De Blasio says Cuomo resignation is 'for the good of all New York'

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday said the resignation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, with whom he had clashed frequently, was "past time" and "for the good of all New York" – moments after the embattled governor announced he will step aside in two weeks.

"Make no mistake, this is the result of survivors bravely telling their stories," de Blasio said. "It was past time for Andrew Cuomo to resign and it’s for the good of all New York."

NY GOV. CUOMO RESIGNS AMID SEXUAL HARASSMENT SCANDAL

Cuomo announced his resignation as he continued to be besieged by political pressure amid the fallout from state Attorney General Letitia James’ damning report on sexual harassment claims against the governor. The 165-page report, which included interviews with 179 people, found that Cuomo harassed current and former staff members from 2013 to 2020.

Allegations of misconduct first emerged in late February when former aide Lindsey Boylan accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. Since then, the allegations against him mounted up and triggered the investigation.

The women accused Cuomo of making inappropriate sexual comments and engaging in unwanted touching, the most egregious being from an anonymous executive assistant who claims that he invited her to his residence and groped her breast under her blouse. 

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Cuomo denied the allegations and had resisted calls to resign, both when the allegations emerged earlier in the year and since the publication of the report. But with overwhelming pressure from fellow Democrats, including de Blasio, and an impeachment probe brewing, Cuomo said at a press conference Tuesday he would step down.

"New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York and I love you," Cuomo said. "I would never want to be unhelpful in any way, and I think given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing, and therefore, that’s what I’ll do."

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He also apologized for his conduct while claiming he had never "crossed the line."

"In my mind, I've never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn't realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn," he added. "There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn't fully appreciate. And I should have, no excuses."

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Cuomo said he will step down in 14 days and be replaced by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.

De Blasio and Cuomo had clashed on a number of issues in recent years, on everything from policing to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. De Blasio had first called for Cuomo to resign in March and had expressed his support then for an impeachment proceeding if he refused to step aside.

Fox News' Melissa Gaffney, Jessica Chasmar and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.