New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigns accused of sexual harassment

Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned on Tuesday for a barrage of sexual harassment allegations, disgraced a year after garnering widespread nationwide acclaim for his detailed daily reports and leadership during the darker days of COVID-19.

The governor’s decision, who runs for three terms, was announced as the Legislature struggled to remove him through impeachment proceedings. 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 lieutenant governor Kathy hochul, a 62-year-old Democrat and former congressman from the Buffalo area, will become the state’s 57th governor and the first woman to hold office.

“I agree with Governor Cuomo’s decision to resign. (…) I am ready, ”Hochul said in a statement.

The scandal of the #MeToo era cut not only a career but a dynasty cut short: Cuomo’s father Mario Cuomo was governor in the 1980s and 1990s, and the young Cuomo was often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate , a post that his father is considering. 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 began to make the news last December and lasted for months. Cuomo called some of the allegations false and strongly denied touching anyone inappropriately. Corn admitted making some participants uncomfortable with comments that he believed were meant to be playful, and apologized for some of their behavior. Either way, he maintains his version of innocence.

One of Cuomo’s dreams was to surpass the mark of his father, who ruled the state for three terms between 1983 and 1994. As a provocative Cuomo clung to his post, state lawmakers have launched a challenge survey and almost all of New York’s Democratic ruling class abandoned himNot only because of the allegations, but also because of the discovery that his administration had hidden thousands of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home patients.

The harassment investigation ordered by the Attorney General and conducted by two outside prosecutors corroborated the women’s accounts and added new and sordid ones. The report’s release has left the governor more isolated than ever, with some of his most loyal supporters leaving him and President Joe Biden joining those calling for his resignation.

(With AP information)

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