Another woman stepped forward on Monday to accuse Governor Andrew Cuomo of inappropriate behavior, saying he kissed her cheek in a “highly sexual manner.”
Sherry Vill, a 55-year-old woman from Greece, in the Rochester area, says the incident happened when the governor visited her home during a flood damage tour in 2017.
Vill said that Cuomo initially kissed her cheeks once inside her house and then again “in a very aggressive manner” outside her home as well.
“I felt like I was being manhandled,” Vill said. “I know the difference between an innocent gesture and a sexual one. I never felt as uncomfortable as I did the day that Governor Cuomo came to my house.”
Vill is married with three children and says that Cuomo’s actions were “overly sexual, highly inappropriate, and disrespectful” to her family.
She provided photographs showing Cuomo visiting her home and appearing to kiss her on the cheek.
Vill says after the tour, Cuomo’s staff called to ask if she would attend another event with the governor.
Her family also received a letter addressed just to her, which included signed photos of her and Cuomo together.
Vill is the latest in a long line of women to come forward and accuse the governor of unwanted advances or inappropriate behavior.
At least five current and former aides have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment and misconduct since late February.
Vill says that she was afraid to report Cuomo’s behavior at the time.
“I am still afraid of him, but I am no longer willing to remain silent. And that is why I am coming forward today.”
Vill’s attorney, Gloria Allred, says that her client is focused on participating in Attorney General Letitia James' investigation.
When asked if Vill will participate in the Assembly Judiciary’s impeachment investigation, Allred says that right now they are just focused on the investigation with the attorney general’s office and then she will “see what, if anything [Vill] is willing to do after that.”
At least three of Cuomo’s accusers have expressed hesitancy about participating in the Assembly’s investigation.
After repeatedly declaring that he had never touched anyone inappropriately, Governor Cuomo has been declining to answer questions about both past and new allegations, citing the ongoing investigations.
Cuomo's attorney, Rita Glavin, did release a statement later Monday, saying "During times of crisis, the Governor has frequently sought to comfort New Yorkers with hugs and kisses. As I have said before, the Governor has greeted both men and women with hugs, a kiss on the cheek, forehead or hand for the past forty years. I encourage everyone to look at other photographs from his visit to Greece, NY that day. Nothing described at today's press conference was unique in that regard. Three other related points concerning Gloria Alfred's press conference: (1) the July 19, 2017 letter from the Governor that Ms. Allred displayed was a nearly identical follow-up form letter sent to more than 30 people that the Governor visited to support and assist following the Lake Ontario flooding, and those form letters were signed with an autopen; (2) it is a practice of the Governor’s office to send signed photos to people he meets with after events, and those photos are regularly signed with an autopen; (3) it is common for staffers to contact constituents after events and invite them to a future event on a related topic."