De Blasio pounces on Cuomo scandals: ‘he can’t rule’ if claims are true



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In an interview on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that while the nursing home and sexual harassment allegations against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are true, “he cannot rule.”

De Blasio and Cuomo, both Democrats, have long had a bad relationship. They clashed last summer over the George Floyd protests that erupted in the city; they quarreled in April over the reopening of schools; and The Nation reported that Cuomo “on and off the record” relishes “Blasio’s trashing in the press.”

But recent scandals that have trapped Cuomo have put the future presidential frontrunner in dire straits to try to stabilize his administration.

Earlier this year, Cuomo’s team confirmed thousands more nursing home deaths from the coronavirus than the state’s previous tally. The change came after a report from Attorney General Letitia James.

Cuomo now faces allegations of sexual harassment from three former associates, accusations that have led to an investigation by James’ office and which calls on Cuomo to resign.

The governor categorically denied some claims and said in a recent statement: “I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel negative. feelings that I never wanted. I admit that some of the things I said were misinterpreted as unwanted flirtation. As far as anyone has felt this, I am so sorry. “

Last month de Blasio said he believed a member of the Democratic State Assembly who alleged that Cuomo had “berated” him during a phone call about the death toll from COVID-19 in the state. Assembly member Ron Kim had criticized the administration’s alleged underreporting of deaths from COVID-19, and he said the governor was furious at the criticism.

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DeBlasio, who Politico says may be considering a gubernatorial candidacy, called the incident “classic Andrew Cuomo.”

“Bullying is nothing new,” de Blasio said. “I believe Ron Kim, and it’s very, very sad. No public servant, no person who speaks the truth should be treated this way. Threats, disparagement, demand that someone change their statement altogether. continued – many times, I have heard this, and I know many people in this state have heard it. ”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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