New York governor distanced himself from Andrew Cuomo after resigning over sexual harassment allegations

The next governor of New York, Kathy hochul, marked this Wednesday the distance with his predecessor, André Cuomo, who resigned amid multiple charges of sexual harassment, and ensured that no official involved in the “toxic” work environment that was seen during his administration will continue in the executive.

“I think it’s clear that the governor and I haven’t been close, physically or in any other way.”Hochul said in his first public appearance since Cuomo announced his resignation yesterday, which will take effect in two weeks.

The Lieutenant Governor for now has said that during this time she will work to establish her government team and He announced that there will be significant changes in the composition of the cabinet.

In this sense, he predicted that no one singled out for unethical actions will continue in administration in the attorney general’s report on Cuomo’s alleged harassment cases and his attempts to cover up the allegations.

This investigation, which was the one that ended up triggering the governor’s resignation, describes a toxic environment in his office, with a work culture marked “by intimidation, fear and intimidation on the one hand, and on the other hand by the normalization of frequent flirtations and gender-based comments made by the governor”.

“At the end of my term, when I’m done, no one will describe my administration as a toxic work environment”Hochul guaranteed.

The lieutenant governor, who has been in Cuomo since 2015, assured that until the complaints were made public, she was unaware of the problems in the governor’s work environment because, as she insisted, They were never close and she spent much of her time visiting various parts of the state.

Hochul assured that this would continue to be his style: browse the state, “listen first and take decisive action later.”

“My promise to all New Yorkers, here and now, is that I will fight hell for you every day,” the 62-year-old political veteran said, that she will become the first woman to lead the state government.

Hochul has made it clear that she feels fully prepared to take on her new responsibilities and is confident that the transition with the Cuomo administration will go smoothly.

Asked about the governor’s future, she did not want to interfere in the decisions that the legislature or the judiciary could take and considered it premature to speak of a possible pardon.

The governor’s three-term decision was announced as the Legislature struggled to remove him through an impeachment process. If he had been dismissed from his post, he would have been prohibited from re-election.

“I love New York and I love you. Everything I have done has been motivated by love. I think under the circumstances the best way for me to help now is to step aside and let government revert to government. And that’s what I’m going to do, ”Cuomo said in a live speech.

The announcement came after the New York Attorney General released the Investigation results revealed Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women. Investigators claimed he subjected the women to unwanted kissing, fondled or touched their breasts or buttocks inappropriately, made suggestive comments about their appearance and sex life, and created a “full work environment.” of fear and intimidation “.

The scandal of the #MeToo era cut short not only a career but a dynasty: Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, was governor in the 1980s and 1990s, and the young Cuomo was often mentioned as a possible candidate for president, a job his father envisioned. Even as the scandal grew, Cuomo planned to run for re-election in 2022. The governor still faces the possibility of criminal prosecution as several prosecutors from across the state have come to investigate him.

The string of accusations that led to the governor’s downfall started making headlines last December and lasted for months. Cuomo called some of the allegations false and strongly denied touching anyone inappropriately. But he admitted making some participants uncomfortable with comments he said were meant to be playful, and he apologized for some of their behavior. Either way, he maintains his version of innocence.

With information from EFE and AP

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