Andrew Cuomo has stated that he could have won any impeachment proceedings triggered by allegations of sexual harassment he faced, but he would resign as governor of New York to avoid shocking the state.
In his first interview Announce resignation After the national report on Tuesday Attorney General Letia James Saying that he sexually harassed at least 11 former and current female employees, Cuomo said he stood aside and “did the right thing for the country.”
“I will not drag the state into the quagmire, after three months, four months of impeachment, and then win, make the state legislature and the state government look like a fool,” he told New York Magazine.
He said: “Everything I did in my life was the complete opposite. I wouldn’t do that,” he added, “I am not a martyr. It’s just that I saw options, option A, option B.”
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Given that the report outlined the bullying culture he presided over and the work environment harmful to women, after Democratic supporters abandoned him in droves, he chose to resign.
Cuomo denied sexually harassing others, but accepted some of his comments that made women feel uncomfortable and apologized for it.
The magazine also reported that Cuomo has sought to reach an agreement with New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Hesty to allow him to serve until 2023 for the remainder of his third term if he does not seek re-election and the legislature does not impeach him. year.
However, a source close to the governor said that Hessty rejected the idea at a press conference, thus ending Como’s hopes of “departing more gracefully.”
At the same time, Heastie said that the New York State Assembly Will suspend its impeachment investigation Joined Cuomo after resigning on August 25.
This prompted the governor’s former assistant and the woman who filed sexual harassment charges, Lindsay Boylan, to say on Twitter that the decision was an “unfair policeman”.
The Judiciary Committee informed the Assembly that according to the state constitution, elected officials who are no longer in office cannot be impeached and removed.
However, according to CNBC reports, by avoiding impeachment and removal, Cuomo can still run for public office, including governor, and starting in the first half of 2021, his re-election campaign funds have exceeded 18 million US dollars.
When asked about his future plans, Cuomo gave a mysterious answer New York Magazine.
“I don’t know what I am going to do,” Cuomo said, “I will not disappear. I have a say, I have a point of view, and this will not change.”
Weekly newspaper The governor’s office has been contacted for comments.
