Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday called for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign following a bombshell report released by the state attorney general that concluded he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women.
Pelosi previously stopped short of urging Cuomo to step down in the spring, even as other top Democrats called for his resignation. But Pelosi’s message Tuesday adds even more pressure for the beleaguered governor to resign.
“Under Attorney General Letitia James, a comprehensive and independent investigation into the allegations against Governor Cuomo has been completed,” Pelosi said in a statement. “As always, I commend the women who came forward to speak their truth.”
“Recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds, I call upon the governor to resign,” Pelosi concluded.
Pelosi said in March that “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.”
“So it would follow that if you have zero tolerance, that would be a decision that we hope the governor would make,” Pelosi said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” at the time.
Cuomo remained defiant Tuesday and maintained that he never acted inappropriately.
“First, I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances. I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am, and that’s not who I have ever been,” Cuomo said.
The investigation by the New York attorney general found that Cuomo and his aides retaliated against a former employee who came forward with allegations of sexual harassment.
James said Tuesday that the investigation involved speaking with 179 people, including 11 complainants, and reviewing 74,000 pieces of documentary evidence.
“These interviews and pieces of evidence reveal a deeply disturbing, yet clear picture: Gov. Cuomo sexually harassed current and former state employees in violation of both federal and state laws. The independent investigation found that Gov. Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, many of whom were young women, by engaging in unwanted groping, kisses, hugging and by making inappropriate comments,” James said.
Both of New York’s Democratic senators, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, renewed their calls earlier Tuesday for Cuomo to resign. Schumer and Gillibrand had urged Cuomo to resign in March.
“No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the governor should resign,” Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint statement.