President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have called on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign following an investigation by the state attorney general’s office that found that he sexually harassed almost a dozen women, including employees in his office, and violated state and federal laws.
Cuomo was one of Biden’s political allies up until a series of sexual harassment allegations were made public earlier this year.
“I think he should resign,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.
Biden’s comments were the latest in a string of calls from Democratic members of Congress for Cuomo to resign.
Moments after the president spoke, New York state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who in March authorized the chamber to launch an impeachment investigation into Cuomo, said in a statement the probe would move forward.
“It is abundantly clear to me that the Governor has lost the confidence of the Assembly Democratic majority and that he can no longer remain in office. Once we receive all relevant documents and evidence from the Attorney General, we will move expeditiously and look to conclude our impeachment investigation as quickly as possible,” Heastie, a Democrat, said.
Earlier Tuesday Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, both New York Democrats, released a joint statement calling the allegations against Cuomo “profoundly disturbing, inappropriate and completely unacceptable.”
No elected official is above the law, they said, adding that “we continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a stament that “recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds, I call upon the Governor to resign.”
