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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1384420
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1384420
The silence and ‘just keep your head down and don’t make waves’ approach to these situations is a big reason not to rush to calls for resignations etc. It’s ironic, maybe, but early resignations tend to shut investigations down. The perp is out of the headlines, so people stop coming forward, or they think ‘well, he’s been dealt with’ and in the end, they get away with only a slap on the wrist.
That’s why the process is important: we need the investigations to uncover the enablers and shine a spotlight on the behaviors and attitudes that silence dissent. And along the way, they have the tendency to uncover so much more than the initial allegations hinted at.
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I recall reading here on TPM years ago that Gov Cuomo is a corrupt POS. In fact that was the moment I learned Cuomo even was a governor. It astounds me that people with the worst motivations can continue in positions of power long, long after they have been recognized as inappropriate to continue.
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There’s also the whole marked/unmarked part of it. As long as the perp acts with confidence and pretends (or believes) that what they’re doing is OK, it’s the person who complains who’s “making trouble” and “being disruptive”.
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Oh, give poor Cuomo a break. He said that he’s just wistful for the good old days when harass was two words.
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This oped from a former member of Cuomo’s administration argues fairly effectively that the toxic environment Cuomo cultivated cannot be weighed against “the job he did as governor” but intrinsically made him (and everyone around him) worse at serving the people of New York, both because good people were run off/ not hired and because the administration poured so much effort into bolstering Cuomo’s ego, rather than tending to policy.
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Gaslighting.
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And supported by the rest of the group.
This omerta manifests itself in just about any kind of corruption and not just sexual misconduct. I reported to an abusive boss who was protected by his fellow mgrs all of whom knew him as part of their old boy group. Anyone dumb enough to complain was gaslighted by his defenders.
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Genuine enabling is repugnant - but in all fairness, the discussion of who “enabled” needs to be reasonable and rational and rooted in reality - please, can we not treat Cuomo like he automatically is some misogynistic “dirty bomb” such that any person that regularly existed within a 50 foot radius of the man must - by association - also be toxic because they did not rise up and smite him and put a halt to his actions.
Yes, there does exist room for criticism of those who overtly acted to support or perpetuate Cuomo’s behavior - but mere proximity does not constitute complicity.
Some of the strident far-right in NY (& on the GQP networks) are making noises like they want to try to fatally trap Kathy Hochul in the fire storm - screaming in faux rage that it would be impossible for her to not to have known every single thing that was going on - and thus she allowed it - and they judge her equally guilty - actually more guilty - because - of course - that is the way that they judge women. This is rubbish - but considering the source - not at all surprising - it is an attempt on the part or the right wing nut jobs to see if they could cynically fan the flames and get away with some highly opportunistic political assassination - arson.
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One thing I have found to be anecdotally true. The more someone claims that most complaints are false or exaggerated, the more likely it is that that someone is also a sexual harasser.
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The Assistant with Julia Garner is an understated illustration of how the complicity and silence plays out. .
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in the field of organizational psychology there’s a big body of literature on mgrs with a “dark side” that usually involves some form of abuse.
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And Lo! The NYS Assembly has paused their impeachment investigation! The resignation has had the intended effect of putting the kibosh on the matter and ensuring that Cuomo can, in theory, run for Governor in the future.
I think he’s delusional if he actually believes he’ll get elected, but he’s arrogant enough to think it, anyway.
Like I said: This is why it’s important to let the process play out: if he’d resigned early on, this would’ve happened then, and the NYS AG’s office wouldn’t have bothered with a criminal investigation. Now it’s all up to you, Tish.
I anticipate Cuomo will run against DeSantis in 2024 and win using his $18M campaign war chest which NY assembly wants no part of in terms of oppositional ads.
I find this “metoo” trend to be nothing more than group tattletale. I believe the situations ocurred, I don’t believe that it was unwanted harassment. Women have the power of feminity & learn early to leverage it as well as stop it when it’s unwanted. That’s where the tales fall apart. we’re gonna get in trouble** does sound at all like stop. Additionally, I place little credence on a “pattern” of behavior when there are only 12 women in 24 month period. That’s not even one woman a month,which says this was less than normal, given men usually make sexual advances weekly and do so publically.
Metoo tattling simply means waiting long enough for enough people to experience sexual advances so it can be called “unwanted” with a group as validation for veracity. In truth, the women knew how to stop it just as they manage to do so daily when in public venues. It’s just they seem to say I want this behavior *criminalized” in the workplace even if it is normalized everywhere else women encounter it in society.
If Cuomo gets the nomination in 2024 he will have my vote.