New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation on Tuesday, a week after independent investigators said he had sexually harassed multiple women, including former and current state employees.
In a televised message, the 63-year-old Democrat said his resignation will be effective in 14 days.
“When I took oath as Governor I became a fighter, but I became a fighter for you. And it is your best interest that I must serve. This situation by its current trajectory will generate months of political and legal controversy. That is what is going to happen.
“That is how the political wind is blowing. It will consume government. It will cost taxpayers millions of dollars, it will brutalise people,” he said referring to the sexual harassment allegations and case against him.
Cuomo said the State Assembly on Monday outlined the weeks of process that will then lead to months of litigation and “time and money that government should spend managing Covid, guarding against the Delta variant, reopening-up state, fighting gun violence, and saving New York City, all that time would be wasted.”
Cuomo said this is one of the “most challenging times” for government in a generation.
“Government really needs to function today. Government needs to perform. It is a matter of life and death and wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that State Government should be doing. And I cannot be the cause of that. New York tough means New York loving. And I love New York. And I love you. Everything I have ever done has been motivated by that love. And I would never want to be unhelpful in any way. I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing,” Cuomo said.
“Therefore that's what I'll do because I work for you and doing the right thing is doing the right thing for you,” he added. He said the transition must be seamless and his lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul “can come up to speed quickly.”
