President Biden Calls On New York Gov Andrew Cuomo To Resign
State AG found Democrat violated state, federal laws
In perhaps the strongest political pressure yet for the embattled New York governor, fellow Democrat — and president of the United States — Joe Biden is calling on Andrew Cuomo to step aside after more than a decade at the helm of the Empire State.
Biden had said earlier this year that he would wait for the results of the New York attorney general's investigation before deciding whether it was time for Cuomo to go.
Today, the president — and the rest of the country — got an answer. The son of his own storied predecessor, Mario Cuomo, was found to have violated state and federal laws in relations with nearly a dozen women by the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Biden gave his answer about Cuomo in reply to a question from CNN's Kaitlan Collins, “Are you now calling on him to resign?”
Biden said, simply, “Yes.”
Hailed last year as a national leader in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic as he managed the mushrooming disease in what was, at the time, the US epicenter of the pandemic, Cuomo found his fortunes sinking this year under the weight of multiple scandals.
He was found in January to have underreported the COVID-19 death tolls in state nursing homes by as much as 50 percent.
Those problems were compounded once women began coming forward to accuse the governor of inappropriate conduct.
It was not immediately clear whether Biden's statement would effect Cuomo.
Others, including other New York Democrats, have called on the governor to step aside — but he has stubbornly refused to give way.
If Cuomo does leave office before the end of his term, Lt Gov Kathy Hochul (D) would become New York's next governor.
Did you find this post of value?
Please share it…