Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)
March 11, 2021 By Allie Griffin
More than 55 state legislators, including 14 from Queens, are calling for Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign amid mounting sexual harassment allegations and the state’s nursing home death scandal.
The Democratic lawmakers released a joint statement Thursday demanding Cuomo resign and allow the lieutenant governor to take over for the remainder of the term.
“The budget, the fight against COVID-19, and restarting the economy all demand clear and trustworthy leadership,” they said. “In light of the Governor’s admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, rendering him ineffective in this time of most urgent need.”
They published the statement after a sixth woman, an aide to the governor, came forward accusing him of inappropriate behavior. The details of this woman’s experience were published by the Times Union Wednesday.
The woman told the Albany newspaper that Cuomo had aggressively groped her underneath her blouse at the Executive Mansion late last year. The Times Union didn’t identify the woman, but said she is significantly younger than the 63-year-old governor.
Her allegations are the most serious against the governor to date.
Cuomo called the account “gut-wrenching,” but said he has “never done anything like this” on Wednesday.
The Cuomo administration has also faced criticism for allegedly covering up the extent of the COVID-19 death toll at nursing homes across the state. Top aides had not included the deaths of nursing home residents who died in hospitals in the official death count — apparently fearing that the Trump administration would politicize the issue.
The total number of nursing home deaths was finally released following a report by Attorney General Letitia James, who estimated the death toll was undercounted by as much as 50 percent. The number was revised in January from 8,500 to about 15,000 deaths.
James has also launched an independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations that Cuomo faces.
The 55-plus lawmakers said they were both confident and grateful for James’ investigation, but said the governor should still resign before it is completed.
“In the meantime, the Governor needs to put the people of New York first,” they said. “We have a Lieutenant Governor who can step in and lead for the remainder of the term, and this is what is best for New Yorkers in this critical time. It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign.”
Queens Assembly Members Khaleel Anderson, Brian Barnwell, Catalina Cruz, Jessica González-Rojas, Andrew Hevesi, Ron Kim, Zohran Mamdani, Daniel Rosenthal and Nily Rozic; as well as Queens State Senators Michael Gianaris, John Liu, Jessica Ramos, James Sanders Jr. and Toby Ann Stavisky all signed onto the statement calling for Cuomo’s resignation.
Mayor Bill de Blasio also called for Cuomo, his longtime political foe, to resign this morning — citing the most recent and serious groping allegation, which he called “disgusting.”
“The specific allegation that the governor called an employee of his — someone who he had power over — called them to a private place and then sexually assaulted her is absolutely unacceptable,” de Blasio said during a morning press briefing. “It is disgusting to me and he can no longer serve as governor; it’s as simple as that.”
Though a majority of Queens state legislators — of both assembly members and senators — joined the call for Cuomo’s resignation, some names were missing from the joint statement.
Queens Assembly Members Stacey Pheffer Amato, David Weprin, Edward Braunstein, Alicia Hyndman, Vivian Cook, Clyde Vanel, Jeffrion Aubry, Catherine Nolan and Jenifer Rajkumar; as well as State Senators Joseph Addabbo and Leroy Comrie didn’t sign onto the statement.
#BREAKING: I join almost 60 state legislators, including Senators and Assemblymembers who believe it’s time to restore the public’s trust in our leadership.
This is what’s best of our state. Governor Cuomo, resign now. pic.twitter.com/TVXMbLy794
— Jessica González-Rojas (@votejgr) March 11, 2021
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37 Comments
what an arrogant jerk, worse than trump. on the likability meter he is somewhere between john kerry and clippy the paper clip.
As a native New Yorker I am disturbed at the judgmental comments by our representatives in our NY Assembly and Senate. I believe that we are all innocent legally until proven guilty. As Jack Webb said “JUST THE FACTS”
And our political leaders are following the NY Post and NY Times stories by people recounting events that have NOT BEEN LEGALLY DOCUMENTED!!!
Let your representatives know they should do the Right thing and wait until the Attorney General’s report is finished and let Cuomo continue his outstanding work on vaccine distribution and protecting us from the virus and getting the NY economy back on track.
Oh I’ll bet you gave Brett Kavanaugh the same benefit of the doubt
Liberal phonies
Trump said he was once named Michigan’s Man of the Year. Trump has never lived in Michigan. Why would he have been named Michigan’s Man of the Year years before his presidency?
The most dangerous lie: The coronavirus was under control.
The most alarming lie saga: Sharpiegate
The most ridiculous subject of a lie: The Boy Scouts phone call with Trump. A senior Scouts source –confirmed that no call ever happened.
The biggest serial lie: The trade deficit with China used to be $500 billion
though the actual pre-Trump deficit never even reached $400 billion.
The most traditional big lie: Trump didn’t know about the payment to Stormy Daniels
The most hucksterish lie: That healthcare plan was coming in two weeks
Windmill noise causes cancer.
The most depressing lie: Trump won the election
Kav was being vetted for a lifetime appointment.
Local elected leaders are merely doing what their constituents want. Public opinion and outrage is real. We want him to resign now. It is an embarrassed that both Cuomo and Trump are from Queens.
Really, so how do you explain Phipps and JVB?
The outrage is real, but public opinion is not unanimous by any stretch. Try reading something other than FB and Twitter.
If you believe local elected leaders are MERELY doing what their constituents want, you are politically naive.
“outstanding work” – doing what? Sinking the economy and killing the elderly in nursing homes as well as the disabled? Are you so blind?
We gotta discuss him acting the way he always has and act completely surprised by it because the media whipped him into a darling during the pandemic and now has to cover the hydra it created
Just replace him. He’s a subpar public official, not a superhero. There are hundreds of people that would do a better job of representing the people of the state. It’s just like anywhere else, if you’re not doing a good job you should replaced by someone who can. Take these politicians off their pedestals.
And his conduct of sending covid positive people to nursing homes was criminal and should not be ignored either!!
His executive orders are not “conduct.” He followed CDC guidelines at the time.
It has always been the rule that nursing homes need to properly care for a patient returning from the hospital, and they have routinely done that. They also need to follow proper infection control protocols.
If they couldn’t do that, they needed to inform the state. If they didn’t do that, that is not Cuomo’s fault.
Still defending Cuomo the guy who said what difference does it make ? They died ?
I feel sorry for your family
Another armchair Governor. My family doesn’t need your sympathy.
WOW hashtagger you’re working overtime in your posting duties trying to push your agenda.
Nursing homes are not equipped to handle a crisis like Covid 19. I should know, I work in one.
The hospitals were overwhelmed too and also insufficiently equipped to handle Covid. MDs and RNs did their best everywhere but the virus was ripping through NY like wildfire.
RN- Extended care facilities are more than capable of handling Covid cases. Unlike you I really work at a facility. We have doctors RNs, NP’s,,PA’s, LPN’s, and quarantine facilities. Don’t compare your job at a “rest home” with what we do at our nursing care facility. Your post should be removed as misinformation and outright propaganda.
Make no mistake, Cuomo is waiting out the clock on media interest. Until he suffers actual consequences all these stories are doing is burning out the publics resolve and anger, as intended. I am sure he is waiting for a stunt to occur in NY so he can go back to his tough guy image on tv and have people praise him.
Rich powerful politicians don’t typically get held to the same standards as the commoners that voted them. Even if he does resign (which I believe could occur as early as the next couple of days/weeks) he’ll have to lie low for a few years before resuming a career that will put him in another powerful opinion. That’s the unfortunate reality we see time and time again.
I’m glad he’s getting his comeuppance. HOWEVER, it’s frustrating to see his covid nursing home policies, which killed many, and subsequent coverup get washed away in the news cycle by all the new #metoo revelations. I hope for the sake of the families that this guy goes to jail for a long time.
Nobody seemed to care half a year ago when he put COVID-19 patients in nursing homes. Why now? Oh wait…the election is over and Trumps gone.
This just makes that Emmy he got for “how he handled the pandemic” all the sweeter.
Cuomo needs to go ASAP!!! How’d he find the time to write a whole book too while there’s a whole crisis going on??
Hate to say this… but who cares? He will be replaced–at some point–by another Wall Street Dem in New York State and I will still not have a livable wage.
Letitia James for Governor of NY!!!
Bring back George Pataki
It’s up to six now? Damn
Let’s give the guy due process “innocence until proven guilty.” Let the investigations begin, that’s what Cuomo wants, give it to him – our laws make room for it. I would love to see how this all plays out – apparently, Cuomo believes he did nothing wrong.
You people know darn well that certain groups always touch and kiss (each other) during a greeting.
It’s part of their culture… have you people seen “The Godfather?”
Governor Cuomo was simply behaving according to his traditions. He is single, being social and sometimes flirting. Big deal!
Cuomo is an American born and raised in Queens, not Palermo, Cicily.There is something called public ettiequte. I don’t want strangers hugging and kissing me. If I offend their culture, too bad.What someone does in their own home is one thing, in public it’s another.
Just gets better and better.???
I’m all for an in depth investigation. But only his haters would deny this is a systematic witch hunt and they want him out. For the right money and promises you’ll find twenty more Beckys to come forward with the same accusations to destroy him and his character because he pissed off the wrong people, a Cosby witch-hunt.
Cuomo should not resign based on unproven harassment allegations, and for the nursing home controversy that is still being investigated — which is way more complex than “Cuomo killed Grandma” or the dubious assumptions that it is all just a “cover-up.”
I have full confidence that the AG’s independent investigation, as well as the other investigations into the nursing home issues, will make their findings known in a timely manner. Let her do her job!
As for confidence, there are so many politicians in Albany with a political agenda in this effort that I find it laughable that these idiots want to hang their hat on “lost confidence in the Governor.” They just want him gone, off the front pages of the NYPost, and the sooner the better. That is not a good enough reason to unseat him. I applaud the Assembly members and Senators who have refused to pile onto this mob-like effort. In particular, thank you, Cathy Nolan!
The Assembly apparently has the votes to impeach if they have the will and feel this is the best use of their time. It is not. Now NY 1 is reporting they want to do their own investigation, as if the AG can’t handle it herself with her outside council? The Senate should be able to conduct a fair trial, but would they? Or would the “Ted Cruzes of NYS” see this as a grandstanding opportunity?
Cuomo is continuing to do his job effectively. Perhaps it is the Legislature that doesn’t have the ability to focus on the people’s business.
And as for JVB and the Mayor, please STFU. Do your job you were hired to do, which is NOT campaigning for your next one!
That’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans. Republicans support party over everything . No matter what! Absolutely no room for independent thought, opinion no dissension. Just ask Lynn Cheney and Senators Bur and Cassidy.