More than a dozen congressional Democrats from New York, including both senators, put out statements in what appeared to be a coordinated release Friday morning, calling on the state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, to resign.
This marks the first time that multiple Democratic lawmakers at the Congressional level have called for Cuomo to step down. Rep. Kathleen Rice had previously demanded the governor resign.
In recent days, Cuomo, himself a Democrat, has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct spanning the decade he has served as the top executive of New York. He has repeatedly denied the allegations, most recently to reporters on Tuesday in Albany.
The most recent allegation on Tuesday, originally published by the Albany Times Union, sparked a new wave of calls for Cuomo to leave the governor’s office. Cuomo has been accused of sexual harassment by six women including a current aide.
“This is very simple: I never touched anyone inappropriately. As I said last week, I never made any inappropriate advances (and) as I said last week, no one ever told me at the time that I made them feel uncomfortable,” Cuomo said.
After remaining relatively quiet about the allegations, other than calling for an independent investigation, 12 Democrats spoke out Friday. A series of statements from lawmakers including Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerry Nadler and House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney called on Cuomo to resign.
“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,” Nadler’s statement read.
Maloney echoed his calls in her own statement: “We have come a long way, but now is the time to finally ensure that this generation’s courage stops harassment once and for all.”
Still, others focused on the experience of the women who have alleged misconduct by Cuomo. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Jamaal Bowman released a joint statement.
“[W]e believe these women, we believe the reporting, we believe the Attorney General, and we believe the fifty-five members of the New York State legislature, including the State Senate Majority Leader who have concluded that Governor Cuomo can no longer effectively lead in the face of so many challenges,” they stated.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s statement was short and to the point.
“As public servants, we must earn the trust and respect of those we represent. There is only one way the governor can truly restore accountability and confidence to his office: he must resign,” she said.
Reps. Delgado, Meng, Clarke, Espaillat, Jones, Higgans, and Sean Patrick Maloney all concurred in their individual statements. As of press time, only Reps. Meeks, Torres, Jeffries, Tonko, Morelle, and Suozzi had not commented Friday morning.
This marks 13 total Congressional Democrats who called on Cuomo to resign. Together, they are more than half of the Democratic members of the House of Representatives representing New York. Neither of New York’s Senators has called for Cuomo’s resignation.
Late on Friday, both Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand put out a joint statement also pressing the governor to leave office.
“I did not do what has been alleged. Period,” he said while asking for current investigations to proceed. “Wait for the facts.”
He also appeared to add a remark for the congressional delegation, stating, “Politicians who don’t know a single fact but yet form a conclusion and an opinion are, in my opinion, reckless and dangerous.”
Benjamin Deeter and Mike Nam contributed to this report.
Updated on March 12, 2021, at 5:53 pm ET with response from Cuomo.
President Biden's first year did not come to the close that he had hoped after last night's Senate vote blocked the voting rights bill, a priority that Biden has promoted since his inauguration. Joining us to discuss the voting rights bill, and many others passing through congress is congresswoman Lori Trahan, representing Massachusett's 3rd district.
Members of Congress have voted to advance a bill meant to address antitrust concerns related to tech giants including Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta. The 'American Innovation and Choice Online Act' is largely seen as one of the best chances for the government to reign in Big Tech's dominance
Seth Schachner, Managing Director StratAmericas; Digital Business Executive joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
American semiconductor company, Intel officially announcing plans to build a new $20 billion chip manufacturing complex outside Columbus, Ohio. This comes as the global chip shortage continues to hamper production of everything from smart phones, to cars. Jennifer Smith - Logistics and Supply Chain Reporter, WSJ joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The U.S. has put more than 8,000 American troops on high alert for possible deployment to Eastern Europe as the West prepares for a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. With Russia building up more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, concerns over the country's behavior are mounting. Joel Rubin, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and President of the Washington Strategy Group, joined Cheddar to discuss what this means for U.S.-Russia relations, and where the conflict might be heading next.
As the midterm election looms, things aren't looking too promising for President Joe Biden. One year into his term as president, Biden is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president, threatening his party's control of the House in 2022. Brian Bennett, Senior White House Correspondent for TIME, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
A full one year into his term as President of The United States, President Biden addressed the nation on Wednesday, facing questions on everything from inflation to chip shortages and covid-19. As Biden enters his second year in office, he is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president. Kate Davidson, Reporter, POLITICO joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
"Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power" is the story of how the longtime House Democrat became, as she Is known to some, as "the Conscience of Congress." The film also
shows Representative Lee from her days working to fight community poverty to famously becoming the only member of Congress to vote "no" against the war in Afghanistan days after 9/11. The film is nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and Premieres on Starz on February 1. Film director Abby Ginzberg and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif. 13th District), joined Cheddar to discuss more.
San Diego has just implemented a new law that could set the stage for how the country deals with food waste. This new law hopes to make a dent in that. Businesses and groceries stores out in San Diego will need to put a plan in place to *donate edible food rather than toss it straight to the trash. Food Rescue Manager at Feeding San Diego, Kate Garret
Earlier this month, New York City experienced one of the deadliest fires it has seen in decades. 17 people lost their lives in the Fordham section of the Bronx. This was due to a faulty space heater which reportedly began on the lower floor of the 120 unit building. Thanks to the F. D. N. Y. And heroic neighbors, many were able to get out in time. Unfortunately, the toxic smoke surged upwards through a safety door. Now, many advocates say negligence by policymakers and landlords has led to the deaths in black and brown communities from fires that honestly could have been preventable. Legislative Director of Citizen Action of New York, Rebecca Garrard, and the Chair of Journalism and New Media Studies at St. Joseph's College Theodore Hamm, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
