US President Joe Biden considers allegations of sexual harassment against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo “troubling,” said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki Monday, not referring to the resignation of the Democratic Party official.
“The president finds them disturbing, difficult to read,” Psaki replied when asked about the allegations of seven women who have come to light against Cuomo.
“It seems that new events are happening every day,” admitted the spokeswoman, defending that “any woman who takes a step forward should be treated with dignity and respect.”
Psaki thought it “appropriate” that New York Attorney General Letitia James launched an independent investigation against the Democratic governor.
And the president – the spokeswoman added – believes it is appropriate, as does the vice president (Kamala Harris). The investigation should be prompt and thorough, consistent with the seriousness of the allegations.
The spokeswoman noted that Biden has not spoken to the governor of New York “ personally ” and said he does not know if anyone in the White House has.
In any case, he admitted the importance of the White House is to keep the Covid-19 pandemic “under control,” for which he indicated they will continue to work with the various governors, including Cuomo, to continue the work. to provide. economic aid to cope with the health emergency.
Cuomo, who rose to fame for controlling the pandemic after New York became the global epicenter of the disease, has refused to step down despite allegations of sexual harassment, which he has flatly denied.
The New York lawmaker announced an investigation last Thursday to determine whether he would impeach him, while a group of 59 Democratic state lawmakers issued a statement calling for him to step aside.
Eleven representatives of the US House of Representatives, including the progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, were added on Friday to the requests of state lawmakers demanding the politician’s departure.
Also that day, Senate Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer and his progressive colleague Kirsten Gillibrand, both representatives of New York, called for the governor’s resignation, warning that he would “ trust ” his associates. in the government and people of New York.
And on Sunday, US House Speaker Democrat Nancy Pelosi called on Cuomo to reflect “how effective his leadership of the state is under the existing conditions.”
Cuomo faces the second scandal within weeks, after Melissa DeRosa, his chief assistant, admitted that they have delayed the delivery of data on deaths from Covid-19 in nursing homes for fear that the Justice Department, under the government of Donald Trump could use those numbers “against you.”