Cuomo 'must resign' in the wake of allegations, State Senate leader says 

ALBANY — The majority leader of the State Senate called for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to resign as he faced fresh allegations of sexual harassment on Sunday, while another leader of Cuomo's party, the speaker of the State Assembly, told the third-term governor to strongly consider quitting.

The explicit call for Cuomo to resign from State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and request that he consider resigning from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, came as two more women accused the governor of toxic workplace conduct in published reports over the weekend.

Both Stewart-Cousins and Heastie are Democrats, as is Cuomo, and the moves by the most powerful members of the governor's party in the State Legislature increased the pressure on him as he faces a wave of allegations pertaining to his workplace conduct and his administration's handling of nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Every day there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government," said Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers), the highest ranking woman in state government. "We have allegations about sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the COVID-19 nursing home data ...

"New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction," she added. "For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign."

Heastie (D-Bronx) followed with a statement urging Cuomo to consider resigning.

"The allegations pertaining to the governor that have been reported in recent weeks have been deeply disturbing, and have no place whatsoever in government, the workplace or anywhere else," Heastie said. "I too share the sentiment of Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins regarding the Governor's ability to continue to lead this state. We have many challenges to address, and I think it is time for the governor to seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York."

Deputy State Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) tweeted that he stood with Stewart-Cousins' call, "so we can move our state forward."

Also Sunday, Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Liz Krueger, a top-ranking Democrat who sponsored many of the state's toughest sexual harassment laws, called for Cuomo to resign.

"Our state is rightly crying out for truthful, transparent government," Krueger (D-Manhattan) said. "The people's business is too pressing to continue to be derailed in this way."

About two hours earlier, Cuomo refused to consider resignation.

"There is no way that I resign," Cuomo said in a Sunday conference call with reporters.

On Saturday, a Washington Post article detailed accusations from former aides who said Cuomo fostered a toxic workplace during his time as governor and as secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under former President Bill Clinton.

The Washington Post report, published online Saturday, cited anonymous former aides who said he had berated them and bullied staffers.

A former communications adviser to Cuomo when he served in the Cabinet-level position, Karen Hinton, said she had been invited to his hotel room, where he asked questions about her marriage. As she left the room, she said, the governor embraced her in a fashion that Hinton said was "too long, too tight, too intimate."

Hinton said Cuomo then pulled her "back for another intimate embrace." She said the move was a "'power play' for 'manipulation and control,'" according to the Washington Post story.

Cuomo denied Hinton's account on Sunday, saying "what she said is not true." He also called her a "longtime political adversary of mine."

In a text message to Newsday, Hinton said: "Truth is the 'longtime adversary' that Cuomo fears the most."

In a story published Saturday, Ana Liss, a former policy aide for Cuomo between 2013 and 2015, said the governor called her "sweetheart," kissed her hand and asked personal questions including whether she had a boyfriend.

Liss said while working an event at the governor's Executive Mansion in Albany, Cuomo spotted her and said "Hey, sweetheart," before giving her a hug, kissing her on both cheeks, and posing for a photograph. The picture captured his hand around her waist.

Liss said she never filed a formal complaint against Cuomo, according to the article, but she asked for a transfer to another office.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday did not answer a question about whether he thinks Cuomo should resign in light of the allegations.

"The allegations of each of the women has to be taken seriously. They're deeply troubling," Schumer said at a news conference in Manhattan.

Schumer expressed confidence in New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo.

"I believe that she will turn over every stone, and I believe that she will make sure there's no outside interference, political or otherwise," Schumer said of James.

Cuomo has also faced accusations from two former staffers and a third woman.

In December, former adviser Lindsey Boylan, 36, first alleged that Cuomo sexually harassed her, writing later that he kissed her on the lips at the end of a government meeting and suggested they play strip poker.

In February, former aide Charlotte Bennett, 25, told The New York Times that Cuomo, 63, made inappropriate comments to her including asking whether she ever had sex with an older man.

A third woman, Anna Ruch, 33, said Cuomo at a wedding of one of his staffers touched her face and asked if they could kiss. Ruch hadn't worked for Cuomo.

Last week, Cuomo denied inappropriately touching or harassing anyone, although he said hugging and kissing is part of his "way" with people.

He said it was the same style used by his father, former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, more than 25 years ago. Cuomo said he has since learned that he needs to change his ways because that behavior can make women uncomfortable.

"I never knew at the time I was making anyone feel uncomfortable, and I certainly never meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone, or cause anyone any pain," Cuomo said.

Richard Azzopardi, senior adviser to Cuomo, said in a statement earlier Sunday: "Reporters and photographers have covered the governor for 14 years watching him kiss men and women and posing for pictures. At the public open house mansion‎ reception there are hundreds of people and he poses for hundreds of pictures. That's what people in politics do."

Cuomo has already faced a call to resign from Rep. Kathleen Rice (D- Garden City), who last week tweeted: "The Time has Come. The Governor must resign."

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), asked about the latest allegations and whether he believed Cuomo should step down, said in a statement Sunday: "The newest claims of sexual harassment by the Governor continue to be deeply troubling and demand an independent and thorough investigation by the Attorney General. It is best to hear from all parties in a formal process and then determine what next steps should be taken."

Cuomo's administration has also been under intense scrutiny after allegations it failed to adequately disclose the number of nursing home patients who died during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, Cuomo's administration confirmed news reports it had withheld data in a report provided to the State Legislature and to the public on the deaths of nursing home residents in hospitals last summer. The administration defended the decision, saying the data had yet to be confirmed as accurate.

In January, a report from State Attorney General Letitia James found the Cuomo administration had undercounted the number of nursing home resident deaths by as much as 50%.

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the matter.

Jay Jacobs, state and Nassau County party chairman, declined to comment earlier on Sunday.

Long Island's five Democratic state senators did not immediately respond to Newsday's requests for comment on Sunday. The delegation is Todd Kaminsky, of Long Beach; Jim Gaughran, of Northport; Kevin Thomas, of Levittown; Anna Kaplan, of Great Neck; and John Brooks, of Seaford.

Cuomo vowed to continue governing the state as James conducts her review.

"I'm not going to be distracted by this, either. We have to get a budget done in three weeks," he said. "We have a lot of work to do for this state, this is not about me and accusations about me … This is about doing the people's business. And this next six months I believe will determine the future trajectory for New York State."