Cuomo should quit if allegations proven and he ‘will probably be prosecuted’, says Biden

Biden has stopped short of asking Andrew Cuomo to resign

Shweta Sharma
Wednesday 17 March 2021 07:17 GMT
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President Joe Biden said inquiry would determine what the women alleged against New York governor is true
President Joe Biden said inquiry would determine what the women alleged against New York governor is true (Getty Images)
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In his strongest remarks to date against Andrew Cuomo, president Joe Biden has said the New York governor should resign if an ongoing investigation confirms allegations of sexual misconduct against him as he will probably also end up being prosecuted.

Mr Biden made the comments against the fellow Democrat appearing in an interview on ABC New as calls for the governor’s resignation have grown louder.

When asked whether Mr Cuomo should resign if investigations confirm the allegations, the president replied said “Yes, I think he'll probably end up being prosecuted, too.”

Seven women have accused Mr Cuomo of sexual harassment since February. The governor denied the allegations but apologised for “making anyone feel uncomfortable.”

A number of fellow Democrat politicians, including Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibran, have joined the chorus to demand Mr Cuomo’s resignation.

In contrast, Mr Biden had maintained that people should wait for the results of the inquiry.

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Clearing his position on the issue, he said a “woman should be presumed telling the truth and should not be scapegoated and become victimised by her coming forward.”

“But there should be an investigation to determine whether what she says is true,” he said. “That is going on.”

The president on Sunday said that he is awaiting the investigation results. “I think the investigation is under way and we should see what it brings us,” he had said.

The governor’s term in office would end in 2022. But he could be thrown out of the office if the inquiry confirms the allegations. The investigations into the case are being led by attorneys Joon Kim and Anne Clark.

During the investigation, one of the accuser reportedly said Mr Cuomo asked inappropriate and sexually suggestive questions back in 2020. She said he would talk about her sex life and if she was into older men when the two were alone in the office. She also spoke about how he was obsessed with the size of his hands and “and what the large size of his hands indicated.”

The women have accused Mr Cuomo of allegedly kissing, groping and repeatedly touching them.

Mr Cuomo has said: “I did not do what has been alleged. I never harassed anyone, I never assaulted anyone, I never abused anyone.”

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