New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said Monday on CNN’s “The Lead” that if the allegations of sexual harassment from two former aides were proven or his administration is found to have intentionally withheld data on COVID-19 nursing home deaths, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) should resign.
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “Governor Cuomo has denied the first accuser’s allegations. He has not denied the second accusers. To be clear, you believe both women?”
De Blasio said, “Yes, Jake, and we have to. We have to believe women who come forward and fully investigate. And, you know, the governor issued a total non-apology earlier and, in effect, treated sexual harassment as some kind of laughing matter. It’s not a laughing matter. It’s not a joke. It’s very, very serious stuff. We need a full investigation. It proves that these allegations are true, how can someone lead a state if they’ve done these kinds of things?”
He continued, “When I read the account of what Charlotte Bennett went through, I cringed. I had a feeling of like the pain, the terror she must have been going through. Here is someone who could determine whether she has a job or not, whether she has a career or not, literally suggesting in front of her all sorts of perverse sexual possibilities, and she’s alone in a room with him? Think about how grotesque that is. You’re right. I don’t know anyone who would do that. This is not acceptable. It wasn’t acceptable ever. It’s especially not acceptable in 2021 in the United States of America. It cannot be laughed off. It cannot be minimized. We need to follow the facts on this case. And think about the ramification of the nursing home scandal. Thousands of lives lost. We still don’t know why. We still don’t know how much of the truth was covered up. We still don’t know how much of it might have been because of the influence of campaign contributions from the nursing home industry, a very powerful industry. There is so much that needs to be uncovered here.”
Tapper asked, “If that investigation confirms any of the women’s claims or there’s some other investigation, the FBI or whatever, into the nursing home data scandal, any of that is confirmed, do you think Governor Cuomo needs to resign?”
De Blasio said, “I don’t see how anyone can function as a governor and have the trust of the people and the respect of the people if they purposefully covered up the deaths of thousands of our seniors, our elders, family members, beloved family members who are gone. If you cover that up or if you did things for reasons that had to do with politics or contributions, if you’ve sexually harassed young women in your employment, these are disqualifying realities. How could anyone look the people in the face after that? If these allegations, if these charges are proven, there’s just no way he can govern.”
Tapper asked, “So that’s a yes. You think he should resign if any of these are proven correct.”
De Blasio said, “Of course.”
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