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andrew cuomo
Cuomo Resigns Over Sexual Harassment Allegations
"I believe we can still move forward with impeachment," said Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou.
Aug 10, 2021
This is a developing news story... Check back for possible updates...
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that he will resign from office in 14 days as he faces an accelerating impeachment push over allegations that he sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former government employees.
Cuomo's announcement came a week after New York Attorney General Letitia James released an investigative report that accused the three-term governor of groping, kissing, and hugging staffers without their consent, conduct described as a violation of "multiple state and federal laws." The report, compiled by a team of independent investigators, also said that Cuomo created a toxic work environment for women staffers by "making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature."
Before announcing his coming departure after a scandal-plagued decade in power, Cuomo continued to deny the sexual harassment allegations leveled against him by at least 11 women, dismissing them as "politically motivated." The governor also described the looming impeachment effort as a "distraction."
"Wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing," Cuomo said in a video address on Tuesday. "And I cannot be the cause of that... Given the circumstances the best way I can help now is to step aside and let government get back to governing."
Cuomo will be replaced by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.
\u201c#BREAKING: Andrew Cuomo resigns as governor of New York, effective in 14 days. https://t.co/7Mn4DyM6L6\u201d— The Hill (@The Hill) 1628612723
Some Democratic members of the New York state Assembly made clear that they do not view Cuomo's resignation as a form of accountability and argued that lawmakers should continue to pursue impeachment, which--if successful--would bar Cuomo from running for governor again in the future.
\u201cResignation \u2260 Accountability\u201d— Ron T. Kim (@Ron T. Kim) 1628611805
"I believe we can still move forward with impeachment," said Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou.
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'He Broke the Law': Cuomo's Groping Accuser Speaks Out for First Time
"What he did to me was a crime," said Brittany Commisso, Cuomo's executive assistant. "The governor needs to be held accountable."
Aug 08, 2021
An executive assistant to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who last week filed a criminal complaint alleging he groped her came forward Sunday and publicly identified herself amid growing calls for the embattled Democrat's impeachment or resignation.
"I felt as though if I did something to insult him... it wasn't going to be him that was going to get fired or in trouble. It was going to be me."
--Brittany Commisso
Brittany Commisso--one of 11 women whose allegations against Cuomo were substantiated in a report (pdf) released Tuesday by New York Attorney General Letitia James' office--told "CBS This Morning" that "the governor needs to be held accountable."
According to the 168-page attorney general's report, which identifies Commisso as "Executive Assistant #1," Cuomo "reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast" on one occasion in November 2020, "grabbed her butt" on "multiple occasions in 2019 and 2020," and "put his hand on and rubbed and grabbed her butt" while taking a selfie on New Year's Eve 2019.
"What he did to me was a crime," Commisso said Sunday. "He broke the law."
Commisso also said she endured a series of inappropriate actions that began with Cuomo's "hugs and kisses on the cheek" but escalated as he "quickly turned his head and kissed me on the lips."
\u201cCBS THIS MORNING EXCLUSIVE: The aide who accused NY Gov. Cuomo of groping her speaks publicly for the first time: "What he did to me was a crime," Brittany Commisso tells @CBSThisMorning & @timesunion. "He broke the law." Watch Monday at 7a, only on CBS. https://t.co/W9SGPNSf1S\u201d— CBS Mornings (@CBS Mornings) 1628433976
The executive assistant said she did not speak up about her ordeal because she feared she would not be believed.
"I didn't say anything this whole time," she told CBS. "People don't understand that this is the governor of the state of New York. There are troopers that are outside of the mansion and there are some mansion staff. Those troopers that are there, they are not there to protect me. They are there to protect him."
"I felt as though if I did something to insult him, especially insult him in his own home, it wasn't going to be him that was going to get fired or in trouble. It was going to be me," she added. "And I felt as though if I said something that I know, who was going to believe me?"
Cuomo denies the allegations, saying last week: "I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances. That's just not who I am."
Calls have grown for the impeachment of Cuomo, who is now in his third term as governor. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden added his voice to the chorus of calls for Cuomo's resignation. Congressional leaders including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) and both of New York's U.S. senators--Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D)--have also urged the governor to step down.
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'I Think He Should Resign': Biden Joins Chorus of Demands for Cuomo to Step Down
Calls for the New York Democratic governor's ouster are growing after an investigation found that he sexually harassed multiple women in violation of state and federal law.
Aug 03, 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday joined the growing chorus of people calling for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to step down after a state probe concluded that the Democrat "engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York state law."
"I think he should resign," Biden told reporters after being asked about the findings Tuesday afternoon, citing his earlier comments when multiple women accused Cuomo of sexual harassment earlier this year.
The president did not say whether state lawmakers should impeach the governor if he refuses to leave office.
\u201cBREAKING: Pres. Biden calls on New York Gov. Cuomo to resign from office: "I think he should resign."\u201d— CBS News (@CBS News) 1628024051
The harassment allegations--which Cuomo continues to deny while acknowledging that his actions may have made people uncomfortable--led New York Attorney General Letitia James to appoint a team of independent investigators, who published their findings in a 168-page report (pdf).
Congressional leaders also responded to the report by calling for Cuomo to step down.
"Under Attorney General Letitia James, a comprehensive and independent investigation into the allegations against Gov. Cuomo has been completed," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). "As always, I commend the women who came forward to speak their truth."
"Recognizing his love of New York and respect for the office he holds," she said, "I call upon the governor to resign."
The entire Democratic congressional delegation from New York also supports Cuomo's resignation.
"As we have said before, the reported actions of the governor were profoundly disturbing, inappropriate, and completely unacceptable," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in a joint statement Tuesday.
Schumer and Gillibrand continued:
Today's report from the New York state attorney general substantiated and corroborated the allegations of the brave women who came forward to share their stories--and we commend the women for doing so.
The New York state attorney general has conducted an independent, thorough, and professional investigation that found the governor violated state and federal law, had a pattern of sexually harassing current and former employees, retaliated against at least one of the accusers, and created a hostile work environment.
No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor's office. We continue to believe that the governor should resign.
Cuomo, for his part, signaled Tuesday that he won't step down, saying that "I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances." About a specific allegation that could lead to legal action, the governor said he welcomed the opportunity for a jury's review.
After an emergency meeting Tuesday with fellow members of the New York State Assembly, Speaker Carl E. Heastie (D-86) said that "it is abundantly clear to me that the governor has lost the confidence of the Assembly Democratic majority and that he can no longer remain in office."
"We will move expeditiously and look to conclude our impeachment investigation as quickly as possible," Heastie added.
Citing multiple sources familiar with the lengthy meeting, The New York Timesreported:
The speaker and the chair of the Judiciary Committee, Assemblyman Charles D. Lavine [D-13], argued that the articles could not be drawn up immediately, the people said.
But no timetable was set during the meeting, according to the people. The Judiciary Committee is expected to meet and discuss the impeachment investigation on Monday.
According to a person familiar with the process, it could take a month to complete the inquiry and draw up the articles of impeachment. A trial in the State Senate could commence as soon as late September or early October, the person said.
Multiple New York legislators are already publicly calling for impeachment. In a joint statement Tuesday, five socialist state legislators said that "given the governor's egregious betrayals of his office and our state, it is the responsibility of the Legislature to begin this impeachment process without delay."
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