Syracuse, N.Y. – An employee of National Grid in Syracuse is among the women who have accused Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual abuse, according to a report issued today by state Attorney General Letitia James. Virginia Limmiatis said she contacted the attorney general’s office to report the abuse following a press conference this year in which Cuomo said he never touched anyone inappropriately.
“He is lying again,’’ Limmiatis told investigators. “He touched me inappropriately. I am compelled to come forward to tell the truth.”
Limmiatis described an event that took place in May 2017. She had joined a rope line to greet the governor following an energy conservation event where he spoke. When he reached Limmiatis, Cuomo ran two fingers along the company lettering on her shirt, which was breast high, pressing down on each letter, according to her testimony.
The governor then leaned in so his cheek was touching Limmiatis’ cheek, according to her testimony.
“Cuomo said something along the lines of, ‘I’m going to say I see a spider on your shoulder.’ Ms. Limmiatis looked down to see that there was no spider or bug on her, but the governor brushed his hand in the area between her shoulder and breast below her collarbone,’' the AG report said.
In his testimony, Cuomo denied touching Limmiatis inappropriately, according to the AG report. The governor’s office today issued an 85-page rebuttal to allegations from 11 other accusers, but the document makes no mention of Limmiatis.
The AG’s team concluded that Limmiatis’ account was believable.
“We found Ms. Limmiatis to be credible both in demeanor and the substance of her allegations. Her allegations were substantially corroborated by individuals whom Ms. Limmiatis spoke to contemporaneously about her experience,’’ the report said.
During a brief interview today, Limmiatis said it was difficult to come forward.
“It was difficult, but it was the right thing to do,’’ she said. Limmiatis referred further questions to her attorney, Mariann Wang, who represented Limmiatis and another accuser, Alyssa McGrath, who still works for the governor.
Wang said the women were “enormously courageous in coming forward.’' She also said the report confirms that Cuomo should be removed as governor.
“He should not be in charge of our government and should not be in any position of power over anyone else, Wang said.
Limmiatis told investigators the episode with Cuomo left her “profoundly humiliated,’' according to the report. She attended the conservation event as part of her job.
She testified that she was too shocked to say anything when Cuomo touched her. After Cuomo left her in the rope line and moved on to the next person, she looked around to see if anyone had noticed what happened, but it appeared that no one did, the report said.
Soon after the rope line dispersed, Limmiatis told three other people who attended what had happened. Each confirmed to the AG’s office that she told them about the alleged abuse. One said he was struck by “how upset Ms. Limmiatis looked and acted,’' the report said.
Back at the office, Limmiatis also reported the incident to her boss. Limmiatis’ boss did not raise the option of reporting what had happened within the company or to the executive chamber, the report said.
Limmiatis also did not independently report the incident to the governor’s office at the time, because there was ‘‘trepidation and fear,’' she told the AG’s office.
“How do you explain to someone what the governor did in public, such an egregious act, heinous act. I was very fearful . . . How does someone believe that this happened to me?” she said, according to the report.
Limmiatis came forward after a March 3 press conference at which Cuomo publicly denied touching anyone inappropriately. After testifying to the AG’s office, she gave them a prepared statement, including this:
“I was there as a professional to do my work. The Governor turned a sincere gesture of simply extending my hand as an expression of gratitude for the state’s partnership, into a moment of profound shame and humiliation. . . . .
“He did not respect me as a professional and a contributor to the project . . . . I want to tell the governor that this is not about cancel culture. This is about consequences. My coming forward is a direct result of the Governor’s March 3 press conference in which he said, ‘I never touched anyone inappropriately.’
“He is lying again. He touched me inappropriately. I am compelled to come forward to tell the truth. I do not know how to report what he did to me — I didn’t know how to report what he did to me at the time and was burdened by shame, but not coming forward now would make me complicit in his lie, and I won’t do it.
“I am a cancer survivor. I know an oppressive and destructive force when I see it.’'
Do you have a news tip or a story idea? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023.