De Blasio slams Cuomo over response to sexual harassment allegations: 'That's not an apology'

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is far from satisfied with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) latest response to the sexual harassment allegations against him.

The New York mayor at a press conference Monday discussed Cuomo's Sunday response to a second former aide accusing the governor of sexual harassment. Cuomo said he "never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm" by teasing people "about their personal lives and relationships," and he expressed regret after saying comments he made may have been "misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation." De Blasio, who previously called for an independent investigation into the allegations against Cuomo, slammed this statement.

"That's not an apology," De Blasio said. "He seemed to be saying, 'Oh, I was just kidding around.' You know, sexual harassment is not funny. It's serious. It has to be taken seriously. And he just, clearly, was letting himself off the hook for something that, for the women involved, sounded pretty terrifying."

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The mayor added that anyone who "purposely tried to use their power to force woman to have sex with them" should "no longer be in public service." After previously saying that allegedly threatening a lawmaker is "classic Andrew Cuomo," de Blasio also predicted there will be "more and more evidence" of Cuomo's alleged "pattern of abuse" that will come out.

Former Cuomo aide's Charlotte Bennett allegations of sexual harassment came after another aide, Lindsey Boylan, also accused the governor of harassment, alleging he kissed her on the lips without consent and asked her to play strip poker. Cuomo has been facing some calls to resign amid the scandal, and on Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) described the allegations as "serious and credible." Brendan Morrow