New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday that he will resign from his job as governor of New York amid explosive results revealed in an independent report on sexual harassment claims against him. Even though he still denies any wrongdoing, his resignation is final and will be effective in 14 days.

Cuomo and his outside counsel Rita Galvin have said that Attorney General Letitia James‘ report feels more like a political smear campaign than an objective investigation.

Cuomo took the time to apologize to the 11 women who claimed he harassed them.

“The report said I sexually harrassed 11 women. That was the headline people heard and saw and reacted to it. The reaction was outrage. It should have been. However, it was also false,” he said at a press conference earlier today.

He condemned the report for not having any “credible factual basis.” He drew a fine line between improper conduct and sexual harassment. If he is guilty of anything, he said that it is more likely improper conduct rather than sexual harassment.

“This is not to say there are not 11 women who I truly offended,” he said. “There are. And for that, I deeply, deeply apologize.”

The governor said that the government should continue to function despite the distractions derived from the harassment allegations.

Many of his supporters, including his aides, have also cut ties with him. His top aide, Melissa DeRosa, resigned yesterday.

Cuomo’s resignation prevents him from being impeached. In that case, he would have been only the second New York governor to be impeached. Gov. William Sulzer was impeached in 1913. Cuomo is the ninth governor to resign since 1817.

Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who has around two decades of experience in New York politics, will be the 57th governor of New York.