Biden on Cuomo: ‘We should see what investigation brings us’
Several congressional Democrats, including N.Y. Sen. Chuck Schumer, have called for Gov. Cuomo to step down.
When asked if New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign amid allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, President Joe Biden said he wants to see what comes of an investigation into the matter.
“I think the investigation is underway, and we should see what it brings us,” Biden told reporters on Sunday outside of the White House in his first comments specific to the allegations.
Earlier that morning, White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on MSNBC that “every woman that comes forward … they should be heard, they should be listened to and they should be respected. That’s what the president believes, that’s what the vice president believes.”
Several congressional Democrats, including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, have called for Cuomo to step down. The governor has expressed no intention to do so.
Read More: Report: Cuomo groped female aide in governor’s residence
Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, also said Sunday that the independent investigation into the allegations being conducted by New York State Attorney General Letitia James should be allowed to “run its course.”
“What the president said is that there’s a process. These charges are very serious charges. They ought to be investigated, and that process ought to run its course,” Klain said on MSNBC.
He added that the women making the allegations “have a right to be heard.”
Read More: Nancy Pelosi says women should be believed, doesn’t call for Cuomo resignation
Democratic New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said the Assembly Majority Conference is conducting an impeachment investigation. “The reports of accusations concerning the governor are serious,” Heastie said last week. He added that he expects an “expeditious” investigation into the matter.
Last week, more than 50 Democratic New York lawmakers called for Cuomo to resign, saying that the governor has “lost the confidence of the public,” rendering him “ineffective in this time of most urgent need.”
Read More: Schumer: New Cuomo allegations are ‘nauseating, deeply troubling’
As previously reported by TheGrio’s Keydra Manns, Cuomo said, “I am not going to resign. I was not elected by the politicians, I was elected by the people.”
“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.”
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