by Bernadette Hogan and Bruce Golding at New York Post
He’s sorry . . . .if he offended anyone.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that he feels “awful” and “embarrassed” over the spiraling sexual harassment allegations against him — while maintaining that he wasn’t aware those actions were wrong and insisting: “I’m not going to resign.”
Cuomo — whose third term expires at the end of next year — vowed to remain in office despite plummeting approval ratings and mounting outrage from even his fellow Democratic elected officials.
“I wasn’t elected by politicians, I was elected by the people of the state of New York. I’m not going to resign,” he deflected.
“I work for the people of the state of New York. They elected me and I’m going to serve the people of the state of New York.”
During a video news conference from the Capitol in Albany, Cuomo insisted, “I never touched anyone inappropriately” and pledged to cooperate with an independent investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James.
Cuomo also said he was acting against legal advice to tell New Yorkers, “I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable.”
“It was unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize for it,” he insisted as his voice choked up. “I feel awful about it and frankly I am embarrassed by it and that’s not easy to say – but that’s the truth.”
But Cuomo also repeatedly conditioned his apology on the notion that he inadvertently upset his accusers.
“No offense, but if they were offended by it then it was wrong. And if they were offended by it, I apologize. And if they were hurt by it, I apologize. And if they felt pain from it, I apologize. I apologize,” he said.
“I did not intend it. I didn’t mean it that way. But if that’s how they felt, that’s all that matters and I apologize.”
But when pressed by a reporter on to whom exactly he was apologizing, Cuomo, 63, said, “the young woman who worked here, who said that I made her feel uncomfortable in the workplace.”…
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