New York Governor Andrew Cuomo remained defiant against growing calls for his resignation, saying he’ll not quit his job because of “allegations” of misbehavior with women.
“I am not going to resign because of allegations,” Cuomo said Sunday on a call with reporters. “There is no way I resign.”
Cuomo, a third-term Democrat, now faces claims of impropriety from five women, after disclosures from two more aides were reported over the weekend by the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. The governor said he’ll let state Attorney General Letitia James complete her investigation and urged others to wait before passing judgment.
The governor repeated his statement from last week that every woman has a right to come forward.
But while has apologized for his behavior with other women having been “misconstrued,” he flatly denied claims by former press aide Karen Hinton as “not true.” Cuomo noted that she has been a “long-time political adversary.” Hinton has said the governor embraced her in a hotel room in 2000.
Ana Liss, a former police and operations aide, said Cuomo asked her if she had a boyfriend, called her sweetheart, touched her on her lower back at a reception, and once kissed her hand when she rose from her desk.
Cuomo, in response, told reporters he often has “friendly banter” with people in his office.
“I never meant to make anyone feel uncomfortable,” he said. “I am not going to be distracted because there is too much to do,” he added.
Some Democratic state lawmakers have called for Cuomo’s resignation, along with one Democratic member of Congress from New York.
But Democratic leadership, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and others, have pledged to wait for the results of James’s investigation before rendering judgment. That sentiment was joined Sunday by Hazel N. Dukes, president of the NACCP New York conference.
Source: Newmax
