Who is Sherry Vill? NY woman says Andrew Cuomo 'forcibly' grabbed and kissed her in front of her husband and son
For New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, it seems the dark tunnel has no end. A ninth woman has come out to accuse the Democratic leader of sexual misconduct, claiming that he “aggressively” kissed her on both cheeks during a visit to her home in Greece, a town upstate near Rochester, after it was damaged by flooding from Lake Ontario four years ago.
Sherry Vill, 55, still feels embarrassed while recalling the incident. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, March 29, she said: “He (Cuomo) towered over me. There was nothing I could do.” Vill’s husband and son were also present when the awkward incident unfolded. “He leaned down on top of me, he forcibly grabbed my face and kissed my cheek - again in a very aggressive manner - I felt like I was being manhandled. I couldn’t use my other hand to stop him. I was holding my dog with my other and the way he looked at me. I felt he was acting in a highly flirtatious and inappropriate manner. There was nothing I could do. I felt as though he was coming on to me in my own home,” she said. The woman was left shocked by the governor’s unwanted advances, made with her family and neighbors around.
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Vill even received a letter and pictures from Cuomo addressed only to her. She was also invited to attend one of Cuomo’s local events but her family members were excluded. She also got a phone call from the governor's office about attending a local event where Cuomo would be present but decided against responding to it. Eight women brought allegations of sexual misconduct against the governor, many of whom worked as his aide.
Sherry Vill speaks out at before media
Vill, who is a businesswoman and has three children from a long marriage, appeared at a Zoom press conference with her attorney Gloria Allred on Monday where she revealed the governor’s controversial conduct. Her daughter posted a picture of the incident on Facebook, saying “the governor kissing my mom” but that she was speaking out on the issue after hearing similar stories from eight other women.
One user posted photos from the incident on Twitter, saying, "During a Monday afternoon press conference, Sherry Vill said the governor kissed her on two separate occasions in a 'highly sexual manner.'"
During a Monday afternoon press conference, Sherry Vill said the governor kissed her on two separate occasions in a “highly sexual manner.” pic.twitter.com/8bhdkisy0F
— Robert Philmore (@PhilmoreRobert) March 30, 2021
Allred showed many pictures from the day, May 28, including one where Cuomo is seen holding both her cheeks and planting kisses on them. Praising Vill, she said: “Women like Sherry will no longer be silent - will refuse to be intimidated by powerful men. We are very proud of Sherry and want due process for governor but also victims.”
Vill said: “He (Cuomo) looked at me, approached me, took my hand and pulled me to him. He leaned down over me and kissed my cheek. I thought he was going to pet my dog but Instead he wedged his face between the dog and mine and kissed my other cheek in what I thought was a highly sexual manner.” She said that’s something Italians do: “kiss both cheeks”. But she added that despite being an Italian herself, she would never greet a stranger the way Cuomo did.
Cuomo’s ninth accuser, Sherry Vill, a 55-year-old mother of three who has been married for more than 30 years, said Cuomo came to her home May 28, 2017, as part of a visit to inspect flood damage amid flooding throughout the state. He grabbed her face and kissed her on the cheek. pic.twitter.com/HeC4vKo4Va
— Catinthehatturd ™🐍Big Shot Gangster (@shot_gangster) March 30, 2021
Vill also conceded that the entire episode was strange and inappropriate but she still felt nervous and afraid because of the governor’s power and position.
It was learnt that Vill was not taking any legal action over the matter and only wanted to cooperate with the attorney general’s probe into Cuomo and that her experience with the governor should also be taken into account.
New York AG Letitia James has roped in former acting US attorney Joon Kim and employment discrimination attorney Anne Clark to lead the investigation into Cuomo’s alleged sexual misconduct. Voices have surfaced from within Cuomo’s own party seeking his resignation.
Cuomo has, however, remained firm about denying the charges. His office did not immediately remark on the latest allegations and has so far generally denied any inappropriate touching by the governor, who completed a decade in office in January and will seek reelection in November 2022.