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‘NEW YORKERS DESERVE BETTER’
Queens leaders ready to move forward after Cuomo announces resignation
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | AUG. 13 - AUG. 19, 2021 19
BY JULIA MORO
One week after Queens officials
called for Gov. Andrew
Cuomo to resign following
the results of an independent
investigation from New York
State Attorney General Letitia
James’s office which found
that Cuomo sexually harassed
multiple women in violation of
New York state law, the governor
announced on Tuesday,
Aug. 10, that he would resign
in 14 days.
When Cuomo officially
steps down on Aug. 24, Lt. Gov.
Kathy Hochul will take over as
governor, becoming the first
woman to hold the office.
“This is about politics and
our political system is too often
driven by political extremes,”
Cuomo said in a his Aug. 10
televised speech. “This situation
by its current trajectory
will generate months of political
and legal controversy. That
is what we’re going to have. It
will consume government. It
will cost taxpayers millions
of dollars. This is one of the
most challenging times for
government in a generation.
Government really needs to
function today. It really needs
to perform. It’s a matter of life
and death, government operations,
and wasting energy on
distractions is the last thing
that state government should
be doing. And I cannot be the
cause of that.”
Following his resignation,
Queens officials are already
looking to move forward.
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards is “confident”
New York can “get back
to work” following news of
Cuomo’s resignation.
“Thank you to all the survivors
who came forward. It was
not an easy decision to make,
but your decision transformed
New York’s history for the better.
You are the true heroes of
New York state, and Queens
continues to support you as you
move toward your next steps,”
Richards said. “I thank Attorney
General Letitia James and
her team for conducting a thorough,
fair investigation and
for giving survivors a platform
to speak their truth. Today is a
sad day for New York, but I am
confident we can get back to
work. I am ready to collaborate
with our state’s first female
governor, Kathy Hochul.”
Assembly member Jessica
González-Rojas, one of the
lawmakers who has called for
Cuomo’s resignation and impeachment
for months, said
she looks forward to working
with Hochul.
“Thank you to all the survivors
who have come forward
to tell their stories,” González-
Rojas tweeted. “This is what
New York needs. I’m ready
to work with incoming Gov.
Kathy Hochul to ensure we
move our state forward, enact
real reform and address the
urgent needs of New Yorkers.”
Hochul herself said she
agrees with Cuomo’s decision
to step down and is ready to
take the reigns.
“It is the right thing to do
and in the best interest of New
Yorkers,” Hochul tweeted. “As
someone who has served at all
levels of government and is
next in the line of succession,
I am prepared to lead as New
York State’s 57th Governor.”
After the attorney general’s
report came out on Aug. 3,
Cuomo denied any wrongdoing,
saying it was a biased and
inaccurate portrayal.
“It’s not who I am, and it’s
not who I’ve ever been,” Cuomo
said in a video statement.
“The facts are much different
than has been portrayed. I
never touched anyone inappropriately
or made inappropriate
sexual advances.”
Eleven women accused
Cuomo of similar stories of
sexual harassment, which
was then confirmed by James’
report. As a result, the Assembly
Judiciary Committee announced
yesterday they would
proceed with their own investigation
into misconduct and
abuses of power.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said
Cuomo’s resignation was long
overdue.
“Make no mistake, this is
the result of survivors bravely
telling their stories,” de Blasio
said. “It was past time for Andrew
Cuomo to resign and it’s
for the good of all New York.”
Democratic mayoral candidate
Eric Adams took to Twitter
to say he looks forward to
working with Hochul.
“As we guide our city
through these challenging
times and do the hard work of
leading a safe, equitable recovery
for NYC,” Adams said.
Other Queens officials, including
state Senator Joseph
Addabbo, said that Cuomo
made the right decision in
stepping down from his position.
“Now for the sake of the 19
million people of this state, we
must come together as New
Yorkers and continue to move
forward in improving the lives
of our residents and maintain
government services,” Addabbo
said.“There is still work to
be done, and we will rise to this
occasion as we always do in the
face of challenging times. With
enthusiasm, I look forward to
working with Hochul and her
administration.”
Arlenis Morel, co-executive
director of Make the Road New
York, said sexual harassment
and the abuse of power has no
place in our government.
“Cuomo has failed repeatedly
on both of these counts,”
Morel said. “We have demanded
Cuomo’s resignation for
many months. It is a shame
that it took so many brave survivors
coming forward about
his abusive behavior before he
finally stepped down, but we
continue to applaud their bravery
and are relieved that the
day has finally come.”
Cuomo was formerly
praised for his handling of the
COVID-19 crisis until the attorney
general’s office released
a report in January detailing
the misleading data from the
governor’s office relating to
the nursing home deaths in
the state.
It didn’t end there, as Cuomo
also faced scrutiny for allegedly
prioritizing COVID
tests for his family and using
state resources to publish his
book. The Assembly Judiciary
Committee is also investigating
these allegations.
Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer appeared shocked at
Cuomo’s announcement.
“I did not think he would
ever utter these words,” Van
Bramer said on Twitter.
Assemblyman Zohran
Mamdani also kept his comments
brief, tweeting, “14 days
is too long.”
Senate Deputy Leader Michael
Gianaris said today is a
sad day for New York, but one
that was ultimately necessary.
“The governor’s resignation
is an important step in the
process of ensuring accountability
and acknowledging
the harm done by his behavior,”
Gianaris said. “I thank
the women who came forward
with such courage to have
their voices heard and help
make New York a safer, fairer
place.”
Congressman Tom Suozzi
released a statement saying
that he thinks Cuomo did the
right thing.
“There is no doubt that
Cuomo has accomplished
much for our state, from the
property tax cap to rebuilding
our infrastructure, to instituting
a $15 minimum wage and
battling COVID,” Suozzi said
in a statement.“It is imperative
that our next governor continue
the positive achievements
of the Cuomo administration
and help once again make New
York the Empire State.”
Other local lawmakers
were blunt about Cuomo’s
clear lack of ability to hold office
now or in the future. Assemblywoman
Nily Rozic said
in a statement that New Yorkers
deserve better than Cuomo.
“It has been abundantly
clear that Cuomo is unfit to
hold the position, and his resignation
will allow us to finally
move forward,” Rozic said. “It
is my hope that investigations
into his conduct continue and
that his many victims receive
the justice and peace of mind
they deserve.”
Congresswoman Grace
Meng said she called on Cuomo
to resign months ago and
now looks forward to working
with Hochul.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation on Aug. 10 amid
sexual harassment allegations.
Mary Altaffer/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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