Cuomo Says He’s Eager to Defend Himself Over Harassment Claims

(Bloomberg) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he’s eager to tell his side of the sexual-harassment scandal threatening him.

“I have tried to be respectful of the process,” Cuomo told reporters Thursday at a news briefing in Buffalo. “At the same time, it has been very difficult letting people make accusations and not responding, and people have only heard one side of the story.”

Cuomo, 63, faces investigations by state Attorney General Letitia James and the state Assembly after several women, including staffers, accused the third-term governor of inappropriate behavior. Cuomo said he is “trying to be respectful” by not responding to questions about the allegations.

“I can’t tell you how eager I am to tell my side of the story, and the time will come,” he said.

Cuomo has refused calls from fellow Democrats to resign, saying he did nothing wrong and can continue to lead the state as he defends himself. He pointed to the state budget process as a “litmus test” for that.

“What’s the single most important governmental task for a governor during the course of a year? Getting the budget. I did the budget,” he said. “If you’re going to have trouble governing, you know where you’re going to have trouble governing? In the budget.”

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