Democrats’ accountability for Cuomo reveals Republicans’ weaknesses with Trump

By pushing out the governor, Democrats further reveal the internal weaknesses of their opponents

In the days following the 6 January insurrection by a mob of former president Donald Trump’s supporters, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said “the president bears responsibility” for the attack by “mob rioters”. However, in the same breath, Mr McCarthy also argued against impeaching the then-president after he had fanned the flames, calling instead for a bipartisan commission and censure of Mr Trump.

Mr McCarthy ultimately opposed the creation of a commission when it came to a House vote, leading to the creation of a select committee. Mr McCarthy then proceeded earlier this summer to try to load up the committee with hardcore partisan defenders such as Reps Jim Jordan and Jim Banks. When the gambit failed, he resorted to blaming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the lack of security (despite the fact the Speaker’s life was at risk during the riot) after she rejected their selection.

Mr McCarthy has shown unyielding loyalty to Mr Trump, despite the fact of a phone call between the minority leader and the president during the insurrection, wherein Mr McCarthy berated the president to call off the mob.

Conversely, disgraced New York Gov Andrew Cuomo’s downfall began largely with a video conference call wherein his now-departed top aide Melissa DeRosa apologised to Democrats in the state for withholding the number of nursing home deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Cuomo had been the subject of gauzy media attention for his management of the pandemic in New York, where he held daily press conferences and captured national attention. The nursing home scandal seemed to poke a hole in that image, which he used to contrast himself with Mr Trump’s management style.

That, in turn, triggered Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim to reveal how the governor berated him for his questions on the pandemic’s impact on nursing homes. The accusations prompted increased attention to previous accusations of sexual harassment by Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to Mr Cuomo.

The resulting domino effect ended in the damning report by the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, a Democrat and one-time ally of the governor, revealing how Mr Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women. The bombshell report led to New York Democrats beginning plans to impeach the governor and, ultimately, Mr Cuomo’s once-unthinkable resignation on Tuesday.

Andrew Cuomo (Getty Images)

The fact Mr Trump is now out of office but in good standing, with many Republicans refusing to admit he lost, while Mr Cuomo was ultimately brought down by his fellow Democrats, illustrates the chasm between the two parties today.

While many liberals may crow at the idea that Republicans get away with everything short of murder, the fact that Democrats were willing to hold one of the most influential members of their party accountable indicates they are still a healthy political party, while the GOP’s fealty to a comparatively unpopular president reveals its weaknesses.

One could argue that Mr Trump accomplished plenty of Republican priorities, such as tax cuts and appointing a slew of judges, including finally securing the decades-long Republican dream of a conservative majority on the Supreme Court.

But the same could be said about Mr Cuomo, who was quick to remind people in his resignation of how he passed same-sex marriage, gun control and raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

In the same respect, though, Mr Trump’s lack of discipline likely went a long way towards Republicans’ inability to repeal Obamacare, while his constant inflammatory remarks cost Republicans the House in 2018 and his inability to focus on anything but his own bruised ego played a role in Republicans losing two Senate seats in Georgia that they could have used to fend off Joe Biden’s agenda.

Nevertheless, Republicans have refused to hold the president accountable even when he becomes an albatross around their neck. Similarly, when any Republican like Reps Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger or Senators like Bill Cassidy or Mitt Romney try to break with the president, they are rebuked.

Conversely, Democrats were willing to depose Mr Cuomo and called for his resignation earlier this year amid the first round of accusations, despite his favorability being only slightly underwater in polling as late as July (though his approval nosedived after the report).

Similarly, Democrats in New York moved swiftly to begin the impeachment process (which triggered Mr Cuomo’s complaint that it would be a drawn-out process that would distract from fighting the pandemic and rationale to why he would resign).

Of course, Mr Cuomo continued his shamelessness sstreak as he exited, as his attorney Rita Glavin tried to discredit the allegations. And Mr Biden shoved his foot into his mouth when he said Mr Cuomo had done a “hell of a job” as governor despite saying he did the right thing by resigning.

Nonetheless, Democrats’ capacity to shove aside Mr Cuomo, who just a year ago was the apple of liberals’ and many in the press’ eye, shows that there are better accountability measures that ensure it doesn’t allow for the same levels of impropriety or anti-democratic behavior as there is in the Republican Party. By pushing out the governor, Democrats further revealed the internal weaknesses of their opponents.