Cuomo says will not step down despite calls from state amid sexual harassment allegations

Several New York congressional members on March 12 called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign in the wake of mounting allegations of sexual harassment and an allegation of groping. While Cuomo has denied that he ever touched anyone inappropriately, the majority of state lawmakers, however, have called on him to resign, and more than half of New York’s Democratic congressional members have joined those calls. According to CBS News, US Representatives, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jerry Nadler, Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones, called for Cuomo’s resignation. 

US Rep Nadler said that 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. The congressional members also pointed to sweeping criticism of Cuomo for keeping secret how many nursing home residents died of coronavirus for months. The governor, however, has claimed that his administration had to verify the deaths of residents at hospitals, but critics question why that hasn’t held up the release of data in other states. 

It is worth mentioning that the state Democrats have already signed off an impeachment investigation and police in the state capital said they stood ready to investigate the groping allegation. Federal investigators are also scrutinising how the Cuomo administration has handled data about how many nursing home residents have died of coronavirus. The governor and his aides, on the other hand, have argued for months that it couldn’t release full figures on deaths because it had yet to verify the data. 

Cuomo ‘not going to resign’ 

Six women, including the latest unidentified aide, have already come out accusing him of harassment and sexual misconduct.  In the wake of the allegations, Andrew Cuomo, earlier issued a statement saying that "sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny... I mean no offence and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business”. "I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal,” he added before admitting some of his comments might have been “misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry”.

On Friday, the New York Governor also said that he is not going to resign in the wake of mounting allegations of sexual harassment. While speaking at a news conference, Cuomo said that he did not do what has been alleged. He added that politicians who don’t know a single fact but yet form a conclusion and an opinion are “reckless and dangerous”. Cuomo also urged to wait for the facts, then have an opinion, referring to the investigations into the allegations against him. 

(Image: AP)