US President Joe Biden has called on fellow Democrat and Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo to resign after an investigation indicted over the sexual harassment of 11 women. When asked if the governor should be impeached, Biden said, “I think he should resign". This is not the first time Biden had advised the governor to resign. In March, Biden said Cuomo should resign if the New York investigation confirmed the sexual misconduct allegations made against him. “I think he’ll probably end up being prosecuted, too,” Biden told ABC News.
The third-term governor who drew praises nationwide for his early pandemic response, denied inappropriate conduct and resisted immediate calls to quit after the probe found he harassed current and former New York state employees. “never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.” - Cuomo
He added that “I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am.” He said he would institute new sexual harassment policies for the state.
New York Attorney-General Letitia James who released the report on Tuesday, stated that Mr Cuomo had “sexually harassed current and former state employees in violation of both federal and state laws.
The independent investigation found that Mr Cuomo harassed multiple women, many of whom were young women, by engaging in unwanted groping, kisses, hugging and by making inappropriate comments.
In a video statement following James’s report, Cuomo said that he had not sexually harassed anyone and his actions with the 11 female accusers were portrayed incorrectly due to cultural and generational differences. He then went on to apologise to Charlotte Bennett, one of his accusers, whom the governor said he was trying to help.
Mr Cuomo also released a report on Tuesday that contains dozens of photos showing him touching and kissing numerous people, including Mr Biden. He also included a photo of former President Barack Obama hugging a Hurricane Sandy victim.
