JUST ANSWER

Gov. Cuomo Gets Oddly Defensive When Asked About Harassment in NY Capitol

“When you say it’s state government, you do a disservice to women,” he told a female reporter.

When asked Wednesday about possible changes to the New York State government’s policies on sexual harassment in light of accusations against one of his aides, Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered an oddly defensive answer. “Look, you have it going on in journalism,” he told NPR’s Karen Dewitt. “What are you going to do differently?” When informed that her question was specific to Cuomo’s own policies, he replied: “I think you miss the point. When you say it’s state government, you do a disservice to women, with all due respect, even though you’re a woman. It’s not government; it’s society. It was Harvey Weinstein in the arts industry, it’s comedians, it’s politicians, it’s chefs, it’s systemic, it’s societal, it’s not one person in one area. It’s not just Charlie Rose, it’s not just Matt Lauer, it’s not just journalists, it’s societal.” Further pressed to name “just one” change to New York policy, the governor said, “No,” and told her to attend his upcoming State of the State address.