The president said he thought Cuomo could be “prosecuted.”
President Joe Biden said in an exclusive interview with ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign if an investigation confirms he has committed sexual harassment.
“I know you said you want the investigation to continue,” Stephanopoulos told Biden, referring to an investigation by the New York Attorney General into allegations that Cuomo had harassed several women. “If the investigation confirms the women’s claims, should he resign?”
“Yes,” the president replied. “I think he will probably be prosecuted too.”
Seven prosecutors have made allegations against the Democratic governor in recent weeks, and one allegation that he had touched a woman was referred to police in Albany, New York. called on Cuomo to resign.
Cuomo has denied the allegations.
Biden has so far not supported an immediate end to Cuomo’s governorship.
“There needs to be an investigation to determine if what she’s saying is true,” Biden told Stephanopoulos during an extensive interview in Darby, Pennsylvania. “That’s what’s the matter now.”
He added, “There could be criminal charges. I just don’t know.”
“Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, the majority of the congressional delegation don’t think he can be an effective governor right now,” Stephanopoulos asked. “Can he serve effectively?”
“Well, that’s a judgment for them,” the president said.
Biden said “a woman should be supposed to speak the truth and not be scapegoated and victimized when she comes forward.”
“It takes a lot of courage to come forward,” the president said. So the suspicion is that they should be taken seriously. And it must be investigated. And that’s what’s going on now. ‘
Biden’s comments Tuesday went a step further than his any other public comments about the allegations against the governor.
On Sunday, when asked by ABC News during a brief exchange of views whether Cuomo should step down, Biden had said, “I think the investigation is underway and we need to see what it brings us.”
The president visited the Philadelphia suburbs on Tuesday to promote the $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill he signed into law last week.
Watch more of the interview with President Joe Biden on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00 am EDT.