A majority of the Democratic delegation from New York — including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman and Jerry Nadler — have joined the call for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign after several women came forward to say the governor had sexually harassed them.
“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,” said Nadler.
Cuomo disputed the claims in teleconference held early Friday afternoon, saying, “I did not do what has been alleged, period.”
Also joining the call for Cuomo’s resignation Friday were Democratic Reps. Yvette Clarke, Anthony Delgado, Adriano Espaillat, Mondaire Jones, Carolyn Maloney, Sean Patrick Maloney, Grace Meng and Nydia Velazquez, all from New York.
The group dropped near-simultaneous announcements the day after the New York State Assembly opened an impeachment inquiry into the governor’s conduct. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) has already said Cuomo should step down, along with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and dozens of state legislators who say Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul should serve the remainder of the term through 2022.
The governor faced his most serious accusation earlier in the week, when the Times Union of Albany published an account about an unnamed woman who said Cuomo put a hand under her shirt and groped her in the governor’s mansion late last year. The matter has been referred to the Albany Police Department, which has offered its services to a lawyer for the unnamed woman. Cuomo strenuously denied her allegation.
Five other women have alleged that they also experienced unwelcome sexual advances from Cuomo; two of the women said he kissed them without consent. Several people described the atmosphere of working for Cuomo as abusive or bullying in interviews with New York Magazine’s Rebecca Traister.
Cuomo addressed the sexual harassment allegations during a press conference last week where he said that he understands he “acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable,” but that it “was unintentional, and I truly and deeply apologize for it.”
He refused the calls to step down, and swatted them away once more on Friday.
“I’m not going to resign,” Cuomo said. He added: “People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture, and the truth.”
“I won’t speculate on people’s possible motives, but … there are often many motivations for making an allegation, and that is why you need to know the facts before you make the decision,” he said Friday.
“I never harassed anyone, I never abused anyone ... and I never would.”
In a joint statement, Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman cited not only the harassment allegations but an attorney general report suggesting that Cuomo hid data relating to COVID-19 deaths last year. The governor “can no longer effectively lead in the face of so many challenges,” the pair stated.
The group’s decision to call for Cuomo’s resignation reflected their knowledge that one member’s call would generate pressure on other members, as well.
The staffs of several New York members of Congress stayed in touch in recent days, and, when it became clear that a number wanted to come forward, they decided to announce it together at 10:30 a.m. ET on Friday, according to two aides to the members.
Two circumstances helped sway New York members of Congress in favor of resignation, according to one of the two aides.
First, a consensus began to emerge among state lawmakers over the weekend that Cuomo had to go. On Sunday, New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) called for Cuomo to resign. Then, on Thursday, a group of 59 other Democrats in both chambers of the legislature jointly called for his resignation, and State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D) announced the impeachment inquiry, although he stopped short of calling for Cuomo’s ouster.
Cuomo’s dwindling support in the state legislature made federal lawmakers who were wary of intervening in state affairs more comfortable speaking.
Second was the groping accusation by one of Cuomo’s female aides made public on Tuesday.
Once it was clear that several members wanted to call for his resignation, they decided to announce their decision only after President Joe Biden had delivered his remarks on the American Rescue Plan Act on Thursday night.
The New York Democrats’ calls for Cuomo to resign are a major blow to the governor, adding to the impression that he no longer has the support of his own party.
But a handful of the most influential Democrats in New York are not yet on board with pushing Cuomo out. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, the U.S. Senate majority leader, as well as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic Caucus Chairman, have yet to join calls for his resignation.