De Blasio blasts Cuomo over investigation: He should resign or be impeached

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign on Tuesday after an investigation found Cuomo sexually harassed 11 different women, some of whom worked in his office, and violated other state and federal laws.

“It is beyond clear that Andrew Cuomo is not fit to hold office and can no longer serve as Governor. He must resign, and if he continues to resist and attack the investigators who did their jobs, he should be impeached immediately,” de Blasio wrote in a statement.

He said the revelations from the investigation, launched by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), are “disqualifying.”

“The Attorney General’s detailed and thorough report substantiates many disturbing instances of severe misconduct. Andrew Cuomo committed sexual assault and sexual harassment, and intimidated a whistleblower. It is disqualifying,” de Blasio said.

James on Tuesday morning released the findings from the independent inquiry, which concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women and retaliated, along with his aides, against a former employee who came forward with her story.

“The independent investigation has concluded that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, and in doing so violated federal and state law,” James said at a press conference. 

“Specifically, the investigation found that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed current and former New York state employees by engaging in unwelcome and nonconsensual touching and making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women,” she added.

The attorney general began the investigation after a number of women accused the governor of sexual misconduct, including groping, unwanted kissing and inappropriate comments in the workplace.

A number of Democratic lawmakers, both in Congress and the New York State Assembly, are now calling for Cuomo to resign.

House Democratic Conference Chair Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) and Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) issued a joint statement on Tuesday, following the release of the investigation’s findings, writing that “the time is right” for Cuomo to resign.

With that statement, all 19 of the congressional Democrats representing New York have officially called for Cuomo’s resignation. The majority of the group signed on to a letter in March calling on the governor to resign.

Some Democratic lawmakers, including state Assembly Members Emily Gallagher and Zohran Mamdani, are calling on Cuomo to be impeached.

He is currently the subject of an impeachment inquiry in the state assembly, which is looking into allegations of sexual harassment made against the governor in addition to accusations related to his administration’s handling of data on coronavirus deaths in nursing homes.