Disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) blamed “cancel culture” for the end of his governorship during a “campaign-like” speech at a Brooklyn church over the weekend, CNBC reported.
“The actions against me were prosecutorial misconduct,” Cuomo said. “They used cancel culture to effectively overturn an election.”
Roughly six months ago, Cuomo resigned from office over sexual harassment allegations. Once corporate media’s designated golden boy and coronavirus pandemic hero — despite being accused of hiding nursing home deaths — the former governor has already begun hinting about a comeback.
“The public appearance, his first since leaving office, came after Cuomo’s campaign launched a digital and television advertising campaign pushing a similar message: He was driven from office unfairly,” according to the report.
Cuomo also reportedly quoted from the Bible several times as he “described his travails…” He then went on to “attack the ‘political sharks’ in Albany who, he said, ‘smelled blood’ and exploited the situation for political gain.”
In August, an independent probe found that the Democrat had sexually harassed 11 women and that he and his aides “worked to retaliate against an accuser.” According to the report, Cuomo admitted to inappropriate behavior but said he did not break any laws. Several New York district attorneys found the accusations credible but did not have enough evidence to press any criminal charges.
“I didn’t appreciate how fast the perspectives changed,” he said. “I’ve learned a powerful lesson and paid a very high price for learning that lesson. God isn’t finished with me yet.”
While Cuomo has not said whether he is seeking to reignite his political career, he still has a multi-million dollar “campaign war chest” which could fund another run. In a mid-February Politico report, dozens of former aides and allies allegedly said he is “conferring with some of them to determine his best course.”
“I do expect you’ll be hearing from the governor relatively soon on this issue,” Cuomo’s lawyer Rita Glavin said. “I can’t give you the date, but I know he’s planning to make some comments.”
“He will not let this go,” she added.
During his Sunday speech, Cuomo also condemned social media as “growing and dangerous,” CNBC reported.
“Any accusation can trigger condemnation without facts or due process,” he said. “We are a nation of laws, not a nation of tweets. Woe unto us if we allow that to become our new justice system.”
“The Bible teaches perseverance, it teaches us to get off the mat,” he continued. “They broke my heart but they didn’t break my spirit. I want to take the energy that could have made me bitter and make us better.”