Joseph Spector | The Journal News

Wochit

David McKay Wilson/The Journal News

ALBANY -- Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins is the first African-American woman to head a legislative conference in New York.

But the Yonkers senator is not part of negotiations this week over enacting new sexual-harassment laws in the state.

Albany's so-called "four men in a room" are hashing out the details behind closed doors as part of budget negotiations for the fiscal year that starts Sunday.

Stewart-Cousins has blasted her omission from the talks among the majority leaders in the Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Cynthia Nixon, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and other women leaders have also knocked the situation.

"I have certainly not been invited to be part of the negotiations, so the input is limited," Stewart-Cousins said Tuesday on WNYC public radio.

"We are obviously very concerned about being able to address sexual harassment in a way that is appropriate and protecting all of, all New Yorkers, frankly, in the workplace."

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Nixon, in a visit to Albany on Monday, blasted Stewart-Cousins' exclusion, noting Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein is part of the negotiations even while he is accused of forcibly kissing a former aide outside a bar two years ago.

Klein, D-Bronx, who represents parts of lower Westchester, has denied the allegation.

But Nixon said, "And at a time where millions of women are making their voices heard, why should we settle for sexual harassment policies that are being discussed behind closed doors without a single woman present?"

Klein and Stewart-Cousins support stronger sexual harassment policies in New York, said Klein's spokeswoman Candice Giove.

The Senate passed a passage of bills earlier this month to strengthen the state's laws regarding sexual harassment in the workplace.

"Senator Klein is in lockstep with Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins," Giove said.

The exclusion of leaders of the minority parties in the Assembly and Senate in budget negotiations in Albany has long been a problem, said Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, Ontario County.

Each year, the legislative leaders and the governor meet daily behind closed doors to hammer out a budget deal — providing little insight to the public on the deliberations until usually budget bills are hastily printed and signed merely hours later.

"Andrea Stewart-Cousins has every right to be (in the room), but it shouldn’t be just about sexual harassment, it should be about all these deliberations on all major public policies," Kolb said.

For its part, the Cuomo administration said it has provided updates to the Senate Democratic conference, and Cuomo's counsel, Alphonso David, told the Wall Street Journal that Cuomo has spoken with Stewart-Cousins by phone

To that, Stewart-Cousins, told the paper: “That’s not a negotiation, that’s a briefing," and Cuomo only spoke in “generalities.”

Cuomo's top aide Melissa DeRosa wrote on Twitter late Tuesday that she and other female aides are part of the discussions.

Actually, I am in the room-along w other top female aides to the Senate &Assembly. It’s sad, though not entirely surprising, that even when a woman like me is in the room helping to lead the charge, some only see a room full of men. It's worse when they are doing it for politics https://t.co/A5NfShziP7 — Melissa DeRosa (@melissadderosa) March 27, 2018

"Actually, I am in the room-along w other top female aides to the Senate &Assembly." she wrote.

"It’s sad, though not entirely surprising, that even when a woman like me is in the room helping to lead the charge, some only see a room full of men. It's worse when they are doing it for politics."

Sexual harassment has long been a problem at the state Capitol.

Last week, a group of alleged harassment victims urged for Stewart-Cousins' inclusion on the policy discussions.

They also want state leaders to develop a plan outside the budget deliberations.