Multiple members of New York’s congressional delegation call on Gov. Cuomo to resign
ALBANY, N.Y. — Multiple members of New York’s congressional delegation called Friday on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign in the wake of mounting allegations of sexual harassment and an allegation of groping, as well as scrutiny over his administration’s reporting of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents.
The Democratic governor has denied he ever touched anyone inappropriately and has said he’s sorry if he ever made anyone uncomfortable.
But a majority of state lawmakers are calling on him to resign, and more than half of the Democrats in New York’s U.S. House delegation agrees. On Friday, U.S. Reps. Jerry Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Mondaire Jones, Nydia Velazquez, Adriano Espaillat, Carolyn Maloney, Grace Meng, Antonio Delgado, Brian Higgins and Yvette Clarke joined Kathleen Rice, who called for Cuomo’s resignation previously.
Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation have also called for Cuomo’s resignation, including Nicole Malliotakis, Elise Stefanik, Claudia Tenney and Lee Zeldin.
Nadler said Cuomo has lost the confidence of New Yorkers.
A lawyer for Gov. Andrew Cuomo said she reported a groping allegation to local police after the woman involved declined to press charges herself.
“The repeated accusations against the governor, and the manner in which he has responded to them, have made it impossible for him to continue to govern at this point,” Nadler said.
The delegation also pointed to sweeping criticism of Cuomo for keeping secret how many nursing home residents had died of COVID-19 for months. The governor has claimed his administration had to verify deaths of residents at hospitals, but critics question why that hasn’t held up the release of data in other states.
“After two accounts of sexual assault, four accounts of harassment, the Attorney General’s investigation finding the Governor’s admin hid nursing home data from the legislature and public, we agree with the 55+ members of the New York State legislature that the Governor must resign,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
Cuomo’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The governor in recent days has been contacting lawmakers and supporters asking them to refrain from calling for his resignation, and instead support the ongoing investigations.
The state Assembly authorized an impeachment investigation of Cuomo on Thursday to determine whether there are grounds for such a move.
The two governors were once lauded for pandemic leadership but now are fighting for political survival.
In weeks past, calls for the governor’s impeachment or resignation have come from Republicans or left-leaning Democrats in New York City. But more Democratic lawmakers from surrounding and upstate communities are now urging the governor to resign as investigations into his conduct continue.
Spokespeople for New York’s Democratic U.S. Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.
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