NYT: Third woman accuses Andrew Cuomo of unwanted advances

A third woman has accused Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of unwanted advances in 2019, The New York Times reported Monday, adding to an escalating crisis facing the governor in the wake of two sexual harassment allegations.

The woman, Anna Ruch, told the Times that Cuomo approached her during a crowded wedding reception in New York in 2019. Ruch told the newspaper she thanked Cuomo for his toast to the newlyweds, and in response, she says he put his hand on her bare lower back, which the Times said was exposed in an open-back dress.

When Ruch removed his hand, Cuomo allegedly told her she seemed "aggressive" as he put his hands on her cheeks, she recalled to the Times. Cuomo then asked if he could kiss her, Ruch said, and she distanced herself as he came closer.

"I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed," Ruch told the Times. "I turned my head away and didn't have words in that moment."

The newspaper also reported that Ruch says she was later told by a friend that Cuomo had kissed her cheek as she pulled away.

The newspaper reported that her account of the episode was loud enough and could be heard by a friend standing nearby, who corroborated the exchange, along with photographs from the event and text messages at the time. The New York Times did not identify the friend in its reporting.

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