The Cuomo Conundrum
Photo via Mary Altaffer - Associated Press
New Yorkers sat in their apartments glued to their screens as a newly pacifying voice announced the date and progress of a pandemic. Now, they watch as news channels report on the fall of one the COVID era’s “heroes.” Governor Andrew Cuomo—once hailed as the nation's leader in the pandemic—has taken a hard fall from grace. From sexual harassment allegations to the cover-up of nursing home deaths, New York’s figurehead could be facing the twilight of his career.
Lindsey Boylan detailed her experiences as a top staffer to Cuomo as being riddled with lewd comments and an unwanted kiss. Charlotte Bennet told the New York Times about the inappropriate questions she endured from Cuomo while serving as his aide for the past few hours. From overly-personal questions to awkward work environments, Bennet’s testimony backs up the experiences brought forward by Boylan.
Cuomo, who solidified his support of the #MeToo movement and gender equality as part of his campaign platforms, responded to the allegations. He addressed Bennet specifically, saying “I was trying to be a mentor to her…I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate. The last thing I would ever have wanted was to make her feel any of the things that are being reported.”
Photo via Manuel Balce-Ceneta - Associated Press
In response to the multiple allegations against him, Cuomo said, “This situation cannot and should not be resolved in the press; I believe the best way to get to the truth is through a full and thorough outside review and I am directing all state employees to comply with that effort. I ask all New Yorkers to await the findings of the review so that they know the facts before making any judgments. I will have no further comment until the review has concluded."
His statement comes to fruition as New York Attorney General Letitia James said that her office is formally proceeding with an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations. Many high-ranking political figures have called for such an investigation following the public’s backlash against the governor. A prominent name in the mix is New York’s own Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The congresswoman tweeted that “Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett’s detailed accounts of sexual harassment by Gov. Cuomo are extremely serious and painful to read," she wrote. "There must be an independent investigation – not one led by an individual selected by the Governor, but by the office of the Attorney General."
What comes of the investigation will be told by time and fact, but these allegations come at an impertinent time for the governor. Earlier this year, Cuomo faced calls to resign following his handling of nursing home reports from 2020. Legislators from New York's Assembly and state Senate made a deal on Tuesday, March 2nd to strip Gov. Andrew Cuomo of his pandemic-linked emergency powers in response to damning evidence of number manipulations.
Photo via Gabriele Holtermann - Associated Press
In February, Gov. Cuomo’s top aide apologized to Democratic lawmakers for withholding the state’s nursing home death toll from COVID-19. Her apology proved a conspiracy that Cuomo had lied to the public about how many people died in nursing homes following his March 25th order that stated “all New York State nursing homes must accept residents that are medically stable” even if they had a suspected diagnosis of COVID-19.
His misjudgment ultimately led to a total number of nursing home residents killed by COVID-19 reaching 13,297, even though it was initially reported as being 8,711. That discrepancy resulted in outrage from both constituents and politicians, with many demanding his resignation.
Where does this leave the once commended Governor of New York? With a gubernatorial election next year, and public pressure rising, it seems that New York is ready for a future beyond the leadership of Cuomo.
The validity of harassment claims should not be dependent on someone's political party, and the leader of one of the most vital states in the nation can not claim to run an office on transparency while lying about death tolls. Cuomo’s example proves a painful point, no matter someone’s stature or facade, blind trust is dangerous. Accountability is a double-edged sword, and your history or political party can not shield you from its swing.