March 14, 2021

Democrats are turning on Cuomo

 VOX

Spencer Platt/Getty Images
  • Calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign are coming from left, right, and center as the State Assembly opened an impeachment investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against him and New York’s attorney general continues a separate investigation. [NYT / Luis Ferré-Sadurní, J. David Goodman, and Jesse McKinley]
  • At least six women have come forward with allegations of Cuomo being sexually inappropriate with them. Fifty-nine Democrats in the state legislature have signed a letter urging Cuomo to resign amid a flood of stories detailing claims of harassment, abuse, and sexual misconduct by the governor and his aides. [NPR / Bill Chappell]
  • National pressure is mounting against Cuomo as well. A majority of New York’s House Democrats, ranging from left-wing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to moderate DCCC chair Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney to powerful House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerry Nadler have called for Cuomo’s resignation. [CNN / Veronica Stracqualursi, Gregory Krieg, and Annie Grayer]
  • The increased pressure has come after the latest report of sexual harassment: A former aide has said Cuomo groped her at the governor’s mansion. The claim is being investigated by the Albany Police Department. [AP / Marina Villeneuve]
  • A new story from New York magazine detailed the alleged culture of cruelty, harassment, and paternalistic abuse in Cuomo’s administration, including dozens of reports of Cuomo openly commenting on his female staffers’ looks and making inappropriate sexual comments and advances. [Intelligencer / Rebecca Traister]
  • Women who had previously worked for Cuomo described a verbally and emotionally abusive culture, replete with perverse loyalty tests and high expectations for how to dress and look. Cuomo and aides, they said, would often berate and bully staffers over the slightest issue. [NYT / Brian Rosenthal and Luis Ferré-Sandurní]
  • In a call with reporters, Cuomo insisted he would not resign and denied harassing, abusing, or assaulting anyone. He refused to go into the details of the allegations, and cautioned people against “playing politics” or “bowing to cancel culture.” [Albany Times-Union / Edward McKinley]