New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigns after sexual harassment findings
- Cuomo had faced mounting pressure to step down after an independent investigation showed he had groped, kissed or made suggestive comments to multiple women
- Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will take over until the end of Cuomo’s term in December 2022, becoming the first woman to hold the post
In a televised, 20-minute address, Cuomo, 63, said his resignation would take effect in 14 days, a startling downfall for a man once seen as a possible US presidential contender.
A Democrat who had served since 2011 as governor of the fourth most-populous US state, Cuomo made the announcement a week after New York Attorney General Letitia James released the results of a five-month independent investigation that concluded he had engaged in conduct that violated US and state laws.
Cuomo again denied any wrongdoing, though he said he accepted “full responsibility” for offending the women through what he characterised as ill-conceived attempts to be affectionate or humorous.
He said he had concluded that fighting the accusations while remaining in office would paralyse state government and cost taxpayers millions of dollars at a time when the coronavirus pandemic still poses a major threat.