NEW YORK – Andrew Cuomo resigned. He is no longer governor of the State of New York (although his resignation will officially take effect in fourteen days) and a woman will take his place, for the first time in NY: Kathy Hochul, 62. His deputy.
The decision of the 63-year-old governor of Italian origin (his paternal grandparents were from Nocera Inferiore and Tramonti, Campania, while his maternal ones were Sicilians from Messina) came in the midst of the storm unleashed by the report of the attorney general Letitia James, who accuses him of having molested 11 women. A report that Cuomo himself, in the live video broadcast yesterday on the web, called “false”.
Cuomo began by apologizing to women who may have felt “offended” by him, in some way, and said he takes responsibility for his actions. And then he went into details. “I have been too ‘familiar’ with my collaborators”, said the governor, giving some concrete examples. “I put my arm around a woman, we wanted to take a picture together, I thought it was a friendly thing. I kissed a woman on the cheek at a wedding, I thought that too was a nice gesture, but it passed as ‘aggressive’. I called a lot of people ‘honey’, ‘sweetheart’, ‘darling’, I thought it was kind. But I’ve never crossed the line with anyone”.
He then emphasized that his kisses and hugs are part of a gesture inherited from his family and his upbringing, as well as using the expression “hello beautiful!” (the Italian widespread expression of greeting “ciao bella!”).
But in the 165 pages of the prosecutor James’ report, completed after an interrogation by the governor that lasted eleven hours, the picture traced is defined – by the same prosecutor – “very disturbing”: a picture made “not of isolated incidents” but of a usual behavior model and perpetuated over time. Among the women accusing the governor are a current New York State employee, a former employee, a state police officer and an energy company official.
“Our investigation – explained the attorney general – led to discover how Cuomo molested several women by touching them, kissing them, hugging them, all without their consent”. And, again, harassing them with “inappropriate” comments. Many of these incidents, then, took place in the rooms of the governor’s offices. “A conduct that corrodes the fabric of our institutions and that sheds light on the injustice that can lurk even the highest levels of our government,” denounced James, calling the women who had the courage to come forward “heroines”.
But those institutions, today Cuomo in the video-message declared that he loved them and had served them seriously. “I love New York and I love New Yorkers, and I would not do anything to create problems. For this – he said, barely holding back tears – I believe that at this point, given the circumstances, the best thing to do to help is to take a step back and let the government go back to rule”.
“There are political motivations behind the accusations, and I’m sure New Yorkers will understand,” he added.
And he concluded: “Thank you for the honor of serving you. It has been honor of my lifetime. God bless you”.
Watch the complete video here below
