Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday edged closer to calling on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign in the face of sexual harassment allegations, telling MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” the party had “zero tolerance” for the kind of behavior he is accused of.
“We have zero tolerance for the behavior that is alleged against the governor, and again, I think he is a supporter of zero tolerance in terms of sexual harassment,” Pelosi said in response to a direct question about whether he should resign.
“So it would follow that if you have zero tolerance, that would be a decision that we hope the governor would make,” she added.
On Sunday, Pelosi said Cuomo should “look inside his heart” to “see if he can govern effectively,” in an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”
At least seven women have come forward against Cuomo in recent weeks alleging that the governor made them feel uncomfortable, sometimes while on the job. The most serious allegation that he groped an unnamed aide in the executive mansion has been referred to the Albany Police Department.
Cuomo has denied the allegations, but has since faced calls to resign from dozens of lawmakers, including New York Sens. Charles Schumer (D)and Kirsten Gillibrand (D).
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) is investigating the allegations against Cuomo.
President Biden said during an interview on ABC News on Tuesday that Cuomo should resign if the investigation proves the allegations were true.
Pelosi told “Morning Joe” that the situation is “heartbreaking.”
“People have to unlearn some bad behavior in order to learn how we should go forward,” she said. “And again, if these allegations are proven to be true, then zero-tolerance would follow that the governor should not continue.”