Andrew Cuomo has announced his resigning as governor of New York, effective 14 days from Tuesday.
“I think that given the circumstances the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to government, and therefore that is what I’ll do, because I work for you, and doing the right thing, is doing the right thing for you,” Cuomo said.
The bombshell announcement come a week after New York Attorney General Letitia James released the findings of her office’s investigation into Cuomo’s history of alleged sexual misconduct. James’ report included allegations of harassment and inappropriate touching from 11 women, while detailing a toxic workplace predicated on intimidation and retaliation for actions perceived as disloyal to the governor. James described the governor’s conduct as “disgusting” and “in violation of state and federal law.”
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Cuomo has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and continued to maintain he did nothing wrong on Tuesday, claiming the attorney general’s report was “flawed” and politically motivated. Cuomo did, however, acknowledge that he offended the 11 women cited in Attorney General James’ report.
“In my mind, I have never crossed the line with anyone,” he said. “But I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There have been generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have. No excuses.”
The report triggered a wave of calls for Cuomo to resign, from members of the state legislature, to every New York representative in the U.S. Congress, to President Joe Biden. In response to calls to resign over sexual misconduct allegations that arose in February and March, Cuomo said at the time that stepping down would be tantamount to “bowing to cancel culture.”
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will take over for Cuomo on an interim basis in two weeks, becoming the first woman to serve as governor of New York.
This story is developing.
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