New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said there was “no way” he would resign over allegations of sexual harassment despite a series of calls for his ouster from high-profile New York Democrats.
Cuomo cited an independent investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) office that his office has signed off on.
“[James] is very good, she’s very competent, and that will be due process and then we’ll have the facts. That’s why Sen. [Charles] Schumer said let the attorney general do her investigation, Sen. [Kirsten] Gillibrand said let the attorney general do her investigation, Congressman [Hakeem] Jeffries said let the attorney general do her investigation, the White House spokesperson said let the attorney general do the investigation, because that’s democracy. So no, there is no way I resign,” Cuomo said in a press briefing Monday.
On Sunday, New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) became one of the highest-profile New York officials to call for Cuomo to step down.
“We have allegations about sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the Covid-19 nursing home data and questions about the construction of a major infrastructure project,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. “New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Gov. Cuomo must resign.”
Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (D) echoed Stewart-Cousins, saying “I stand with you in calling for Governor Cuomo to resign so we can move our state forward.”
Former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan, who first accused Cuomo of harassment last year, went public with more detailed claims in February. Four more women have since publicly made accusations against him.
The governor similarly vowed not to resign on Sunday, saying “I was elected by the people of the state. I wasn’t elected by politicians. I’m not going to resign because of allegations.”
Cuomo has denied inappropriately touching any employees or making sexual advances on them but acknowledged interacting with aides in the workplace in a way that “may have been insensitive or too personal.”