Top Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives say it’s time for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign.
Added to the list of party leaders fed up with Cuomo — who faces multiple sex-harassment allegations and one accusation that could be Class A misdemeanor sex assault — are Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the undistinguished, but highly popular former mixologist.
The Democrats apparently can’t stand the embarrassment any longer.
Nadler and AOC
Nadler’s demand that Cuomo quit the post might be the most damaging.
“The bravery individuals have shown in coming forward to share their experiences with Governor Cuomo is inspiring, and I stand with them in support,” the 15-term congressman said:
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.
Governor Cuomo is guaranteed due process under law. Although his accusers are credible and the charges against him are serious indeed, the investigations under way by New York State Attorney General Letitia James and the Albany police must be permitted to run their course before we reach judgment about his liability for any alleged criminal act.
But withholding judgment about whether Cuomo is guilty of misdemeanor sex assault doesn’t mean he can stay in office, Nadler said, because “there is a difference between formal investigations that may end in criminal charges and a question of confidence in our political leadership.”
The question “is squarely a political judgment.”
Concluded Nadler:
Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of the people of New York. Governor Cuomo must resign.
Ocasio-Cortez, the most famous former bartender on Earth, issued a joint statement with Representative Jamal Brown.
“This week, the second sexual assault allegation and the sixth harassment allegation was leveled against Governor Cuomo,” the two said:
The fact that this latest report was so recent is alarming, and it raises concerns about the present safety and well-being of the administration’s staff. These allegations have all been consistent and highly-detailed, and there are also credible media reports substantiating their accounts.
Unfortunately, the Governor is not only facing the accusation that he engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and assault. There is also the extensive report from the Attorney General that found the Cuomo administration hid data on COVID-19 nursing home deaths from both the public and the state legislature.
The two said they agree with the Democrats in the state legislature “who have concluded that Governor Cuomo can no longer effectively lead in the face of so many challenges.”
Other Democrats
Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Sean Maloney also called on Cuomo to resign, as did Nydia Velasquez.
“One must earn the trust and respect of those they represent,” Velasquez tweeted. “Governor Cuomo has lost the public’s confidence. He must resign.”
“It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign,” tweeted Representative Adriano Espaillat.
Wrote Representative Antonio Delgado:
The growing allegations of threats, bullying, and sexual harassment reflects a culture of aggression that is unfit to lead. The Governor must resign.
Impeachment
The House Democrats want Cuomo to quit before their party colleagues who run the state assembly are forced to pursue an impeachment that might affect the party’s fortunes in 2022 elections. They want Cuomo gone, and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul in his place to face the GOP gubernatorial candidate.
Assembly Democrats authorized an impeachment inquiry yesterday after a three-hour emergency meeting. They acted quickly after a newspaper reported that an employee at the governor’s manse had accused Cuomo of reaching up her blouse and fondling her breast.
So impeachment could be the least of Cuomo’s worries if police find evidence of a crime.
Cuomo denies the charge, as he does the others. That means either Cuomo or the six women are lying.
In addition to the sex-assault and harassment accusations, Cuomo is also in trouble for lying about the number of statewide nursing-home deaths tied to the China Virus.
H/T: CNBC
