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Bronx offi cials call for Cuomo’s
resignation in wake of AG’s report
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A BTR UG. 6-12, 2021 15
BY ROBBIE SEQUEIRA
Bronx elected offi cials are
calling for the removal of embattled
Democratic Gov. Andrew
Cuomo from his post,
after the New York attorney
general’s independent investigation
released on Aug. 3,
found that Cuomo had sexually
harassed multiple women
and created a toxic work environment
in state government.
According to the 165-page
report, Cuomo harassed current
and former state employees,
as well as a number of
women outside of state government
and had violated
state and federal law through
his conduct.
Letitia James, New York’s
attorney general, said that
her investigation concluded
that Cuomo created a “hostile
work environment” for female
staffers by engaging in “unwelcome
and nonconsensual
touching,” and making “suggestive”
sexual comments to
various women in both his
employ and in other state
agencies.
Cuomo has denied the allegations
and called the investigation
biased, saying during
a taped speech on Tuesday,
“I want you to know directly
from me that I never touched
anyone inappropriately or
made inappropriate sexual advances.”
Democratic Assemblyman
Kenneth Burgos, who represents
the 85th District, said
the fi ndings of the report have
all but sunk the three-term
governor’s credibility.
Burgos also joined state
and federal leaders by calling
for an impeachment process if
Cuomo does not step down.
“The report by the Attorney
General’s offi ce confi rms
that Governor Cuomo engaged
in a disturbing pattern
of monstrous and predatory
behavior, and broke state and
federal law. His actions have
no place in politics or anywhere
else,” Burgos said in a
statement. “It has now been
determined that the Governor
has lost all credibility, and
thus, is no longer fi t to serve.
I call for his immediate resignation.
And if he refuses to
step down, I am prepared to
vote yes on impeachment proceedings.”
State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi,
of District 34, said Tuesday’s
report confi rmed suspicions
traced to reports from
several aides last year that the
Cuomo had not only sexually
harassed employees, but was
also using his position to intimidate
and silence victims.
“The report confi rms what
we already knew — the Governor
has sexually harassed and
intimidated employees while
actively silencing the victims
of his abuse and fostering a
toxic and hostile work environment,”
the Progressive
said in a statement. I commend
the brave women who
came forward in the face of
actual and potential retaliation
… It is time for Governor
Cuomo to face accountability
for his actions.”
Biaggi, who chairs the Senate
Ethics and Internal Governance
Committee said that
if Cuomo does not resign, she
will call onDemocrat state Assembly
Speaker Carl Heastie
and the New York Assembly to
move toward impeachment of
Cuomo, immediately.
Heastie said in a statement
after meeting with his conference
after the release of the
rpeort “that the governor has
lost the confi dence of the Assembly
Democratic majority
and that he can no longer remain
in offi ce.” The Assembly
now holds the authority
within the state Legislature
to determine Cuomo’s fate, by
voting on whether or not to
impeach the governor.
“Once we receive all relevant
documents and evidence
from the Attorney General, we
will move expeditiously and
look to conclude our impeachment
investigation as quickly
as possible,” he said.
James said that independent
investigators spoke to
179 individuals, and reviewed
74,000 pieces of evidence before
coming to a fi nal reporter.
“We also conclude that the
Executive Chamber’s culture
— one fi lled with fear and intimidation,
while at the same
time normalizing the Governor’s
frequent fl irtations
and gender-based comments
— contributed to the conditions
that allowed the sexual
harassment to occur and persist,”
investigators Joon Kim
and Anne Clark wrote in the
report. “That culture also infl
uenced the improper and inadequate
ways in which the
Executive Chamber has responded
to allegations of harassment.”
Democratic state Sen. Gustavo
Rivera, of the Bronx’s
33rd Senate District, in an
Aug. 3 tweet, likened reports
of Cuomo’s behavior to that
of former President Donald
Trump, who Cuomo engaged
in a highly-publicized feud
last year over the president’s
handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Gov. Andrew Cuomo is
showing he is basically Trump
but with a better fi tting suit,”
Rivera tweeted. “The way he
is defending himself by painting
himself as the victim is beyond
outrageous.”
The investigation into sexual
harassment allegations
made against Cuomo, isn’t the
only investigation the New
York Attorney General’s offi ce
has launched against the governor.
In January, James unveiled
her report of how the
Cuomo administration handled
nursing home deaths
during the COVID-19 outbreak,
fi nding the Cuomo administration
undercounted
the death of nursing home patients
by about 50%.
However, on July 23, the
U.S. Department of Justice announced
it would not pursue
an investigation into whether
Cuomo had mishandled COVID
19 outbreaks in state-run
nursing homes.
James’ offi ce is also investigating
whether Cuomo used
taxpayer money for the writing
and roll out of his book,
“American Crisis: Leadership
Lessons from the COVID-19
Pandemic.”
-with reporting by Christian
Falcone
Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the Flushing MTA Maintenance Yard during the 2020 height of the COVID-19 outbreak in
New York City. Photo Todd Maisel
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