Times Up’s president and CEO Tina Tchen announced her resignation on Thursday amid scrutiny of group’s role in former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) sexual harassment scandal.
Tchen said in a statement it is the time for the group to “evolve and move forward as there is so much more work to do for women.”
“It is clear that I am not the leader who can accomplish that at this moment. I am especially aware that my position at the helm of Time’s Up has become a painful and divisive focal point where those very women and other activists who should be working together to fight for change are instead battling each other in harmful ways,” she said.
“Therefore, it is time for me to resign and continue to work for change in other ways, and let Time’s Up engage in the thoughtful and meaningful process I know will occur to move forward,” she continued.
Time’s Up and its staff have come under scrutiny in recent weeks after New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) released a report finding that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, including some he worked with.
Roberta Kaplan resigned as the group’s chair earlier this month after James’s report revealed that she was one of several Cuomo allies who were enlisted to try and help Cuomo after Lindsey Boylan, a former aide, accused him of sexual harassment in December.
Kaplan was one of several people who reviewed an open letter discrediting Boylan, which was never published.
But The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Tchen told her organization at the time to “stand down” on supporting Boylan after two people connected with the group spoke with Cuomo’s longtime adviser Melissa DeRosa.
Tchen, a former chief of staff to former first lady Michelle Obama, was named president and CEO of the organization in 2019. She replaced Lisa Borders, who stepped down after sexual assault allegations against her son.