“I think he should resign. The words of the President of the United States on Tuesday had the effect of a bomb across the Atlantic. Joe Biden lets go of his friend and governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, entangled in accusations of sexual harassment by a dozen women. Althoughan investigation report published the same day overwhelms him, Andrew Cuomo denies everything and does not consider resigning for a second. However, he could be dismissed.
What is accused of Andrew Cuomo?
Governor since 2011 of New York State, re-elected in 2014 and 2018, would Andrew Cuomo have taken advantage of his position to give himself certain rights with women? In the 168-page report by the New York Attorney General published on Tuesday, the various charges against Andrew Cuomo are listed: having had “inappropriate behavior with an executive assistant”, “harassing” behavior towards a woman who joined his protection, having put his hand on the buttocks of another when taking an official photo… In total, the report mentions 11 testimonies.
The first woman to speak out is Lindsey Boylan who, on December 13, 2020, in a series of tweets and on his blog, had pointed to the behavior of the politician, who was once his boss. She said she quit in 2018 after Andrew Cuomo “forcefully kissed her” during a meeting. The investigation made public on Tuesday reports other facts by the governor of New York against the woman: incessant comments about her appearance, “inappropriate” comments, touching “on various parts of her body”…
Lindsey Boylan’s accusations – although Andrew Cuomo’s team tried to discredit her testimony and her person by revealing confidential information, as the investigation report notes – have allowed other women to speak freely. In February and March, several others had testified in the media or via social networks to inappropriate behavior by the politician, most often in the context of work.
What are the political reactions?
Andrew Cuomo, member of the Democratic Party, weighs in the political environment in the United States. First because he is the governor of the state of New York. But also by his past: he worked in Bill Clinton’s administration between 1997 and 2001, was Attorney General of New York (the same office that is investigating him today) between 2007 and 2010 before being elected governor general in 2011, a post he had already tried to run for in 2002, before giving up after having created controversy by criticizing the management of the attacks of September 11, 2001 by the governor at the time. Some even saw him already conquering the White House in 2024.
As soon as the media coverage of the first testimonies, Andrew Cuomo was let go by his own camp. Senators and members of the New York State Assembly, Republicans, but also Democrats, signed a petition in March to this effect. The elected officials have also launched an impeachment inquiry – parallel to that of the Attorney General – to force the governor of New York to leave. “It is abundantly clear to me that the Governor has lost the confidence of the House Democratic majority and can no longer continue in office,” the New York Assembly Speaker said Tuesday, opening the way to impeachment.
The release of the report on Tuesday confirmed calls for the resignation of the New York governor. Joe Biden, president of the United States and close friend of the governor, felt that he should resign. He had already said so in March, in an interview, on the condition that the facts be confirmed. “Recognizing his love for New York and respect for the office he holds, I call on the governor to resign,” Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also said on Tuesday. A press release.
How is Andrew Cuomo defending himself?
Dropped by everyone, the governor of New York persists. As he has done since the first hour: “At work, sometimes I think that I am playful and that I make jokes that I find funny. I don’t want to offend you and I’m just trying to add lightness and jokes to what is a very serious matter, ”defended Andrew Cuomo in February, already refusing to resign.
“I have never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” he said in a video, posted shortly after the report was released on Tuesday. “I understand now that there are generational or cultural issues that frankly I didn’t fully grasp,” added Andrew Cuomo. And the governor of New York to support his defense with an 85-page counter-report, published onlinein which we find in particular photos, supposed to clear it, of other American politicians such as Barack Obama and Joe Biden hugging or hugging.
The governor of New York therefore refuses to resign. He is also not giving up, for the time being, on being a candidate for re-election in 2022. A stubbornness which, on the Democratic side, raises fears of the loss of the State of New York and tarnishes the image of the Democratic Party, seeking to stand out from the die-hard behavior of Donald Trump.
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