More than 40 Democratic state lawmakers have called for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign as sexual harassment claims continue to pile up against him.
Cuomo on Sunday lost the confidence of both New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, both of whom are Democrats. Citing the sexual harassment claims and a scandal involving Cuomo’s miscounting of nursing home deaths during the pandemic, Stewart-Cousins said he must step down for “the good of the state.” Heastie concurred, calling the latest pair of harassment claims against Cuomo “deeply disturbing.”
Stewart-Cousins and Heastie opened the door for blanket denouncements from New York state lawmakers, many of whom have become increasingly frustrated with Cuomo over the past few weeks.
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“For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign,” state Sen. John Liu said on Twitter.
Assembly member Carrie Woerner, who last week outlined a plan to strip the governor of his pandemic powers, called for Cuomo to resign in a tweet, writing that he is handling “too many allegations and too many investigations” to govern effectively.
“Good governing takes focus, clear thinking and integrity,” she said. “I question the governor’s ability to govern well going forward in light of all that has come out.”
Many other members of the New York Assembly echoed that sentiment. More than 60 lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, have called for the governor’s resignation, pointing to the sexual harassment claims, his nursing home scandal, or both.
Cuomo, who last Wednesday during a tense press conference said he would not resign, reiterated that resolve in a Monday press briefing.
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“There is no way I resign,” Cuomo said, urging New York lawmakers to allow state Attorney General Letitia James to conduct an investigation into his affairs.
Cuomo reportedly told Stewart-Cousins on Sunday that the only way to eject him from office will be through impeachment. Many fewer New York lawmakers support impeachment.
