Biden wants Cuomo probe: Jen Psaki says president supports review into sexual assault claims

Biden wants Cuomo probe: Jen Psaki says president supports review into sexual assault claims against NY governor and admits she found new allegations ‘hard to read as a woman’

  • White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Joe Biden wants a probe into sexual assault and harassment claims against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo 
  • ‘There should be an independent review looking into these allegations. And that’s certainly something the president supports,’ she told CNN
  • Psaki said the allegations ‘are serious’: ‘It was hard to read that story as a woman’
  • The latest from the White House comes as a second female Cuomo aide came out with allegations against the New York Democratic governor

Joe Biden wants an investigation into sexual assault and harassment allegations levied against Andrew Cuomo, the president’s spokesperson revealed Sunday, as a second woman came forward against the New York governor.

‘There should be an independent review looking into these allegations,’ White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told CNN‘s ‘State of the Union’ on Sunday. ‘And that’s certainly something the president supports.’

Psaki said the allegations ‘are serious.’

‘It was hard to read that story as a woman,’ Psaki said of the New York Times piece revealing the new allegations against Cuomo.

‘That process should move forward as quickly as possible,’ she said of a probe into the governor’s conduct toward female aides.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (right) told CNN on Sunday that President Joe Biden wants an investigation into sexual assault and harassment claims against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

'It was hard to read that story as a woman,' Psaki said of the New York Times piece revealing the new allegations against Cuomo, adding the claims 'are serious'

‘It was hard to read that story as a woman,’ Psaki said of the New York Times piece revealing the new allegations against Cuomo, adding the claims ‘are serious’

Charlotte Bennett, 25, who served in a number of roles for Cuomo, said the governor asked several questions of her personal life, including asking if she dated older men

Charlotte Bennett, 25, who served in a number of roles for Cuomo, said the governor asked several questions of her personal life, including asking if she dated older men

The allegations came after former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan already alleged in tweets in December that Cuomo 'abused his power' and sexually harassed her for years

The allegations came after former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan already alleged in tweets in December that Cuomo ‘abused his power’ and sexually harassed her for years

Charlotte Bennett, 25, said Cuomo told her he was open to dating women in their 20s and asked her questions about her personal life in June.

It comes after Lindsey Boylan, 36, claimed the New York governor asked her to play strip poker and kissed her on the lips without her permission when she worked for him in 2017.

Cuomo, 63, said he ‘never intended to act in any way that was inappropriate’ with Ms Bennett and his press secretary said Ms Boylan’s claims were ‘false’.

The governor on Saturday promised a review by former federal judge Barbara Jones into the allegations against him. Jones was appointed to her judgeship by then-President Bill Clinton.

Cuomo, 63, said he 'never intended to act in any way that was inappropriate' with Bennett and his press secretary sais Boylan's claims were 'false'.

Cuomo, 63, said he ‘never intended to act in any way that was inappropriate’ with Ms Bennett and his press secretary said Boylan’s claims were ‘false’

Prominent Democrats such as Alessandra Biaggi, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Carl Heastie turned their backs on him and called for a ‘truly independent probe’.

Previously, Biden has stood by Cuomo, claiming he would continue working with him to address the coronavirus pandemic and in the New York Democrat’s capacity as the chairman of the National Governors Association.

Cuomo has found himself in hot water as the two women come forward with their stories and as he faces another controversy involving lying about the number of nursing home deaths in New York from COVID-19.