Cuomo will not resign, citing ‘cancel culture’
'I am not going to resign. I was not elected by the politicians, I was elected by the people,' said Cuomo
Prominent lawmakers want Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York to resign but he isn’t budging.
The governor has been making headlines recently due to alleged assault allegations and for how his administration handled COVID-19 deaths at a nursing home. Despite calls for his resignation, he refuses and spoke out on Friday, per CNN.
“I am not going to resign. I was not elected by the politicians, I was elected by the people,” said Cuomo who believes the calls for his resignation are coming from his political critics.
He claimed “New Yorkers know me.”
Read More: 2nd ex-staffer accuses Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, triggering resignation call
“I am confident that when New Yorkers know the facts from the review, I am confident in the decision based on the facts,” said Cuomo. “But wait for the facts. An opinion without facts is irresponsible.”
Cuomo said he has “not had a sexual relationship that was inappropriate, period.” He added, “I never harassed anyone, I never abused anyone, I never assaulted anyone.”
The governor called the allegations against him “distractions” and plans to focus on his work.
Several women have come forward and accused Cuomo of sexually harassing them. One woman worked in his office but the lawmaker insists he simply engaged in “playful” banter and could be “misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation.”
His administration is also in the hot seat for providing false information on nursing home deaths due to COVID-19. The Department of Health is being accused of underreporting the deaths to lawmakers by 50%, and some experts argue with the right information could have been prevented deaths.
Thirteen House Democrats of New York are calling that he resign.
Jerry Nadler, the House Judiciary Committee Chair, said in a statement that Cuomo must resign because he “lost the confidence of the people of New York.”
Read More: NY speaker authorizes impeachment investigation into Cuomo
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the House Oversight Committee Chair, said Cuomo’s resignation is in the “best interest of all New Yorkers.”
Rep. Jamaal Bowman and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said they stand with those “who have concluded that Governor Cuomo can no longer effectively lead in the face of so many challenges.”
“These allegations have all been consistent and highly-detailed, and there are also credible media reports substantiating their accounts,” said Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman said in a collaborative statement.
They say they “believe these women” who have accused the Governor of harassment.
Nadler called the allegations against Cuomo as serious and the testimony of his accusers as credible.
“The bravery individuals have shown in coming forward to share their experiences with Governor Cuomo is inspiring, and I stand with them in support,” he said on Friday. “The repeated accusations against the Governor, and the manner in which he has responded to them, have made it impossible for him to continue to govern at this point.”
The governor said the lawmakers who have spoken out against him “without knowing the facts” are “reckless and dangerous.” He added they are adhering to “cancel culture.”
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