Currents News
New Yorkers could be heard chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, Governor Cuomo’s gotta go,” and “do the right thing. Resign” amid the release of the state attorney general’s report which found he sexually harassed 11 women.
State lawmakers are also dialing up the pressure.
“The governor is not fit to do his job,” said New York Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
“I believe there’s sufficient evidence to proceed with impeachment proceedings,” said New York state assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte.
“The time for him to resign is right now,” New York State Senate member Shelley Mayer.
At least four district attorneys have asked the attorney general for investigative materials to determine if any of the conduct in this report is criminal.
Two of those requests cited what “trooper number one,” a former member of the governor’s security detail, told investigators.
“In an elevator, standing behind the trooper, he ran his finger from her neck down her spine and said, ‘hey you,’ said SDNY special prosecutor Anne Clark. “Another time, she was holding a door open for the governor. As he passed, he took his open hand and ran it across her stomach. She told us that she felt completely violated.”
“Touching women that don’t consent in those places could be the basis for sexual assault claims,” said Civil Rights Attorney Nancy Erika Smith.
Cuomo denies ever touching anyone inappropriately. A statement found little support among his accusers.
Charlotte Bennett, one of the women who accused Gov. Cuomo of sexual harassment, says when there are two women who come out with sexual harrassement claims, “there are more than two,” who have been sexually harrassed and just haven’t come out yet.
“You know, we know from experience that it’s not just one person and that’s why we need to believe every woman who makes these allegations,” said Bennett.
Among the groups voicing their support for the accusers, was the New York State Troopers’ Union who were “dismayed and disturbed” at the report’s findings. The union’s president expressed sentiments of being “outraged and disgusted.”
The state’s largest public employee union noted “safety and security must be the standard of every workplace” and called on the governor to resign.
“His resigning would be such a healing move for the state, for women, for his victims and for other victims who have been triggered and retraumatized,” said Smith.
The governor laid low Wednesday and only released a COVID update but no further comments on the report.
Meantime, the impeachment inquiry shifted into high gear.
With the judiciary committee meeting scheduled for Monday in Albany, a majority of the state assembly’s members said they would vote to impeach the governor.
Thirteen Democratic state senators have also expressed support for impeachment.
“At this point, I don’t expect the best out of this governor,” said New York Senator Samra Brouk. “That’s why i’m calling on all of us to use that power and get this man out of office.”