‘Even his base is deserting him’: Majority of New Yorkers say Gov. Andrew Cuomo should resign amid sexual harassment scandal
59% of New Yorkers – including the majority of New York Democrats – think Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign from his position or be impeached if he refuses, following a probe into allegations of sexual harassment.
According to a poll by the Marist Institute of Public Opinion taken on Tuesday night – following the release of a damning report into allegations of sexual harassment – 59% of New Yorkers say Cuomo should either resign or be impeached.
Just 32% are in favor of the governor continuing his term after the investigation, which concluded that he sexually harassed 11 women.
Though Republicans are unsurprisingly the most opposed to Cuomo, 52% of registered Democrats in the state think he should resign, with 48% saying he should be impeached if he refuses.
At the same time, 44% of New Yorkers also believe Cuomo’s alleged actions were illegal, while 29% believe Cuomo did something unethical but not illegal. Just 7% of New Yorkers believe Cuomo did nothing wrong. The report itself described Cuomo’s behavior as “unlawful,” but said no decision was made as to whether the conduct “amounts to or should be the subject of criminal prosecution.”
Furthermore, a huge percentage of New Yorkers are against Cuomo running for another term in office next year, with just 11% in support of the governor running again.
In a statement, Marist Poll Director Dr. Lee M. Miringoff said, “The court of public opinion believes the allegations against Governor Cuomo warrant his removal from office.”
“Even if he survives this scandal, his reelection prospects are rock bottom with even his Democratic base deserting him,” Miringoff concluded.
The independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, released on Tuesday, concluded that the governor harassed 11 women, including government employees and a state trooper who was part of his security team.
Harassment included “unwelcome and nonconsensual touching” and inappropriate and “suggestive” comments, which created a “hostile work environment for women,” according to state Attorney General Letitia James.
Cuomo denied the allegations in a press conference, claiming to have “never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.”
In response to accusations of inappropriate and unwanted kissing, Cuomo argued that he “meant to convey warmth, nothing more,” and said there were “hundreds, if not thousands of photos” of him kissing people on the face.
“I do it with everyone. Black and white, young and old, straight and LGBTQ, powerful people, friends, strangers, people who I meet on the street,” Cuomo claimed, playing a montage of photos which showed him kissing various people.
Despite growing calls for his resignation – including from President Joe Biden and other major figures in the Democratic Party – Cuomo has so far refused.
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