New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Imag
- An investigation found that Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women.
- A Democrat from Western New York, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochll will take over as the governor of the state.
- Investigators concluded that Cuomo and his assistants created a “toxic” and “hostile” workplace in an office full of bullying, fear and intimidation.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned on Tuesday after an investigation found that he had sexually harassed 11 women, which increased legal pressure and demanded President Joe Biden and others Asking him to step down is an amazing downfall for a man who was once seen as a possible candidate for the US president.
The Democrat Cuomo, who has been the governor of the fourth most populous state in the United States since 2011, announced this after New York’s Attorney General Letia James announced the results of a five-month independent investigation on August 3. According to news, the investigation concluded that he was involved in the behavior. This violates U.S. and state laws.
The investigation was detailed in a 168-page report and found that Cuomo had groped, kissed, or made suggestive comments on women including current and former government workers (one of whom was a state police) And retaliated against at least one woman who accused him of sexual misconduct.
Cuomo denied wrongdoing.
Read also | Cuomo, the plaintiff who filed a criminal lawsuit due to groping, speaks publicly for the first time
Kathy Hochul, a Democrat and Lieutenant Governor from Western New York, will take over as the governor of the state with a population of more than 19 million until the end of the state’s constitutional term of Cuomo in December 2022, becoming the first woman to hold this position.
After Eliot Spitzer resigned in 2008 for sponsoring prostitutes, Cuomo’s resignation marks the second time in 13 years that the governor of New York has stepped down due to a scandal.
With the rise of the #MeToo social movement against sexual abuse and harassment, Cuomo has also become the latest powerful person to be stepped down in recent years. These movements have shaken up politics, Hollywood, the business world, and the workplace.
His resignation saved Cuomo from possible dismissal through impeachment proceedings in the state legislature. The ongoing impeachment investigation only promises to be strengthened.
Cuomo, 63, and his late father Mario Cuomo were elected three-term governors. He served as US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1997 to 2001 under the leadership of former President Bill Clinton.
Like his father, Andrew Cuomo never ran for president, despite speculation that he might have national ambitions. As his state became the center of the public health crisis in the United States, he gained national visibility at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic last year after holding a daily press conference.
The civil investigation found that the actions of Cuomo and his senior advisers violated a number of state and federal laws, but James did not pursue criminal responsibility. Local prosecutors are free to do so, which means that Cuomo may still face legal dangers.
District attorneys in Manhattan, Nassau County, Albany County, and Westchester County said after the report was released that they were investigating the matter and requested independent investigations to provide evidence. The Mayor of New York City said Cuomo should face criminal charges.
For several months, Cuomo has denied the increasing allegations of sexual harassment, and denied it again after the investigation report was released. But after the results of the investigation were announced, his remaining political support collapsed. A few hours later, Biden-the Governor’s friend for many years-told reporters at the White House: “I think he should resign.”
Other prominent Democrats, including the two U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of the state, and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi also lined up to call on the party’s former star to resign.
Read also | Cuomo accuser called the New York Governor’s groping a “criminal”
Investigators concluded that Cuomo and his assistants created a “toxic” and “hostile” workplace in an office full of bullying, fear and intimidation. After New York Democratic politicians more widely criticized Cuomo for ruling through intimidation, complaints about sexual harassment emerged.
Last year, Cuomo appeared to be a rising politician, presenting himself as an authority figure in a television news conference about the pandemic. A TV interview with his younger brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, gave him a new look.
Soon after Democratic colleague James introduced the findings in detail, Cuomo, the divorced father of three adult daughters, released a video statement in which he said: “I have never improperly contacted anyone or conducted inappropriate actions. Sexual provocation.”
“That’s not who I am,” Cuomo said in the video because he believes that the sexual provocations described by women are harmless gestures and comments, inspired by the natural physical warmth generated in the culture in which he grew up. In the video, he said that he has no plans to resign, and specifically mentioned the fight against the epidemic.
The Marist poll released a day after the report showed that 59% of New Yorkers wanted Cuomo to resign, while 32% said he should complete his term, and 9% said they were unsure. However, only 52% of Democrats approve of resignation.
We want to hear your opinion on the news. Subscribe to news 24 Be part of the dialogue in the comments section of this article.
