New York Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D), the state’s longest-serving assemblyman, has joined the mounting calls for Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign amid dueling scandals — allegations of sexual harassment and his administration’s nursing home cover-up — stating he is “no longer the right governor for New York.”
“Multiple and growing credible allegations of sexual harassment and recent reports detailing the cover-up of the true COVID-19 death toll in nursing homes are extremely disturbing and make it clear that Governor Cuomo is no longer the right governor for New York,” Gottfried, who has been a member of the Assembly for more than 50 years, said this week.
“It is clear that it is best for Governor Cuomo to resign,” he said.
Dozens of lawmakers have since joined his call, releasing a joint statement calling for Cuomo’s resignation. The lawmakers cited Cuomo’s “admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths.” Because of that, they say, Cuomo has effectively “lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, rendering him ineffective in this time of most urgent need.” That is not to say, however, that they do not have faith in Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) independent investigation. They made it clear they are “fully confident” in her ability to investigate the situation “thoroughly.”
“[We] know that no change in state executive leadership will impede or affect her office’s important work. We are deeply grateful for her clear-eyed and unwavering leadership,” they wrote.
“In the meantime, the Governor needs to put the people of New York first. We have a Lieutenant Governor who can step in and lead for the remainder of the term, and this is what is best for New Yorkers in this critical time,” they continued. “It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign.”
The signers are as follows, per WIBV:
NYS Assembly
- Thomas Abinanti (D-Westchester)
- Khaleel Anderson (D-Queens)
- Brian Barnwell (D-Queens)
- Harry Bronson (D-Rochester)
- Kenny Burgos (D-Bronx)
- Patrick Burke (D-Buffalo)
- Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica)
- Robert Carroll (D-Brooklyn)
- Sarah Clark (D-Rochester)
- Catalina Cruz (D-Queens)
- Carmen De La Rosa (D-Manhattan)
- Simcha Eichenstein (D-Brooklyn)
- Harvey Epstein (D-Manhattan)
- Nathalia Fernandez (D-Bronx)
- Mathylde Frontus (D-Brooklyn)
- Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn)
- Jessica González-Rojas (D-Queens)
- Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan)
- Judy Griffin (D-Nassau)
- Aileen Gunther (D-Forestburgh)
- Andrew Hevesi (D-Queens)
- Jonathan Jacobson (D-Newburgh)
- Anna Kelles (D-Ithaca)
- Ron Kim (D-Queens)
- Jennifer Lunsford (D-Rochester)
- Zohran Mamdani (D-Queens)
- Marcela Mitaynes (D-Brooklyn)
- Yuh-Line Niou (D-Manhattan)
- Amy Paulin (D-Westchester)
- Victor Pichardo (D-Bronx)
- Dan Quart (D-Manhattan)
- Karines Reyes (D-Bronx)
- Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan)
- Daniel Rosenthal (D-Queens)
- Nily Rozic (D-Queens)
- Angelo Santabarbara (D-Schenectady)
- Amanda Septimo (D-Bronx)
- Jo Anne Simon (D-Brooklyn)
- Phara Souffrant Forest (D-Brooklyn)
- Carrie Woerner (D-Saratoga)
State Senators (D)
- Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx/Westchester)
- Jabari Brisport (D-Brooklyn)
- Samra Brouk (D-Rochester)
- Michael Gianaris (D-Queens)
- Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn)
- Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan)
- Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan)
- Brian Kavanagh (D-Brooklyn/Manhattan)
- John Liu (D-Queens)
- John Mannion (D-Syracuse)
- Rachel May (D-Syracuse)
- Shelley Mayer (D-Westchester)
- Jessica Ramos (D-Queens)
- Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Rockland/Westchester)
- Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx)
- Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn)
- James Sanders, Jr. (D-Queens)
- James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley)
- Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Queens)
State Senators (R)
- Republican Leader Robert Ortt (62nd District)
- Senator Fred Akshar (52nd District)
- Senator George Borrello (57th District)
- Senator Phil Boyle (4th District)
- Senator Patrick Gallivan (59th District)
- Senator Joseph Griffo (47th District)
- Senator Pamela Helming (54th District)
- Senator Daphne Jordan (43rd District)
- Senator Andrew Lanza (24th District)
- Senator Mike Martucci (42nd District)
- Senator Mario Mattera (2nd District)
- Senator Thomas O’Mara (58th District)
- Senator Peter Oberacker (51st District)
- Senator Anthony Palumbo (1st District)
- Senator Edward Rath III (61st District)
- Senator Patty Richie (48th District)
- Senator Sue Serino (41st District)
- Senator Daniel Stec (45th District)
- Senator James Tedisco (49th District)
- Senator Alexis Weik (3rd District)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called on Cuomo to step down on Thursday, telling reporters the governor “can no longer serve” in his role.
“The latest report…That the governor called an employee in of his, someone who he had power over, called them to a private place and then sexually assaulted her, is absolutely unacceptable,” de Blasio said of the latest accusation. “It is disgusting to me.”
Cuomo has consistently denied he inappropriately touched anyone, although he apologized last week for unintentionally acting in a way that “made people feel uncomfortable.”
“I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it, and frankly, I am embarrassed by it, and that’s not easy to say. But that’s the truth,” he said last week.
However, he has forcefully denied the latest allegation, telling NBC News, “As I said yesterday, I have never done anything like this.”
“The details of this report are gut-wrenching,” Cuomo continued. “I am not going to speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given the ongoing review, but I am confident in the result of the Attorney General’s report.”
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