Cuomo Accused of Unwanted Advance at a Wedding: 'Can I Kiss You?'

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Times

Anna Ruch had never met Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo before encountering him at a crowded New York City wedding reception in September 2019. Her first impression was positive enough.

The governor was working the room after toasting the newlyweds, and when he came upon Ms. Ruch, now 33, she thanked him for his kind words about her friends. But what happened next instantly unsettled her: Mr. Cuomo put his hand on Ms. Ruch’s bare lower back, she said in an interview on Monday.

When she removed his hand with her own, Ms. Ruch recalled, the governor remarked that she seemed “aggressive” and placed his hands on her cheeks. He asked if he could kiss her, loudly enough for a friend standing nearby to hear. Ms. Ruch was bewildered by the entreaty, she said, and pulled away as the governor drew closer.

“I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,” said Ms. Ruch, whose recollection was corroborated by the friend, contemporaneous text messages and photographs from the event. “I turned my head away and didn’t have words in that moment.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/nyregion/cuomo-harassment-anna-ruch.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

---

Third time's the charm.....

[Iliyah]

1. I think the victims and the

accuser have their inquiries.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. And all this has been held in secrecy and is leaking out just now?

[Miguelito Loveless]

4. Seems to me this is generally how it happens

Years of this type of behavior, and one day people just reach a breaking point.

[R B Garr]

7. Yeah, it sure is weird timing. This is from a "crowded wedding

reception.” A wedding reception. This is just ridiculous now.

[Jarqui]

3. "Let's Get After It" brother Chris Cuomo journalism slogan

"... said Ms. Ruch, whose recollection was corroborated by the friend, contemporaneous text messages and photographs from the event."

Third accuser.

I like Gov Cuomo.

If these allegations stand up, not good. I won't look the other way.

[Marie Marie]

5. Just curious... Has Chris Cuomo covered this story on his show?

Uncomfortable but newsworthy so did he mention it?

[Jarqui]

9. I have not watched his shows recently.

How can Chris claim objectivity on this?
I'm not sure he can say much at this point and doubt he should.

Having said that, there is a double standard.
How can any Republican criticize Gov Cuomo while voting for Kavanaugh and standing behind President Pussy Grabber?

[MustLoveBeagles]

10. He's not covering it because of the potential of conflict of interest

Link to tweet

[Marie Marie]

12. Thank you for that. I was wondering how he would handle this - tough spot.

[MustLoveBeagles]

40. You're welcome

Yes. It would be impossible for him to be objective. It's got to be a difficult situation for him.

[zanana1]

32. Neither will I.

If it turns out to be true, it would be the height of hypocrisy to turn a blind eye and do the same thing as Trump supporters did.

[R B Garr]

6. Isn't a wedding a social event where all kinds of people

interact like family and friends do? Lots of drinking, lots of food, lots of dancing, lots of hugs, lots of kisses. Every wedding I’ve seen is like that. Lots of leaning into people because the music is so loud. Etc. oh dear!

This looks like desperation to get rid of Cuomo for political motives.

[eilen]

8. Drunk wedding guest flirts and makes a pass at another guest....

I think it is a little inane (this story).

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

11. He looks like a vampire sizing up his prey, lol

[ancianita]

13. Notice photo touch up at the tip of his chin? Check the photo out before spreading it around.

[Polybius]

14. Yeah no

The NY times published the photo. Just because you want the story to be fake, doesn't mean it is.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/nyregion/cuomo-harassment-anna-ruch.html

[ancianita]

15. Link it with date and time. That photo's been floating around right wing sites like therightscoop.

It's not a matter of me wanting anything. There's no original photo attribution while it floats around. Buying the rights to a photo doesn't legitimize its composition or origination.

And don't forget the NYT's role in amping up the case against Hillary.

[Polybius]

17. I don't doubt that the NYT amps up stories

However, they can't publish photoshopped pictures or they would be heavily sued. Not every picture with unusual lighting against someone who's on our side is fake. It's from a wedding with lots of weird lights.

[Cetacea]

27. It's not from weird lighting.

Blow up the photo. Look at the bottom half of his face, after you notice that he's not even looking at her. His hands have the same skin tone as everyone in the room. Only his pasted on face is red. And part of his chin is floating on air. And his lips are doing something really weird. He's certainly not talking, or trying to kiss her, as Lawrence O'Donnell claimed.

[Polybius]

36. CNN just posted it too

It's a cell pic.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/politics/andrew-cuomo-anna-ruch/index.html

[Justice]

19. The article says a friend took the photo but with her

Cellphone camera. Weird.

[Cetacea]

25. And friend is remaining anonymous. Blow up the photo.

There is possibly evidence of tampering.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

18. Its everywhere

[thesquanderer]

16. Makes me think of Al Pacino in Devil's Advocate (n/t)

[Trueblue1968]

24. OH HE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A VAMPIRE. Anyone can see this picture's been photoshopped

HIS FACE IS NOT RED. It's a dumb gimic to make him look bad. I went to a weeding 3 years ago and I got kissed by a man i didn't know. It was all in fun and I didn't make a stink over the situation.

[Cetacea]

26. But he does posses the power to separate and levitate the front of his chin

His face is a different color than everyone else in the room, yet his hands are the same color as everyone else . Blow up his face and the red becomes prominent. Part of his chin is floating a few inches in front of the rest of the chin. He is not even looking at her. I think his entire face is from another photo.
If I am correct then you cannot trust the rest of the photo. Expressions can be altered too.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

31. CNN IS RUNNING THE PIC as their lead story, are his HANDS photoshopped too???

[Cetacea]

37. No. But his head might be.

[Trueblue1968]

39. No. But his head might be. ---- NO, BUT HIS HEAD HAS BEEN.

Manufactured.... just like some of the stories perhaps. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO A JURY .... or an investigation

[Trueblue1968]

38. Duhhhhhhhhhh, of course not. what is your point.

[Toorich]

20. So, exactly what crime ...

... has the Gov. been accused of committing?

Rape, robbery, or murder? No?

Oh I see, he has supposedly been rude and/or crude.

Well, for the love of God, let's neuter the guy and immediately install a righteous
repuglican in the Governorship.

Case closed. Next case!

[whistler162]

29. Same as Franken - Conduct unbecoming a Democrat!

[scarletwoman]

21. Oh please. I'm not going for it.

“I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,” said Ms. Ruch...

Poor delicate flower.

This shit makes me sick: Oh lawdy, he touched my back! He asked to kiss me! Quick, bring mah smelling salts!

[Jedi Guy]

35. So after she deliberately removed his hands from her body, it's okay that he touched her again?

He put his hand on her lower back, she removed it, and then he reached up and touched her again, despite her making it perfectly clear that physical contact was unwelcome. That's acceptable behavior for an older man interacting with a younger woman he doesn't even know? Interesting.

[patricia92243]

22. That he asked if he could kiss her is gentlemanly on his part. At a

wedding, people just kiss and don't ask.

[alphafemale]

23. Is there a push to get someone in who will pardon trumpety?

Why this need to crucify?

[Jose Garcia]

30. No. The Lt. Governor is a Democrat

[Jetheels]

28. Reading the title I thought this was Andy Borowitz

[flying_wahini]

33. Sorry but it it seems pretty common and plausible that he asked to kiss the bride, at a wedding.

Doesn’t sound like that would fall under harassment to me.

[Jedi Guy]

34. She wasn't the bride, she was a guest at the wedding. N/T