New York reporters roast Cuomo for trying to redefine sexual harassment: 'Yikes'

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CNN boss Jeff Zucker defending his anchors becoming more ‘opinionated’ and ‘emotional’ round out today’s top media headlines

New York reporters blasted Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D., Thursday for claiming sexual harassment is not "making someone feel uncomfortable," pointing out his own words clashed with the 2019 law he signed that lowered the legal standard.

Cuomo has been accused by nine women, including reporters and aides, of harassment and unwanted touching. He has denied the claims, and on Thursday, he had a combative exchange with City and State reporter Rebecca Lewis over what constituted harassment, suggesting it was in the eye of the beholder.

Asked to acknowledge that one’s intentions, according to the law, don't matter in instances of sexual harassment, Cuomo said, "I never said anything I believe is inappropriate."

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"You can leave this press conference today and say, ‘Oh, the governor harassed me.’ You can say that," Cuomo said. "I would say I never said anything that I believed was inappropriate. I never meant to make you feel that way. You may hear it that way. You may interpret it that way. And I respect that. And I apologize to you if … I said something you think is offensive."

City and State reporter Zach Williams called the exchange an example of why Cuomo "was avoiding in-person press conference[s] for so long amid ongoing scandals."

"The governor offers a definition of sexual harassment that is at odds with a state law HE SIGNED," Williams tweeted.

The law Cuomo signed eliminated the "severe or pervasive" standard of harassment that was once necessary for legal action.

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The law states in part, "Sexual harassment also consists of any unwanted verbal or physical advances, sexually explicit derogatory statements or sexually discriminatory remarks made by someone which are offensive or objectionable to the recipient, which cause the recipient discomfort or humiliation, which interfere with the recipient’s job performance."

Lewis tweeted, "He told me, a young female reporter pressing him, that I could leave the press conference and say he harassed me, but that doesn't make it true, then said the below quote to me. Yikes."

CNN host S.E. Cupp blasted Cuomo, saying he "mansplains what sexual harassment really is" in the clip.

The New York Daily News called Cuomo "defensive" and said he had come up with his "own definition" of harassment in the exchange. 

Cuomo's facing scandals on multiple other fronts, including accusations that he covered up coronavirus deaths from the federal government last year.

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Former aide Charlotte Bennett, who has accused Cuomo of harassment and propositioning her, said he had broken the law.

"Apologies don't fix that, and neither do denials," she wrote.