Andrew Cuomo resigns following indictment report on sexual harassment | New York

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New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, resigned after an investigation by the state’s attorney general found he sexually harassed several women, most of whom he worked with, and also retaliated after some of them filed complaints.

The governor announced on Tuesday morning that he would be stepping down and said his resignation would become effective within 14 days.

He began defiantly by criticizing Attorney General Letitia James’ report and warning New Yorkers of the dangers of “bias or unfairness in the justice system,” then said he believed his behavior was acceptable but acknowledged that 11 women James said he harassed. Maybe “really upset” and they said “that’s why I deeply apologize”.

The Democratic governor has lost support for the party establishment, with Joe Biden calling for Cuomo to resign and similar demands from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, both New York senators — one of whom is Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — and are new Democrats. Congressmen in York, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and a group of Republicans in Washington, DC.

Cuomo’s No. 2, Deputy Governor of New York, Cathy Hochhol, called his behavior “disgusting and illegal.” She will now become the first woman to lead the state of New York.

The governor presented himself as the hero of the resurrected #MeToo movement sparked by accusations against now-convicted movie mogul Harvey Weinstein in 2017. But on Tuesday Cuomo said that in his mind he “never crossed the line with anyone” but “I didn’t realize just how much the re-run has been.” line drawing”.

He also said there was “no factual basis” for the most serious allegations against him, that he touched an employee’s chest, which led to a criminal complaint being investigated by the Albany County sheriff’s office, where the state capital and executive offices are in Como. The palace is located.

Cuomo was initially defiant the day New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the results of a five-month investigation that found he harassed 11 women and violated the Civil Code against workplace misconduct.

The 63-year-old governor released a video headline shortly after James released the investigation report, on Tuesday, August 3, in which he said, “I have not touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual movements” and added, “It’s just not who I am.”

Activists are outraged against sexual harassment and assault.

But his political future was hanging by a thread amid moves to impeach the governor and force him to leave office by the New York Legislative Assembly in the state capital Albany.

Within three days of the report’s release, four attorneys in various areas of New York, including in Albany where the governor is based, and Manhattan, announced that they intended to review evidence collected by James to assess the possibility of criminal prosecution. One of the alleged victims, a former aide to Cuomo, filed the first criminal complaint related to the allegations with police in Albany, accusing Cuomo of groping her chest.

James’ explosive 165-page report provided a mountain of often compelling evidence against Cuomo, a prominent political figure who served in Bill Clinton’s government and rose to governorship in the footsteps of his father, Mario Cuomo, a three-person Democratic influencer. New York Governor Terms.

Among the allegations are that Cuomo reached under an executive assistant’s blouse and grabbed her breasts and that he ran a finger through the spine of the state soldier assigned to protect him.

James had indicated that this was significant support and other supporting evidence relating to the allegations against the governor.

“I think those 11 women,” she said. He also accused James Cuomo of creating a “bad workplace” and violating state and federal civil laws against workplace harassment and retaliation, stating that any criminal charges would be up to prosecutors, not her office.

Cuomo became a political star of the pandemic in 2020 with his daily live TV briefings in which he made clear assessments of the critical situation and the need for more resources for hospitals to fight Covid-19, at a time when Donald Trump was ignoring the risks and the nation. needs from the White House.

Cuomo’s reputation for skillful handling of the coronavirus outbreak was later tarnished, however, by accusations that he misreported death numbers in nursing homes.

James’ office is still investigating whether Cuomo used public resources to prematurely write a book touting his success. The governor’s frequent television interviews with his brother Chris Cuomo, a CNN host, at the height of the pandemic and amid revelations that the two had discussed his responses to allegations of sexual harassment, sparked further controversy.

A Native New Yorker, born in Queens, Komoger graduated from Fordham University and Albany Law School and later became New York State Attorney General, a position James now holds.

He began working as a campaign manager for his father, eventually becoming governor in 2011. He has been re-elected twice and has been debated as a possible candidate for President of the United States. Cuomo was expected to run for a fourth term as governor next year.

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