Andrew Cuomo Announces Resignation As Governor Amid Major Sexual Harassment Scandal
Michael Cantrell
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It’s only taken forever and a day, but Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has finally decided to take heed of nearly every one of his party colleagues, including President Joe Biden, and is resigning from office amid a flood of sexual harassment allegations, including one that’s currently being investigated as a criminal complaint.
Cuomo held a midday press conference where he went on to repeatedly attempt to justify himself by stating he never intended to offend anyone with his behavior before going on to announce that he would be officially stepping aside in 14 days.
“New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York, and I love you. And everything I have ever done has been motivated by that love. And I would never want to be unhelpful in any way. And I think that, given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. And therefore that’s what I’ll do because I work for you,” Cuomo stated during the press conference.
Right before he actually made the announcement about his resignation, the governor said, “This situation, by its current trajectory, will generate months of political and legal controversy. That is what is going to happen, that is how the political wind is blowing. It will consume government. It will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. It will brutalize people.”
“I cannot be the cause of that,” he went on to add.
Cuomo spent the first 10 minutes giving his version of the sexual harassment allegations. He said he “deeply, deeply” apologized for offending the women, but said they misconstrued his actions.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” Cuomo stated.
“In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone. But I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” he said.
So wait a minute. Did he really take responsibility for his actions if he’s still trying to cling to being innocent of sexual harassment. What he did was inappropriate and he’s trying to pass it off as not being his fault, but saying the “line was redrawn.” How is that taking responsibility?
The soon-to-be former governor then made a statement directed at all three of his daughters, saying that he, “never did, and I never would, intentionally disrespect a woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated. And that is the God’s honest truth.”
“Your dad made mistakes, and he apologized, and he learned from it. And that’s what life is all about,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, resigned late Sunday in the latest defection from the three-term governor’s shrinking team. The New York State Assembly is investigating Cuomo’s conduct regarding the harassment allegations as well as his handling of thousands of nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Assembly took up the effort shortly after state Attorney General Letitia James released a long-awaited report on Aug. 3 detailing many of the allegations of misconduct, including one instance in which Cuomo is accused of groping a former aide at the governor’s mansion, and allegations he inappropriately touched a female state trooper.
Cuomo, 63, has for months maintained a tenuous hold on office as many Democrats, while not supporting the governor, said they wanted to wait until James’ investigation had finished and established “the facts.” Once the report was out, calls for Cuomo to go were swift and nearly universal.
It’s taken far, far too long for Cuomo to step up and do what’s necessary here, but the bottom line is he’s still not taking responsibility for himself and the actions he took. He’s being passive aggressive in his response to the allegations made against him.
Along with this, he’s yet to take responsibility for the deaths he caused in nursing homes across the state by his foolish actions. This man deserves to be tossed behind bars for all of the corruption he’s participated in.
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