Democrats call on Gov. Cuomo to resign after sexual harassment report
Fox News congressional correspondent Chad Pergram has the details on 'Your World'
After investigating multiple complaints against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo alleging sexual assault, sexual harassment, and the facilitation of a toxic workplace, the Attorney General of New York Lettitia James announced that she found that a "deeply disturbing" pattern involving sexual harassment and retaliation. James stated several times that Cuomo’s conduct violated state and federal laws.
Cuomo’s response was to tape a statement mansplaining to New York and the country that all his accusers are liars, naïve or confused women, while complaining about media coverage, "generational" and "cultural" communication issues, and insists some of the women heard things he did not say.
After a massive 5-month investigation involving interviewing 179 people, including an 11-hour interview with Cuomo, the independent investigators came to a different conclusion. The 165-page report is a scathing indictment stating Cuomo had created a "hostile work environment… rife with fear and intimidation."
This is a man who, according to the report, had a state worker sit on his lap during a meeting, inappropriately touched a state trooper, and allegedly sexually assaulted a woman by shoving his hands up her blouse to grope her breasts.
CUOMO SEXUALLY HARASSED MULTIPLE WOMEN IN VIOLATION OF STATE AND FEDERAL LAW, NY AG FINDS
The investigators found his alleged behavior wasn’t just ethics violations, but in fact violations of state and federal law.
And then, inexplicably, James announced that the whole matter was "closed," commenting that the victims could pursue civil cases. While this is a position many will question, if the accusers do pursue that avenue, it is likely Cuomo will enjoy legal representation paid for by the people of New York and has many resources to make the lives of these women more than uncomfortable.
Make no mistake, the response by Cuomo was another effort to intimidate and frighten the people who have dared to have the courage to look that smug brute in the face and speak the truth.
Moreover, this report doesn’t constitute a formal legal finding of guilt, it is not an indictment, but many believe the findings of her own investigators would at least compel the attorney general’s office to establish a formal criminal investigation.
In the meantime, the "Love Guv," as he has been approvingly dubbed by his own brother and some supporters, issued a taped response not to express his shame and remorse, but to attack the accusers.
REP. ELISE STEFANIK CALLS FOR GOV. CUOMO'S RESIGNATION AND IMMEDIATE ARREST
In the midst of his patronizing finger-pointing, self-pity, and complaints about how hard this has been on his family, he also had the gall to say the complaints made by the victims are an insult to women who’ve actually been sexually harassed.
Make no mistake, this response by Cuomo was another effort to intimidate and frighten the people who have dared to have the courage to look that smug brute in the face and speak the truth.
The report is being released publicly and details behavior of a man who’s gotten away with everything for a very long time. He clearly still expects to get away with everything. His strategy is to frighten and intimidate people. That is the specialty of abusers everywhere; it is the tactic of all bullies, thugs, and brutes.
More from Opinion
- Janice Dean: Cuomo sexual harassment probe – governor plays the victim but it's high time for him to go
- Jonathan Turley: Cuomo sexual harassment accusations – governor now looking at years as a serial defendant
- Karol Markowicz: Cuomo sexual harassment probe -- what will it take for corrupt governor to finally quit?
There had been a federal investigation underway examining Cuomo’s obscene nursing home policy placing COVID-infected patients into nursing homes and the deaths of 15,000 people linked to that policy. Last week the Biden Justice Department announced they were dropping that investigation.
The state of New York is investigating several issues related to the possible impeachment of Mr. Cuomo, including the nursing home mass death, ethics violations involving his COVID book deal, preferential COVID testing for his family and friends, and the sexual harassment allegations.
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This catastrophe reminds us that brutes and grifters in public service aren’t just an embarrassment, they’re dangerous.
Their contempt for the people manifesting through a malignantly narcissist worldview affects all actions. With Cuomo, you see a spectrum of corrupt behavior and decision-making destroying not just the personal and emotional safety of people in his sphere, but on that also develops into policy that costs lives.
This isn’t surprising. With malignant narcissists, no one else matters, and what you do to people is of no consequence.
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The last place people like this should be is in control of anyone else’s life.
Someone like Cuomo will never resign. The Democrat Assembly in New York must impeach him. And the rest of us must remember the damage that a menace like Cuomo can inflict if allowed to continue in office.
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