Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has become the latest Democratic leader to ask New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down amid allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, too, is calling on Cuomo to resign. Cuomo publicly refused calls for him to step down, saying that doing so would amount to “bowing to cancel culture.”
“Due to the multiple, credible sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, it is clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners and the people of New York,” the New York senators wrote in a joint statement, CNN reported.
Nearly every member of New York state’s congressional delegation has mobilised against Cuomo including senior Democratic committee chairs Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velázquez.
A growing number of women have come forth accusing Cuomo of sexual misconduct including Lindsay Boylan, who worked with Cuomo’s office from 2015 to 2018, who said Cuomo asked her whether she wanted to play strip poker and kissing her forcibly after years of making inappropriate comments.
Charlotte Bennett, a former health policy adviser for Cuomo, said in the spring of 2020, the governor asked her about her sex life and whether she would be interested in a sexual or romantic relationship with an older man. In early March, 33-year-old Anna Ruch said Cuomo misbehaved with her at a New York City wedding reception in 2019, where, Cuomo made advances towards her and kissed her on the cheek. Cuomo allegedly held her face in his hands and asked whether he could kiss her.
High profile progressive Democratic representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mondaire Jones and Jamaal Bowman have also asked for Cuomo’s resignation.
An external investigation into Cuomo’s behaviour has been initiated. Cuomo loyalists have been asking Democrats to wait until independent investigations into the allegations come to light before asking him to step down.