A number of high profile female Democrats have so far refused to comment on allegations against Andrew Cuomo - despite vilifying conservatives accused of sexual harassment throughout the MeToo era.
Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Senator Elizabeth Warren have all not yet released statements regarding the claims.
They instead remained silent on the issue as of Sunday morning. That's after a second former aide came forward Saturday with further allegations against the embattled New York governor.
Charlotte Bennett, 25, a health policy adviser in the Democratic governor's administration until November, told The New York Times Cuomo asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life, including whether she ever had sex with older men.
Another former aide, Lindsey Boylan, 36, a former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to the governor, had already accused Cuomo, 63, of subjecting her to an unwanted kiss and inappropriate comments.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the White House and representatives of Clinton, Pelosi and Warren for comment.
In his statement Saturday, Cuomo described Bennett as a 'hardworking and valued member of the tead during COVID' who he had tried to 'mentor'
Vice President Kamala Harris, left, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, right, and Senator Elizabeth Warren have all not yet released statements regarding the claims
Cuomo responded to Bennett's claims with a statement Saturday saying he never made advances toward her and never intended to be inappropriate. He had previously denied Boylan's allegations.
He did, however, say he had authorized an outside review of Bennett's allegations.
The governor's special counsel, Beth Garvey, said that review would be conducted by a former federal judge, Barbara Jones.
'I ask all New Yorkers to await the findings of the review so that they know the facts before making any judgements,' Cuomo said. 'I will have no further comment until the review has concluded.'
Vice President Harris has previously said she believed women who accused Joe Biden of inappropriate touching during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary campaign.
She said in April 2019: 'I believe them, and I respect them being able to tell their story and having the courage to do it.'
Harris also called for Kavanaugh's impeachment in September 2019 after Christine Blasey Ford had accused of the then Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault when they were high schoolers. Kavanaugh denied the accusation.
She tweeted: 'Brett Kavanaugh lied to the U.S. Senate and most importantly to the American people. He was put on the Court through a sham process and his place on the Court is an insult to the pursuit of truth and justice. He must be impeached.'
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday 'any allegation should be reviewed.'
Pelosi said in 2018: 'I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.' She said in Apirl last year she is a 'big, strong supporter of the #MeToo movement'
Warren tweeted: 'Christine Blasey Ford is brave, deserves to be heard, and treated with respect as she raises new questions about Brett Kavanaugh'
House speaker Pelosi said in 2018: 'I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.' She said in April last year she is a 'big, strong supporter of the #MeToo movement'.
And in 2017 Pelosi said of the MeToo movement: 'Harvey [Weinstein] didn't evoke this. The election of President Trump evoked what happened to Harvey and now everybody is served notice.'
After his confirmation to the Supreme Court she issued a statement which read: 'Today is a profoundly heart-breaking day for women, girls and families across America.
'Courageous women risked their safety and well-being to speak truth about this nomination. Tens of thousands more joined them to share their own harrowing stories of sexual assault, at great personal risk.
'Yet, Senate Republicans chose to send a clear message to all women: do not speak out, and if you do – do not expect to be heard, believed or respected.'
Warren tweeted: 'Christine Blasey Ford is brave, deserves to be heard, and treated with respect as she raises new questions about Brett Kavanaugh.'
Clinton said of Ford: 'I found her very credible. You have to ask yourself, why would anybody put themselves through this if they did not believe that they had important information to convey to the Senate?
'I felt a great swell of pride that she would be willing to put herself out there under these circumstances.'
Charlotte Bennett, 25, who served in a number of roles for Cuomo - including executive assistant and health policy advisor - said the governor made a number of concerning comments to her last spring during the height of the pandemic in the state. She is the second former aide to accuse the governor of sexual harassment
Boylan had already alleged in tweets in December last year that Cuomo 'abused his power' and sexually harassed her for years
Cuomo responded to Bennett's claims with a statement Saturday saying he never made advances toward her and never intended to be inappropriate. He had previously denied Boylan's allegations. Boylan is pictured with Harris
Mainstream TV networks ABC, NBC and CBS also did not report on Boylan's allegations in their news bulletins Wednesday night.
And Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand gave a somewhat soft reply.
'I have not read her allegations or her posts or Medium posts. But as I said, everyone has a right to be able to come forward, speak their truth and be heard. And that's true for her and it's also true for Governor Cuomo,' Gillibrand said Thursday.
In the past, Gillibrand has seemed far more reluctant to let Republicans accused of sexual assault 'speak their truth'.
The Democrat senator demanded President Trump 'resign' after he was accused of sexual assault.
In 2018, she called allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh 'disqualifying'.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney said: 'All survivors of harassment and assault deserve to be heard and…have their case thoroughly investigated.'
Following Ford's allegations against Brett Kavanaugh she tweeted: '#BelieveWomen'
AOC on Friday called on the state legislature to investigate the 'extraordinarily serious' allegations, adding that survivors 'deserve to be heard.'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called on the state legislature to investigate the 'extraordinarily serious' allegations, adding that survivors 'deserve to be heard.'
She said the 'process for hearing this allegation falls squarely in the state legislature.'
She tweeted Sunday: 'Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett’s detailed accounts of sexual harassment by Gov. Cuomo are extremely serious and painful to read.
'There must be an independent investigation - not one led by an individual selected by the Governor, but by the office of the Attorney General.'
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters during a press conference Thursday that Boylan's allegations should be examined more thoroughly.
He spoke before the similar allegations made by Bennett.
'These allegations are really disturbing. Let's be clear about that, they're really disturbing. We have to, as New Yorkers, we got to take this seriously. When a woman comes forward with this kind of very specific allegations, they have to be taken seriously,' de Blasio stated.
'We need a full and independent investigation, I want to emphasize the word 'independent,' investigation by some individual or entity that is not compromised, is not dominated by the governor's office, but an independent investigation,' he continued.
'This kind of behavior, if it's true, is unacceptable in any public servant, in anybody. So we've got to get the truth about this.'
A spokesperson for Chuck Schumer said: 'He has said many times that sexual harassment is never acceptable and must not be tolerated, and that any credible allegation should be thoroughly investigated.'
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) smile after signing the Red Flag bill, also known as the Extreme Risk Protection Order bill, in New York, U.S., February 25, 2019
Hillary Clinton & Governor Andrew Cuomo on stage at rally on reproductive health act at Barnard College in 2007
Actress and activist Rose McGown has also spoken out in defense of Boylan and, like de Blasio, she is demanding an independent investigation.
'I completely stand by Lindsey Boylan. Its truth leaks from every word on the screen that she wrote. She, none of us, should endure what she endured,' McGowan told Fox News.
'If they're doing it to her, what are they doing to constituents? What is he going to do to what he considers the little people? It's monstrous.'
She continued: 'I would like to see an honest investigation. I would like that position of power to be filled by somebody who is not dangerous and a bully and intimidating and threatening because that's what sexual harassment is. It's power abuse. It's trying to make the little person feel small.'
The accusation comes as Cuomo is under increasing pressure over his handling of COVID-19 deaths in the state's nursing homes. He signed a March order that allowed nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients back to their facilities.
Earlier this month, Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo's secretary, unleashed a political firestorm when she admitted to state Democrats that the administration had deliberately hid data on the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.
At least 15,000 people living in long-term care facilities have died of COVID-19, nearly double the number Cuomo had initially disclosed. Cuomo says his office was always honest about the figures but that it came down to differences in categorization.
Days after DeRosa's revelation, NY Democrat Assemblyman Ron Kim claimed that the Governor made threats as part of an effort to get him to 'cover up' for DeRosa's admission.
'The Governor called for about ten minutes, it seemed like one hour,' Kim told CNN last week.
He accused Cuomo of 'berating' him in order to pressure him 'to issue a statement that invalidated what I heard. He asked me to lie to cover up for his staff.'
Kim said the phone call left his family traumatized.
Kim has now come out in support of Boylan, who tweeted after she went public with her sexual assault allegations.
'Cuomo is a coward who has abused his powers. His pattern of abuse and harassment toward his aides, journalists, lawmakers, and critiques is despicable. As a lawmaker, I have the duty to hold him accountable. I will not stand down. I will stand with Lindsey Boylan,' Kim wrote.
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