'He's using me to spin a story': Woman, 61, blasts Gov. Andrew Cuomo for using picture of him kissing her without consent as part of his defense against sexual harassment allegations
Another woman has accused Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment and blasted the NY governor for using a photo of him kissing her as part of his defense - saying it happened without her consent and left her 'embarrassed'.
Susan Iannucci, 61 - who wasn't one of the 11 women included in the attorney general's August 3 report - said Cuomo 'grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him and kissed me on the cheek without asking if I was OK with such a personal greeting.'
'I was taken by surprise and embarrassed and because of this, I smiled nervously,' she said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. 'It was such a shock. I felt horrible. That's why I'm here.'
Cuomo had used a montage of himself kissing men and women to say that he often kissed people on the cheek, and that the gesture was not sexual harassment.
Included in the montage was the moment he kissed Iannucci following a June 12, 2018, press conference at the Westchester County, New York school where she works as an office administrator.
Iannucci became tearful on Tuesday as she explained how the moment was photographed without her knowledge and was then used in his defense video.
Scroll down for video of press conference.
Susan Iannucci was emotional during her Tuesday statement when she talked about Gov. Andrew Cuomo allegedly sexually harassing her in 2018 and then using the photo as part of his defense. 'I do not appreciate him using my picture to spin a story,' she said while fighting back tears
This picture of Cuomo kissing Iannucci in 2018 was the one used in his defense. 'I was taken by surprise and embarrassed and because of this, I smiled nervously,' she said
Iannucci's lawyer, Gloria Allred, said Cuomo not only kissed her client without her permission, but then revictimized her by using the picture as part of his public defense without her consent.
'I'm being put in a position where I'm being used by Gov. Cuomo to push a narrative that his habit of invading people's personal space is justified,' Iannucci said, just hours after the governor announced his resignation.
'I do not appreciate him using my picture to spin a story,' she said while fighting back tears.
Allred opened the 17-minute press conference with pointed remarks about Cuomo, saying, 'Apparently, he assumed that any woman would be honored and thrilled to be kissed by the governor.'
'Every person should be asked for permission to touch them instead of just being grabbed and kissed. Everyone should have a right to say yes or no, especially to a stranger - even if that stranger is the governor of New York.'
Iannucci said she doesn't plan on bringing legal action, but she said she hoped her story goes viral and is seen by as many people who saw her picture in Cuomo's public defense slideshow.
Gloria Allred and her client Susan Iannucci held a virtual press conference Tuesday afternoon, when Iannucci said Cuomo kissed her without her permission in Westchester County, New York in 2018
Cuomo resigned as New York governor in a 20-minute speech on Tuesday, but continues to maintain his innocence and say he's never groped anyone.
He said he thought a hug was being 'friendly' and kissing women on the cheeks was 'being nice'.
The first half of his speech was devoted to undermining the AG's report and explaining why he thought his behavior was acceptable.
'The report said I sexually harassed 11 women. The reaction was outrage. It should have been. However it was also false.
'My lawyers have reviewed the report and raised serious issues and flaws that should concern all New Yorkers.
'When there is a lack of fairness it is a concern for everyone. The most serious allegations made against me have no credible factual basis. There is a difference between alleged improper conduct and concluding sexual misconduct. This is not to say there are not 11 women who I truly offended.
'There are and for that I deeply, deeply apologize.'
During his speech, he specifically apologized to the state trooper who said Cuomo 'touched her belly' and ran his finger down her back.
Cuomo said if he did ever touch her, it was his way of thanking her for her service but then went on to suggest that #MeToo has gone too far.
'In my mind, I've never crossed the line with anyone but I didn't realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn.
'There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn't fully appreciate. And I should have. No excuses,' he said.
Allred alluded to this comment during the afternoon virtual press conference with Iannucci and said there's also a 'legal shift' and resigning was the right thing to do.
'The governor is an attorney and knows what the laws are regarding sexual harassment. It appears he did not obey the law,' Allred said.
'This is the legal reckoning and it's also a political reckoning. It's long overdue for the governor to resign. Now, he has to face the consequences of his actions. It's no longer OK to grab woman and touch them on any part of their body.'
Iannucci was asked about Cuomo's resignation, and she said that it was the right thing to do for New York because the state needs the governor's full attention, and 'his attention is elsewhere.'
Allred also represents two other women who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, including the state trooper.
She said they won't be making media statements but said on their behalf that they were glad he resigned.
She declined to comment when asked if she planned to pursue criminal charges against Cuomo
Cuomo preparing to board a helicopter after announcing his resignation
Cuomo's attorney Rita Glavin spoke before him on Tuesday. She undermined some of the allegations in the AG report, saying it omits evidence
Cuomo had been facing impeachment by the New York State Assembly - a process that would have taken months and, he said, cost millions in precious tax payer dollars.
The Judiciary Committee investigating him wasn't just looking at the sexual harassment claims, but also his handling of nursing home deaths in COVID-19 and whether he used state resources to write and promote his book, and if he gave his family early access to COVID-19 tests when they were hard to come by.
The sexual harassment allegations began last December with the tweets of Lindsey Boylan, a former staffer who says he made inappropriate remarks to her.
The most serious allegation is that of Brittany Commisso, who says he groped her breast in the Executive Mansion in November 2020.
Cuomo denies her claim but he admitted making inappropriate comments to some of the women, saying it's his way of speaking to people.
Lindsey Boylan said Cuomo harassed her with inappropriate remarks then launched a smear campaign against her when she quit in 2018. Brittany Commisso says Cuomo groped her breast in his office in November 2020
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo walks with his daughter Michaela, 23, to a helicopter shortly after announcing his resignation on Tuesday, a week after being dubbed a serial sexual harasser by AG Letitia James
After the speech, he was seen leaving New York City with two of his daughters, Mariah and Michaela, and his loyal aide Melissa DeRosa, who quit on Sunday.
'In many ways I see the world through the eyes of my daughters, Cara, Mariah and Michaela. They are 26 and 26, twins, and 23. I have lived this experience with and through them. I have sat on the couch with them hearing the ugly accusations for weeks. I've seen the look in their eyes and expression in their faces and it hurt.
'I want my three jewels to know this: my greatest goal is for them to have a better future than the generations of women before them. It is still in many ways a man's world. It always has been. We have sexism that is culturized and institutionalized.
'My daughters have more talent and natural gifts than I ever had. I want to make sure that society allows them to fly as high as their wings will carry them. There should be no assumptions, stereotypes or limitations.
'I want them to know from the bottom of my heart that I never did or would intentionally disrespect a woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated. And that is the god's honest truth.
'Your dad made mistakes and he apologized and he learned from it. That's what life is all about.'
President Joe Biden was asked about Cuomo's resignation. In response, he said, 'I respect the Governor's decision and I respect the decision he made.'
He said there needs to be a separation between his personal actions and his job as governor and went on to compliment his time in office.
'Well, he's done a hell of a job. Both on everything from access to voting to infrastructure, a whole range of things. That's why it's so sad,' Biden said during his Tuesday afternoon press briefing.
PANDEMIC HERO TO ZERO - TIMELINE OF CUOMO'S RISE AND FALL
2006: Cuomo is elected AG of New York
2010: Cuomo is elected Governor of New York
2014: Re-elected, with Kathy Hochul as Lt. Gov
2018: Re-elected, defeating actress Cynthia Nixon
March 2020: Cuomo becomes a pandemic hero with his daily press briefings on how New York, under his guidance, was responding to the crisis.
He routinely sparred with then President Donald Trump and he basked in people calling him the people's real president in the time of crisis
March 25: At the height of New York's COVID crisis, Cuomo signs a directive telling nursing homes they have to accept COVID-19 patients
May 10: Cuomo rescinds the nursing home directive amid intense criticism of it as COVID deaths climb
October 2020: Cuomo releases his book, Lessons in Leadership, about the pandemic
November 2020: Cuomo is awarded an Emmy for his daily COVID briefings
December 2020: Lindsey Boylan tweets that Cuomo abused her when she worked for him
February 2021: The AP releases a damning report into how Cuomo's administration counted nursing home deaths as hospital deaths which made the numbers smaller
March 2021: Letitia James launches sexual harassment investigation into Cuomo
Assembly Judiciary Committee opens impeachment investigation
August 3: AG releases her report finding Cuomo did sexually harass 11 women
Cuomo issues statement insisting he is innocent but refuses to stand down
August 10: Cuomo resigns, citing the good of the people as his reason for it