BRONX TIMES REPORTER,16 AUG. 13-19, 2021 BTR
Cuomo resigns, Bronx
offi cials ready to look ahead
BY ROBBIE SEQUEIRA AND
CHRISTIAN FALCONE
On Tuesday morning, an embattled
Andrew Cuomo resigned from
his post as New York governor, ending
his decade-long run in the wake
of the state attorney general’s report
— that found that the Democrat sexually
harassed 11 women — and looming
threats of impeachment from
members of the state Legislature.
Cuomo’s resignation will take effect
on Aug. 24 and ends a turbulent
third term which included public
feuds with former President Trump
and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
More recently, another investigation
by Attorney General Letitia
James found that Cuomo’s administration
undercounted nursing home
deaths from COVID-19 by 50%.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a former
congresswoman before becoming
Cuomo’s running mate in 2014,
is next in line and will become the
state’s fi rst female governor once
Cuomo, 63, offi cially exits the seat.
Amid the fallout of a once-unthinkable
resignation, Bronx Democrats
in the state Legislature called
Cuomo’s decision the appropriate action
and expressed praise and support
to the incoming governor and
the independent investigation by
James’ offi ce.
“Governor Cuomo committed disturbing
acts of sexual assault and harassment
towards multiple women.
His conduct was not only monstrous
and predatory, it violated state and
federal law,” said Assemblyman Kenneth
Burgos, a Democrat who represents
District 35. “The Governor and
his senior aides created a hostile environment
that allowed women to
be violated and bullied in the workplace.”
Burgos said, of the incoming Hochul,
“As we begin the healing process,
we now must rally and stand
behind our new Governor Kathy Hochul.
It is a critical time for our state
and we must work together to bring
much-needed COVID and rent relief,
and address the rising gun violence
across our communities.”
State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a Democrat
who represents District 33, who
repeatedly called for full accountability
against Cuomo for his transgressions
while in offi ce, hopes the
next governor can address issues
such as rising cases statewide of the
COVID-19 Delta variant.
“Let us remember, there are investigations
by the Southern District
of the US Attorney’s offi ce into the
administration’s actions surrounding
an undercount of deaths in New
York’s nursing homes and by the Assembly
Judiciary Committee into the
sexual harassment accusations as
well as the misuse of state resources
to write and publish his ridiculous
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 63, tendered his resignation
on Tuesday, effective Aug. 24, 2021.
Photo Mike Groll/Offi ce of Governor Andrew M.
Cuomo
book,” Rivera said. “Andrew Cuomo
should also be held responsible for
these egregious actions despite leaving
the offi ce of the Governor.”
Rivera added, “I wish Kathy Hochul
success as she prepares to be the
fi rst woman to serve as Governor of
the State of New York and want her to
know she has my full support in this
endeavor. We have too much work to
do. She faces many challenges that
were neglected by Governor Cuomo
while he focused on his political survival.”
The governor’s seat will be on the
ballot in 2022. Progressive state Sen.
Alessandra Biaggi, of District 34 —
who once worked in Cuomo’s offi ce
and pushed for the start of impeachment
proceedings — did not issue a
public statement regarding Cuomo’s
resignation by press time. Biaggi has
long been an outspoken critic of the
governor.
Longtime Assemblyman Michael
Benedetto, of District 82, said the
Cuomo saga ends a very sad chapter
in New York politics and should
serve as a lesson learned that “no one
is above the law.”
“I hope it validates the women
who so courageously came forward,”
Benedetto told the Bronx Times. “Let
this be a teachable moment for us all.
Thanks to the work of the #MeToo
movement, boundaries have long
shifted and women are not required
to accept jokes, comments or to be
touched without their expressed
permission. I commend the brave
women who had to come forward to
remind us of this fact.”
Speaker of the Assembly Carl
Heastie said Cuomo’s resignation
ends a “tragic chapter” in the state’s
history and said he’s spoken to Hochul
on their work ahead.