Tenth Cuomo accuser says governor kissed her during 2017 tour of flood damage

A woman named Sherry Vill became the 10th person to accuse New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) of sexual misconduct on Monday, alleging at a press conference that the governor kissed her on both cheeks upon meeting her in 2017.

The latest allegation involves an incident Vill says occurred while the governor was touring homes, hers included, that were damaged by floodwaters from Lake Ontario. The incident was witnessed by local officials and others accompanying Cuomo for a tour of the area, according to Vill.

Speaking at a news conference hosted by attorney Gloria Allred, Vill said that while Cuomo explained the move at the time as how Italian Americans greet each other, other comments made by the governor during his tour of her home led her to believe that the gesture was sexually charged.

Upon leaving her home, Vill said Cuomo lingered as his aides and town officials left, before turning to Vill and exclaiming that she was “beautiful” before saying goodbye and leaving.

The brief encounter led to neighbors and others in town referring to her as “the governor’s new girlfriend,” Vill said at her news conference.

The Hill has reached out to Cuomo’s office for comment.

Vill’s allegation is the 10th to land at the feet of the governor in recent weeks; he now faces allegations from several women, including former aides and one current staffer, Alyssa McGrath, who told The New York Times that the governor made unsettling sexual comments about her body to her and another aide.

The governor has denied any inappropriate physical contact with any women while acknowledging that some of his comments “have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation.” He now faces an investigation into the claims led by the state’s attorney general, Letitia James (D).