 | | Lindsey Boylan was the first woman to accuse Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment in December.Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Associated Press |
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"I believe women. And I believe these 11 women." |
— New York State Attorney General Letitia James |
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday that he would resign amid a growing sexual harassment scandal — a stunning reversal of fortune for one of the nation's best-known leaders who, just a year ago, was hailed as a hero for his leadership during the pandemic. |
His announcement came a week after a report from the New York State attorney general, Letitia James, concluded that he had sexually harassed nearly a dozen women, spurring calls for his resignation from a string of Democratic leaders, including President Biden. |
The attorney general's 165-page report found that Mr. Cuomo had engaged in unwanted touching and had made inappropriate comments toward current and former government workers, creating a work culture that was rife with fear and intimidation. The report also detailed how a network of his associates, including former aides and close allies, had engaged in unlawful retaliation against Lindsey Boylan, the first of 11 women to accuse the governor of sexual harassment. |
On Tuesday, after Mr. Cuomo announced his resignation, Ms. Boylan thanked the attorney general and investigators, and said that she was "in awe of the strength of the other women who risked everything to come forward." |
"My hope always has been that this will make it safer for other women to report their own harassment and abuse," she added. "I will continue the fight to make that happen." |
Last week, Mr. Cuomo responded to the attorney general's findings with a 14-minute prerecorded statement denying most of the report's serious findings and presenting a slide show of images that showed him kissing and hugging many people, from Robert De Niro to young children. During the presentation, he said that he touched everyone to "convey warmth" and that his comments were just "banter." |
But he succumbed to the pressure as he grew increasingly isolated and faced the specter of a forced removal from office through impeachment. |
Even as he announced his resignation, he struck a defiant tone. "In my mind, I have never crossed the line with anyone," Mr. Cuomo said. "But I didn't realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn." |
Ms. James, however, characterized his behavior in sharper terms: "What this investigation revealed was a disturbing pattern of conduct by the governor of the great state of New York and those who basically did not put in place any protocols or procedures to protect these young women who believed in public service," she said when revealing the findings of the investigation into his behavior. |
"I believe women. And I believe these 11 women," she added. |
Follow live updates on this developing story here. |
Kathy Hochul Steps Into the Limelight |
 | | Kathy Hochul, 62, is poised to replace Gov. Andrew Cuomo, becoming the first woman to lead New York State.Seth Wenig/Associated Press |
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In 14 days, once Mr. Cuomo's resignation goes into effect, Kathy Hochul, his lieutenant governor, will become the first woman to serve as governor of New York State — a remarkable rise for someone who has largely toiled in obscurity since joining Mr. Cuomo's team in 2014. |
In many ways, Ms. Hochul's style is the polar opposite of Mr. Cuomo's. The outgoing governor has a long and deserved reputation for governing by brute force and fear, alienating countless people through his tactics. Ms. Hochul, in contrast, has established deep reservoirs of political good will, spending much of her tenure on the road, highlighting the administration's agenda and engaging in extensive on-the-ground politicking. |
She has taken pride in visiting each of New York's 62 counties each year and has friends across the state. She is a practiced and popular retail politician who seems to take genuine delight in meeting people, and has always been this way, said former U.S. Representative John J. LaFalce, for whom Ms. Hochul worked in the 1980s. |
"More than anything else, she was tenacious," said Mr. LaFalce, who became Ms. Hochul's political mentor. "She just turned the stone as many ways as you could to see what was underneath it and she didn't let it go. By the same token, she was probably the most popular person in the office." |
Read more about New York's next governor here. |
In Her Words is written by Alisha Haridasani Gupta and edited by Francesca Donner. Our art director is Catherine Gilmore-Barnes, and our photo editor is Maura Foley. |
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