New York Governor Andrew Cuomo listens to speakers at a vaccination site on March 8, 2021 in New York.
SETH WENIG | AFP | Getty images
A majority of New York’s congressional Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and chairman of the judiciary Jerry Nadler, almost simultaneously called for the resignation of Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday.
“The repeated allegations against the governor and the way he has responded to them have made it impossible for him to continue to rule on this point,” Nadler said in a statement on Twitter.
“Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of the people of New York. Governor Cuomo must resign,” said Nadler.
So far, 11 of New York’s 19 House Democrats have called on Cuomo to stop.
The controversial Democratic governor faced calls for the resignation of state-level politicians within his own party over a growing list of allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct.
Cuomo has repeatedly vowed not to resign, urging people to suspend judgment on the numerous allegations against him until the completion of an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
But Democrats and Republicans in the Empire State have only increased the pressure on Cuomo, most recently by taking steps towards an impeachment investigation.
Cuomo has suggested that the attacks are political. Several New York Democrats are currently considering bidding for Cuomo’s job as his political future seems increasingly questionable.
But a deluge of Congressional Democrats on Friday morning joined the growing chorus against Cuomo, who is under fire not only for the allegations of harassment, but also for the way his administration treats Covid in nursing homes.
“As members of the New York delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, we believe these women, we believe the reporting, we believe the Attorney General, and we believe the fifty-five members of the New York State legislature, including the Senate Majority Leader, who have concluded that Governor Cuomo can no longer lead effectively in the face of so many challenges, ‘representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman said in a joint statement.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) (L) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
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“As officials, we must earn the trust and respect of those we represent. There is only one way the governor can truly restore accountability and confidence in his office: he must resign,” the statement by Rep. Nydia Velazquez, DN. Y.
Chairman Carolyn Maloney, DN.Y., Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee said in her own statement, “We have come a long way, but now is the time to finally bring the courage of this generation to life for once and end harassment forever. “
The two Democratic senators in New York, in particular, have so far been unwilling to call on Cuomo to resign.
On Thursday, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., called the latest claim against Cuomo “nauseating,” but did not demand that the governor resign.
Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, DN.Y., did not immediately respond to requests for comment on House Democrats’ development. The White House also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday that she spoke to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris about Cuomo’s controversies, “and I reiterated on their behalf that they believe all women should be heard, that they should be respected. are being treated. . “
Psaki took note of the ongoing investigation by AG James, saying Biden and Harris “respect that and believe it needs to move forward.”
Cuomo was initially praised for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic when it hammered New York City in 2020. book with “lessons in leadership”.
This is the latest news. Please check again for updates.
CNBC’s Jacob Pramuk, Tom Franck and Brian Schwartz contributed to this report.