologizing, the weaselly wording of his statement -- issued Sunday in response to the two allegations of sexual harassment leveled at him in recent days by former aides -- made it clear: accountability is not his native language.

The passive voice, the couched, conditional language, the excuses, the justifications -- all the political equivalent of "I'm sorry if you feel that way." It was an "apology" that no one should take seriously.

Cuomo also denied the allegation of one of the former aides that he had kissed her on the lips after a one-on-one briefing at work. "I never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable ..." And the third-term Democratic governor has finally asked New York's attorney general, Letitia James, to pick an independent investigator to review the allegations, bowing to criticism that his initial plan -- to pick the investigator himself -- was, well, a terrible idea. But his latest statement will do little to quell the fury over the accusations and the withholding language of his acknowledgment of some of them. That's because for so many women, excuses like his are all too familiar and likely to fall on deaf ears.

I can't count how many times I've been told by a man who said something inappropriate at work a variation of "I'm just joking," "calm down,"

etcetera, ad nauseam There are multitudes that do not fall into this catagory.

Men normally don't bother "tallying" the number of minor offenses, slights, and insults they are subjected to in the course of an entire career. That was exactly my point. Anyone pointing to "a dozen incidents" over the course of an entire career is obviously obsessed with the idea of victimization and "keeping score."

Regards,

Thanks Jane.

When I went through it, I did not see it. I did not go to CNN other than what came up on the link through FR. Read it all. I did not see any quotations around Conservative98’s text, therefore thought the comments were 98’s, not clipped from the article.

After I sent my comment, I thought perhaps what you say Jane was possible ... especially as I scanned through and saw pictures that 98 also posted therein ... seem to be out of place for the person who wrote the text. I thought I’d let the sleeping dog lie unless it came up, and here we are.

I owe Joe a partial apology, as I now understand the context better of his comments.... if the writer belongs to the pictures, her being upset is diminished and called into question, though such grabbing and the comments don’t belong in the workplace. No one would want that for his mother, sister, daughter, wife, to be subjected.

And no one would want to be falsely accused - I have been on the receiving end of those as well, but not for sexual harassment ... one related to lies about bullying and “pigmentation” prejudice. All false. After investigation the slanderer was put on notice, and decided within 2 weeks left to work elsewhere. Today however, as the current Smith College case was handled, I am not so sure with a fully staffed diversity, equity, inclusion office in my company that is jumping on the demonkkkrap woke bandwagon, my outcome would be the same. But the most important thing for me is to to continue to have a clean conscience and always do the right and ethical thing, and take prudent steps (similar to what Pence does) to avoid potential situations. We live in a different world, unfortunately, but not really. We are in Lent, the false accusations against Jesus are instructive. It happened to him, it can happen to me.

Looks like I need to have 2 cups of coffee finished (not 1) in the morning before commenting. Thanks again.

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