“He breaks through cultural barriers to touch our common humanity”. This is how the academy of Emmy Awards, which annually rewards the best of American television, described Andrew Cuomo last November during his awards ceremony. For the first time in its history, the academy rewarded a politician for the quality of his televised interventions. Adored by Democrats for his virulent opposition to Donald Trump on the management of COVID-19 and its very progressive social policy, the governor of New York State quickly became the darling of the American media. 4 months later, he is accused of having hidden more than 7,500 dead from the coronavirus in New York retirement homes and three former collaborators accused him of sexual assault this week.
At first categorically denying any responsibility, the 63-year-old governor ended up issuing a short statement last weekend apologizing for “His behavior may be perceived as inappropriate”. Announcing wanting to entrust an investigation to Barbara Jones, former federal judge of New York, Andrew Cuomo drew the wrath of elected Democrats and Republicans who accused him of preventing the holding of an independent investigation by choosing a judge having already collaborated with him. Faced with these indignant reactions, the governor finally agreed to abandon the supervision of the investigation this Sunday. As for the accusations of concealing the exact figures of the death toll in retirement homes, he admits a “Administrative error” but denies having wanted to hide victims to glorify its record. He also refuses to apologize to the thousands of families who still do not know under what circumstances their parents or grandparents died.
From America’s New Hero …
Another cold shower for the one who was still perceived a few weeks ago as one of the strong men of the Democratic Party. Interviewed daily by his brother Chris Cuomo, star news anchor CNN, in videos that went viral on social networks during the confinement of New York State last spring, he quickly established himself as the number one enemy of Donald Trump, not hesitating to call him “Worst president in the history of the United States” who seeks to “Actively kill New York City” in his press conferences. The New-York Times he referred to him as the “politician of 2020” in May 2020, and some voices in the Democratic camp encouraged him to run against Biden in the party primaries last October. With its recurring appearances in the Late Show Stephen Colbert or Jimmy Fallon to praise his action in the face of COVID-19 and his new single life, Andrew Cuomo wanted to be omnipresent in the media, which saw him as a new anti-Trump hero to celebrate.
… To the fallen king of New York?
Since the outbreak of controversy, the star of television sets has been discreet. Her brother is no longer allowed to interview her on his show Cuomo Prime Time, but promises that his channel will not give him a pass. Generally speaking, the discourse has changed radically. The “King of New York” is now strongly criticized by the media which praised him only a month ago. His support is scarce, as the Democratic Party’s new guard now clearly displays their views on the case. Like Democratic Senator Alessandra Biaggi, who did not hesitate Sunday to call Andrew Cuomo a “Monster” on his Twitter account, or of the sulphurous Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for whom the charges against the American governor are “Extremely serious and difficult to read”. Others go even further in their indictments. Democrat MP Ron Kim had notably confessed on CNN at the end of February that the governor had threatened to ” destroy “ for having denounced his management of retirement homes. Republican side, calls for resignation are increasing. One year before the election, the throne of New York is more threatened than ever.
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