De Blasio: If Cuomo accusations are true, 'he can't govern'
'These are very serious allegations against the governor,' NYC mayor says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio continued to speak out against Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday in the wake of multiple scandals, calling into question Cuomo's ability to do his job.
Three women have come forward with allegations that Cuomo acted inappropriately toward them, including two former staffers who accused him of sexual harassment. The allegations came as Cuomo was already facing criticism from Republicans and Democrats over his handling of nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"These are very serious allegations against the governor, both in terms of the nursing home scandal and in terms of sexual harassment," de Blasio said. "If these allegations are true, he can not govern, he would not be able to govern. It's as simple as that. "You have to have trust from the people, and if you can't maintain that trust you can't govern."
Cuomo's office did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for a response to these comments.
While Cuomo's office denied the first set of allegations leveled against him by former staffer Lindsey Boylan, the governor personally responded to former adviser Charlotte Bennett's allegations by admitting that while at work he likes to "make jokes that I think are funny," and has "teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CUOMO ‘FAILED’ TO HOLD HIMSELF TO HIGH STANDARD IF ALLEGATIONS TRUE, NY ASSEMBLY’S DEM LEADER SAYS
Cuomo insisted that he never meant to offend anyone, but recognized that comments he has made "have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation."
De Blasio was not satisfied with the governor's statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"That was a non-apology and it belittled what had happened and I found it unacceptable," the mayor said.
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Later in the news conference, De Blasio said the focus needs to be on combatting the coronavirus pandemic in the city and state, and that it would be easier to do this if Cuomo no longer had his broad emergency powers. State lawmakers have also called for Cuomo to be stripped of those powers in the wake of the nursing home scandal.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"A way to move everything forward is to restore local control. It should not be all in the hands of one person, and we're getting a real object lesson for that right now," de Blasio said. "If you put too much power in one person’s hands, bad things happen."