New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that he is resigning from his position in light of sexual harassment allegations made against him.
Cuomo made the announcement at a press briefing in which he apologized for his actions and said, “I accept full responsibility.”
Cuomo said his resignation will take effect in two weeks, in which time Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will take over as governor.
Cuomo said wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing, and he doesn’t want to be the cause of that.
“‘New York tough’ means New York loving, and I love New York, and I love you, and everything that I have ever done has been motivated by that love, and I would never want to be unhelpful in any way,” said Cuomo. “And I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing.”
Cuomo said his resignation will take effect in two weeks, in which time Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will take over as governor.
The resignation of the three-term Democratic governor comes a week after independent investigators appointed by New York Attorney General Letitia James released their report into multiple allegations of sexual harassment by the 63-year-old politician.
In the report, investigators concluded that Cuomo sexually harasses multiple women, including former and current state employees, by engaging in unwanted groping, kissing, and hugging, as well as making inappropriate comments.
Following the release of the report, Cuomo faced calls to step down as governor, including from top Democratic leaders, like President Joe Biden. The state assembly also threatened impeachment.
(AUGUST 9, 2021) A woman who has accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment has gone on the record with her allegations and says that the governor is not being truthful in denying that he inappropriately touched women in his office.
In a joint report between CBS News and the Albany Times Union, Brittany Commisso broke her silence, going on the record to formally accuse Cuomo of repeated harassment during her time working for the governor.
Commisso says she is the woman who is referred to as "Executive Assistant #1" in last week's report commissioned by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In that report, "Executive Assistant #1" described being subjected to what investigators described as "repeated physical violations" while working for Cuomo.
In the report, the then-unnamed woman told investigators that Cuomo groped her while the two took a photo in the governor's executive mansion. She also claimed that in a separate incident, Cuomo reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast.
"To me, this was a dream job. And it, unfortunately, turned into a nightmare," Commisso told CBS News.
Last week, Cuomo denied all allegations of inappropriate physical conduct. But in speaking with CBS News and the Times Union, Commisso said that Cuomo isn't telling the truth.
"I would say, governor, this is the truth; these are the facts. And it's your turn to do the right thing," Commisso told the Times Union. "And that right thing is to resign and to tell the truth."
After remaining anonymous throughout the investigations into Cuomo's behavior, Commisso said she decided to come forward after hearing the governor's denial last week.
"I am a mother. I'm a daughter. I'm a friend. And I'm, I'm… a human being. I'm a woman, and I have a voice, and now, I've decided to use it," she said, according to the Times Union.
The CBS News/Times Union joint report was published the day after Cuomo's top aide, Melissa DeRosa,resigned from the governor's staff, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal, CNN and other outlets.
The report also comes days after the New York Assembly Judiciary Committee said its own investigations into Cuomo's conduct is nearing completion and that the committee will consider drafting articles of impeachment against Cuomo after it is published.
Cuomo has rebuffed calls for his resignation from top members of his own party, including President Joe Biden.
