PresidentJoe Bidendidn’t mince words when asked whether he felt Gov. Andrew Cuomo should resign in light of the New York Attorney General’s report that found Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. “He should resign,” Biden told reporters at the White House Tuesday.
Biden, 78, made the remark just hours after New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that an independent investigation into harassment allegations against the governor had concluded, with the investigators finding that Cuomo “sexually harassed multiple women” and, in doing so, “violated federal and state law.”
According to the New York Attorney General’s office, the investigation into Cuomo began in December 2020, and included interviews with 179 individuals.
James said that the actions “created a hostile work environment for women,” and that the governor and his senior staff took actions to retaliate against at least one former employee who came forward with her story.
The attorney general added that the release of the report concludes her investigation, and that her office would not file any criminal charges or pursue civil legal action.
In a press briefing earlier Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called the allegations “abhorrent,” adding that the accusers “deserve to have their voices heard.”
Other top Democrats also called on Cuomo to resign, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issuing astatementthat said: “Recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds, I call upon the Governor to resign.”
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand — both Democrats from New York — issuedtheir own joint statement, which read in part: “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.”
Schumer and Gillibrand’s statement continued: “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.”
A group of governors of neighboring states also called on Cuomo to resign.
Cuomo, who has previously said he will not resign, denied the allegations in arecorded messagepublished Tuesday.
“I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” Cuomo said in the video. “I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am, and that’s not who I have ever been.”
He continued in the recorded statement: “My job is not about me, my job is about you. What matters to me at the end of the day is getting the most done I can for you. I will not be distracted from that job.”
source: people.com
