Skip to content

Republish This Story

* Please read before republishing *

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons license as long as you follow our republishing guidelines, which require that you credit The 19th and retain our pixel. See our full guidelines for more information.

To republish, simply copy the HTML at right, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to The 19th. Have questions? Please email [email protected].

— The Editors

Loading...

Modal Gallery

/

Menu

  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Latest Stories
  • Upcoming Events
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Work With Us
  • Fellowships
    • From the Collection

      Changing Child Care

      Illustration of a woman feeding a baby a bottle
      • As climate change worsens hurricane season in Louisiana, doulas are ensuring parents can safely feed their babies

        Jessica Kutz · May 5
      • Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito argued abortion isn’t an economic issue. But is that true?

        Chabeli Carrazana · May 4
      • Pregnant people are at 'greater risk' in states hit hard by wildfire smoke, air pollution, new report shows

        Jessica Kutz · April 20
    • From the Collection

      Next-Gen GOP

      Illustration of a woman riding an elephant
      • Mayra Flores’ victory set a record for women in Congress. It also reflects the growing visibility of Republican Latinas

        Candice Norwood · June 21
      • A banner year for Republican women

        Amanda Becker · November 11
      • Republican women could double representation in the U.S. House

        Amanda Becker · November 4
    • From the Collection

      On The Rise

      Illustration of three women marching
      • Biden’s new environmental justice office aims to tackle the health impacts disproportionately faced by people of color

        Jessica Kutz · June 2
      • Jessica Cisneros takes on the last anti-abortion U.S. House Democrat

        Amanda Becker · February 25
      • Meet J. Michelle Childs, South Carolina judge and possible Supreme Court contender

        Candice Norwood · February 18
    • From the Collection

      Pandemic Within a Pandemic

      Illustration of four people marching for Black Lives Matter with coronavirus as the backdrop
      • Some LGBTQ+ people worry that the COVID-19 vaccine will affect HIV medication. It won’t.

        Orion Rummler · November 23
      • Why are more men dying from COVID? It’s a complicated story of nature vs. nurture, researchers say

        Mariel Padilla · September 22
      • Few incarcerated women were released during COVID. The ones who remain have struggled.

        Candice Norwood · August 17
    • From the Collection

      Portraits of a Pandemic

      Illustration of a woman wearing a mask and holding up the coronavirus
      • For family caregivers, COVID is a mental health crisis in the making

        Shefali Luthra · October 8
      • A new database tracks COVID-19’s effects on sex and gender

        Shefali Luthra · September 15
      • Pregnant in a pandemic: The 'perfect storm for a crisis'

        Shefali Luthra · August 25
    • From the Collection

      The 19th Explains

      People walking from many articles to one article where they can get the context they need on an issue.
      • The 19th Explains: How pregnant people can prepare for a summer of heat waves

        Jessica Kutz · June 17
      • The 19th Explains: How new Title IX guidelines on sexual misconduct may give more help to survivors

        Nadra Nittle · June 14
      • The 19th Explains: How would overturning Roe v. Wade affect IVF?

        Jennifer Gerson · May 27
    • From the Collection

      The Electability Myth

      Illustration of three women speaking at podiums
      • Mayra Flores’ victory set a record for women in Congress. It also reflects the growing visibility of Republican Latinas

        Candice Norwood · June 21
      • Stepping in after tragedy: How political wives became widow lawmakers

        Mariel Padilla · May 24
      • Do term limits help women candidates? New York could be a new testing ground

        Barbara Rodriguez · January 11
    • From the Collection

      The Impact of Aging

      A number of older people walking down a path of information.
      • 'I'm planning on working until the day I die': Older women voters are worried about the future

        Mariel Padilla · June 3
      • Climate change is forcing care workers to act as first responders

        Jessica Kutz · May 31
      • Woman alleges that an assisted living facility denied her admission because she is transgender

        Sara Luterman · November 8
    • From the Collection

      Voting Rights

      A series of hands reaching for ballots.
      • Florida’s redistricting fight continues. The head of the state League of Women Voters talks about what’s at stake.

        Barbara Rodriguez · April 19
      • Women have been sounding the alarm ahead of Texas’ first-in-the-nation primary

        Barbara Rodriguez · February 28
      • LGBTQ+ people of color are at risk from rising voter restrictions as federal protections falter in the Senate, advocates say

        Orion Rummler · January 19

    View all collections

  • Explore by Topic

    • Abortion
    • Business & Economy
    • Caregiving
    • Coronavirus
    • Education
    • Election 2020
    • Elections 2022
    • Environment & Climate
    • Health
    • Immigration
    • Inside The 19th
    • Justice
    • LGBTQ+
    • Politics
    • Race
    • Sports
    • Technology

    View All Topics

Home
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Latest Stories
  • Upcoming Events
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Work With Us
  • Fellowships

We’re an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy. Read our story.

Support The 19th

As a nonprofit newsroom, members are critical to our sustainability. Your financial support helps make our journalism possible.

Become a Member

Donate to support our mission

The 19th thanks our sponsors. Become one.

Andrew Cuomo press briefing
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gives a briefing in New York City on July 23. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

Politics

Andrew Cuomo allegations and investigations: What we know

 The New York governor faces calls for his resignation amid allegations of harassment. He denies wrongdoing.

Alexa Mikhail

Fellow

Published

2021-03-12 16:39
4:39
March 12, 2021
pm

Updated

2021-03-12 17:05:10.000000

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email

Both U.S. senators from New York and at least 14 Democratic members of the state’s U.S. House delegation have joined calls for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign amid allegations that he sexually harassed women, created a toxic workplace and mishandled the coronavirus pandemic in the state’s nursing homes. He has denied wrongdoing. 

“Due to the multiple, credible sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, it is clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners and the people of New York,” Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said in a joint statement late Friday afternoon. “Governor Cuomo should resign.”

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman released a joint statement earlier Friday, saying Cuomo “can no longer effectively lead in the face of so many challenges.” Before Friday, only one House Democrat from New York, Kathleen Rice, had called for Cuomo’s resignation. 

The 19th thanks our sponsors. Become one.

Here’s what we know about the accusations against the 63-year-old New York governor and the response so far: 

The accusations

Other elected officials have cited two main reasons for calling for the governor to resign: accusations of harassment and accusations that he misreported nursing home covid-19 data. Cuomo has denied allegations of harassment but admitted to “withholding” nursing home death data. 

The most recent allegation of harassment is from an unidentified aide to Cuomo. The Times Union of Albany reported this week that the aide told another employee that the governor groped her at his mansion last year. Cuomo has also been accused by a former aide of kissing her nonconsensually and by another of asking personal questions about dating and sex. Other women, specifically younger women, told the New York Times that Cuomo’s executive office was “chaotic, unprofessional and toxic.” 

In a news conference Friday, Cuomo denied all allegations and said he would not resign. 

A newsletter you can relate to

Storytelling that represents you, delivered to your inbox.

You have been subscribed!

Submitting…

Uh-oh! Something went wrong. Please try again later.

“I never harassed anyone. I never abused anyone. I never assaulted anyone, and I never would,” Cuomo said. “People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture and the truth.” While denying claims of harassment, he previously said his actions could have been seen by others as “unwanted flirtation.”

The other major issue Cuomo is facing is criticism of his handling of the spread of COVID-19 in the state’s nursing homes. Last month, Cuomo admitted that a top aide had knowingly withheld nursing home data. It also became clear that Cuomo gave the green light for already overwhelmed nursing homes to admit COVID-19 positive patients. 

The reaction

The calls for Cuomo to resign have been growing in recent weeks, with Schumer and Gillibrand the latest to add their voices on Friday. 

Along with Rice, Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman, the other Democrats in New York’s congressional delegation to say he should step down are Reps. Jerry Nadler, Yvette Clarke, Antonio Delgado, Adriano Espaillat, Brian Higgins, Mondaire Jones, Carolyn Maloney, Sean Patrick Maloney, Grace Meng, Paul Tonko and Nydia M. Velázquez, according to the New York Times. 

“Gov. Cuomo has lost the confidence of the people of New York,” Nadler, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. “Gov. Cuomo must resign.” 

Fifty-nine Democratic state leaders issued a joint statement Thursday saying they have lost trust in Cuomo’s leadership and calling on him to step down. 

“As legislators and as New Yorkers we all must decide what is best for the future of New York State,” the statement read. “The budget, the fight against COVID-19, and restarting the economy all demand clear and trustworthy leadership. In light of the Governor’s admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, rendering him ineffective in this time of most urgent need.” 

Additionally, roughly 20 Republican state senators and 38 Republicans in the assembly have called for his resignation. 

If Cuomo resigns or is impeached, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul would step in to take his place until the end of his term, which lasts until the end of 2022, according to the New York State Constitution. 

The investigations

Cuomo agreed to refer the accusations to the office of the state attorney general, Letitia James, who has appointed two lead attorneys to the investigation. 

“We are committed to an independent and thorough investigation of the facts,” a statement read. “This work will be comprised of — but not limited to — issuing subpoenas and related compliance; examination of relevant documents and records; interviews, including formal depositions; and analysis of data and information pertinent to the investigation.”

On Thursday, the New York Assembly authorized an impeachment investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations, independent from James’ investigation. 

The Assembly’s Judiciary Committee “will have the authority to interview witnesses, subpoena documents and evaluate evidence, as is allowed by the New York State Constitution,” said Carl Heastie, speaker of the New York State Assembly. 

Cuomo has urged people to wait for the results of the investigation, and some other elected officials who have not called on him to resign have said the same.

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email

Support The 19th

As a nonprofit newsroom, members are critical to our sustainability. Your financial support helps make our journalism possible.

Become a Member

Donate to support our mission

Up Next

New York Cares volunteers work with a local non-profit organization to distribute toys and winter coats in Corona, Queens.

Business & Economy

The relief bill set to be signed by Biden could take a huge — if temporary — bite out of child poverty

About half of all Black and Latinx children would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit, which is also expected to help women return to work by providing funds for child care. 

Read the Story

The 19th
The 19th is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our stories are free to republish in accordance with these guidelines.

  • Donate
  • Subscribe to the Newsletter
  • Attend an Event
  • Jobs
  • Fellowships
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Community Guidelines
  • Membership
  • Membership FAQ
  • Major Gifts
  • Sponsorship
  • Privacy
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram