Cuomo faces fresh accusations of hypocrisy over his handling of women's rights issues
CNN
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has long touted himself as a women's rights champion and, with the birth of the #MeToo movement, frequently spoke about his role in reshaping state laws and regulations to meet the moment of reckoning.
But as allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior pile up against the third-term Democratic governor, so, too, is another accusation: hypocrisy. For nearly as long as Cuomo has been in office, a small but vocal group of critics has argued that the governor's actions -- on issues like abortion rights legislation and harassment in the workplace -- have not measured up to his high-minded rhetoric. In many cases, they said, Cuomo not only failed to follow through on his promises, but actively undermined women's rights leaders, allied lawmakers and even his own stated agenda when he saw their potential success as a threat to his grip on power. His creation of the "Women's Equality Party" in 2014 further enraged rivals and activists, including a number interviewed for this story, who described it -- then and now -- as less of a political party than a glorified personal branding exercise.More Related News
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