Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York announced his resignation on Tuesday, facing possible impeachment over sexual harassment claims from 11 women and rising pressure from other Democrats.
Cuomo, who was praised a year ago for his management of the coronavirus pandemic before getting engulfed in sexual harassment charges and accusations that he covered up the number of Covid deaths in nursing homes, has had a remarkable fall from grace.
He hails from a family that is as close to political royalty as the state gets—his father Mario served three terms as governor, and his brother Chris is a CNN star host—but he will leave office in two weeks.
“I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to government,” Cuomo said in a live televised address.
“My resignation will be effective in 14 days.”
Cuomo will relinquish control of the nation’s fourth-largest state to Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat who will become New York’s first female governor.
He has rejected the sexual harassment allegations detailed in an explosive report released by the office of state Attorney General Letitia James last week.
