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Queens lawmakers call to oust Cuomo
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Queens lawmakers and
leaders are calling on Gov.
Andrew Cuomo to resign or
face impeachment after New
York Attorney General Letitia
James announced on Tuesday,
Aug. 3, an independent investigation
that found the governor
sexually harassed multiple
women, violating federal and
New York state law.
The attorney general’s
168-page bombshell report,
released during her press conference
Tuesday morning,
determined that Cuomo, 63,
sexually harassed 11 women,
nine of whom are current and
former state employees — and
one of whom is a New York state
trooper.
According to the report, the
governor engaged in “unwanted
groping, kissing, hugging,
and making inappropriate
comments,” creating a hostile
work environment for women.
In a statement, James said
she is grateful to all of the women
who came forward to tell
their stories in “painstaking
detail, enabling investigators
to get to the truth.”
“No man — no matter how
powerful — can be allowed to
harass women or violate our
human rights laws, period,”
James said.
Following the report, several
Queens lawmakers took
to Twitter calling for the governor,
who is a Democrat and is
serving his third term in office,
Governor Andrew Cuomo
to be removed.
Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer said Cuomo should resign,
“but if he doesn’t, he must
be impeached.”
“He must go. He should resign.
But if he doesn’t, he must
be impeached,” Van Bramer
said.
State Assemblyman Ron
Kim, who was embroiled in
a public feud with the governor
earlier this year over his
administration’s handling of
nursing home deaths amid the
COVID-19 pandemic, said Cuomo
is “wholly unfit to serve and
must be removed from office
immediately.”
“Today’s report from Attorney
General Letitia James confirms
what we have long suspected:
Governor Cuomo used
his office to sexually assault,
harass, intimidate and humiliate
his employees,” Kim said in
a statement.
Kim then acknowledged
the women who came forward
to speak out against the governor’s
alleged inappropriate
misconduct.
“I have been asked for statements
today but today is not
about what I have to say. Today
is about the brave women. We
have much more work ahead
but today brave women are
heard loud and clear,” Kim
said.
In response to the AG’s report,
Arlenis Morel, co-executive
director of Make the Road
New York, said they stand with
survivors and women.
“Governor Cuomo abused
his power and violated federal
and state laws. He harassed
and accosted women. He created
a hostile workplace and retaliated
against staff. With this
investigation now concluded,
Governor Cuomo must resign
immediately. If he does not, the
Assembly must swiftly move to
impeach him,” Morel said.
In March, James’ office began
an official investigation
into the reports of alleged misconduct
by Cuomo, who had
received calls from Democratic
lawmakers to resign. He had
rebuffed.
In a video statement released
Tuesday, Cuomo again
denied any wrongdoing, and
said he was issuing his own report
to “now share the truth.”
“The facts are much different
than has been portrayed,”
Cuomo said. “I never touched
anyone inappropriately or
made inappropriate sexual advances.”
The governor suggested the
report was tainted by “bias”
and portrayed himself as a protector
of women.
“For those who are using
this moment to score political
points, or seek publicity or personal
gain, I say they actually
discredit the legitimate sexual
harassment victims that the
law was designed to protect,”
Cuomo said.
Cuomo, who was praised
for his leadership in navigating
the COVID-19 crisis, fell
from grace in recent months
when the attorney general’s office
released a report revealing
that his administration withheld
data about nursing home
deaths in New York.
Cuomo has faced scrutiny
over reports that he prioritized
testing for his family in the early
days of the pandemic.
The governor was also criticized
for receiving $5.1 million
for his book about dealing with
the COVID-19 pandemic. According
to James, the investigation
is still ongoing on whether
state funds went toward Cuomo’s
book deal.
Additionally, James’ report
into Cuomo’s sexual harassment
allegations is separate
from an independent impeachment
report launched by the
New York Assembly earlier
this year.
In a statement, Assembly
Speaker Carl Heastie said
James’ report has been forwarded
to members of the Judiciary
Committee, as well as
members of the Assembly.
“We will now undertake an
in-depth examination of the
report and its corresponding
exhibits with our Assembly
counsels as well as the legal
firm we have retained to assist
us,” Heastie said. “We will have
more to say in the very near future.”
Heastie added that the conduct
outlined by the governor
in the report indicates “someone
who is not fit for office.”
“The details provided by
the victims are gut-wrenching.
Our hearts go out to all of the
individuals who have had to endure
this horrible experience,”
Heastie said.
Read more at QNS.com.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or
by phone at (718) 260–4526.
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