Andrew Cuomo resigns as New York governor in wake of harassment allegations
Andrew Cuomo has sensationally resigned as New York State governor today after being accused by 11 different women of sexual harassment.
The Democrat said that “the best thing he can do is step aside”, but also claimed that the accusations were “politically motivated”.
He will officially stand down in 14 days’ time.
An investigation from the New York Attorney General’s Letitia James alleged Cuomo, 63, had engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment from 2020.
Eleven women, including a number of state employees, came forward to make the sexual misconduct allegations.
Cuomo has denied all wrongdoing.
President Joe Biden along with prominent Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer previously called for the governor to resign.
Cuomo said today that there was “no factual basis” in the most serious of complaints – that he groped an employee’s breast.
He said that in other instances he had “never crossed the line with anyone”, but that “I did not realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn”
“My instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated, I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful and I believe it demonises behaviour that is unsustainable for society,” he said.
However, Cuomo added that if he were to stay in the job that the scandal would keep rolling on for months and cost the state billions of dollars.
He added: “The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. And therefore, that’s what I’ll do.”
Cuomo remained defiant when James’ report was released earlier this month, insisting that he would not leave and that he had not sexually harassed anyone.
James’s 156-page report compiled extensive damning evidence about Cuomo’s alleged sexual misconduct, which included that he reached under the blouse of an executive assistant and groped her breast.
Another was that he ran his finger down the spine of a state trooper assigned to him.
James said there was mounds of corroborating evidence for the allegations, while accusing the governor of residing over a “toxic workplace”.
“I believe these 11 women,” she said.
Cuomo will be replaced as governor by his deputy Kathy Hochul.