By: Teddy Grant

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that some of his behavior toward women was inappropriate and seen as “unwanted flirtation,” his latest acknowledgment of the sexual harassment allegations against him.

“I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended,” Cuomo said in a statement released on Sunday. “I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that.”

Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett, former aides to the governor, have accused him of sexual harassment during their time working with him, including alleged instances of an unsolicited kiss and alleged comments about being in relationships with women in their 20s, according to the New York Times.

Cuomo, 63, called for an investigation into these allegations, initially wanting to appoint a federal judge to lead an independent investigation, an idea that the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, quickly shut down.

James is seeking a referral that would allow her office to subpoena documents and testimony from witnesses, according to the Associated Press.

“This is not a responsibility we take lightly,” she said.

Cuomo has been in a lightning storm of controversy in recent weeks. His administration adjusted the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes following reports that it mishandled data on the virus.