Cuomo says politicians demanding his resignation are ‘reckless and dangerous’ and ‘bowing to cancel culture’

New York governor says he will not quit in wake of sexual harassment accusations

Graeme Massie
Friday 12 March 2021 19:26 GMT
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Andrew Cuomo says that the politicians demanding his resignation are “reckless and dangerous” and “bowing to cancel culture.”

The under fire New York governor has refused calls for him to step down in the wake of sexual harassment allegations made against him by six women.

“Politicians who don’t know a single fact, but yet form a conclusion and an opinion are, in my opinion reckless and dangerous. That is politics at its worst,” said Mr Cuomo at a Friday press conference.

New York lawmakers took the first steps in impeaching Mr Cuomo on Thursday when the Assembly speaker authorised the opening of an investigation into him.

Speaker Carl Heastie said that the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee will look into the allegations made against Mr Cuomo, as well as claims of a cover-up of nursing home deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Cuomo hit out at the politicians who have called for him to resign over the allegations and urged people to let the review into his behaviour conclude.

“People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture and the truth. Let the review proceed. I’m not going to resign,” he added.

New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as a string of state politicians have called for his resignation.

And Mr Cuomo said that he was “proud of not being part of the club,” despite being governor of New York since 2011.

The latest accuser of Mr Cuomo, a female aide, claims he groped her at the Executive Mansion in Albany, New York, where he lives.

Albany police say the allegation has been referred to them by a state official but that the alleged victim has not formally made a complaint about Mr Cuomo.

New York attorney general Letitia James has been authorised by Mr Cuomo to launch an independent investigation into the allegations and has said she will make her findings public.

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