New York Governor. Andrew Cuomo to resign. This is in response to a detailed and damning investigation that revealed he violated laws as well as creating a culture of sexual harassment and a toxic environment.After months of insisting that he wouldn't leave office while the investigation into the alleged harassment of women was ongoing, even though he lost support from nearly all of New York's congressional delegation, his decision is now.Cuomo, after a lengthy defense of his actions, said Tuesday that "The best way I could help now is to step aside and allow government to get back into governing.""Kathy Hochul is my lieutenant governor; this transition should be seamless," he said, adding that his resignation would be effective in 14 working days.Last Tuesday's state attorney generals report detailed allegations of sexual harassment by current and former staffers. Cuomo asked one woman if she would cheated on her husband and he also touched another. The governor made a prepared statement that afternoon in which he denied all allegations and supported his touching and kissing of well-known constituents and people.Hochul will be the first woman to become governor of New York. She stated that she agreed with Cuomo’s decision to resign in a statement after Cuomo made the announcement.She stated, "As someone who served at all levels and is next in line of succession to serve, I am ready to lead New York State's 57th Governor."Cuomo, who is currently in his third term of governor, was considered a strong candidate to run for a fourth term. Cuomo has been New York's dominant political force for many years. He played both Republicans and Democrats off each other for years in order to have the ultimate control over the law. He was unrestrained in his use power, marginalizing political opponents like New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and earning a reputation as a Machiavellian aggressor. Multiple federal investigations have not failed to find him and his political career, with one of his closest friends being convicted of accepting bribes.However, his national reputation was transformed in 2020. Cuomo was a key figure in the American response to the coronavirus pandemic. He filled the national leadership void left by Donald Trump at the beginning of the epidemic. Cuomo's daily press conferences, which were broadcast on cable news in full, provided the nation with a political leader who seemed to accept both the realities of the pandemic as well as the steps necessary to stop it from spreading.Cuomo's handling of the pandemic, particularly in relation to coronavirus policies for nursing homes, has been a source of concern since long. Cuomo ordered that nursing homes return residents with coronavirus infection to those who were able to recover from the outbreak in spring 2020. New York was the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic. This policy was immediately criticized by the state. Some claimed that it could increase the spread of the virus in nursing homes. Cuomo's administration reacted to the criticisms. In the end, the state health division released a report in summer that absolved the policies regarding COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes.However, Letitia James, New York Attorney General, reported in January that the state had underestimated the number of deaths at nursing homes by thousands. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported February that top Cuomo officials had altered the report to eliminate the estimate of nearly 9,000 deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic. Investigations began after a Cuomo aide admitted that the administration had not disclosed the total nursing home death to the federal government.Soon after, Cuomo was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior at work. When Lindsey Boylan, a former Cuomo aide, tweeted that he had harassed her sexually for many years and that she was now being followed by four more women who worked for Cuomo. The harassment allegations ranged from harassing staffers to creating a hostile environment. For example, the governor asked women about their sex lives and used inappropriate touching.On March 10, the most outrageous allegation was made by Cuomo, as Democrats in New York State Legislature began to turn against the governor and call for his resignation. According to The Times Union, a woman claimed that Cuomo had raped a former staffer at Albany's Executive Mansion in late 2020.The woman filed a criminal case with the Albany County Sheriff's Office last week. They have begun an investigation.James, the state attorney General, began an independent investigation into Cuomos' conduct in March. The investigation was of a civil nature and did not result in criminal charges.Cuomo is now the second consecutive elected governor that has been removed from office. Eliot Spitzer was elected to office in 2006. A sex scandal led to his resignation as Lt. Governor in 2008. David Paterson became the first Black governor in New York.This is an ongoing story. Keep checking back for more updates. Follow BuzzFeed News Twitter.
