Andrew Cuomo's Surprise Resignation Has Twitter Saying, "Wait, Really?"
There are some mixed feelings here.
After multiple calls for his resignation — including from President Joe Biden himself — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo held a press conference to address the multiple sexual assault allegations against him, and shockingly, to announce his resignation. The announcement came as a surprise to people all over the country, as Cuomo has denied all allegations against him for months on end, and even continued to deny them during the resignation press conference. Of course, Twitter has a lot to say, and these tweets about Andrew Cuomo's resignation all send the same message: “It’s about time.”
Cuomo began the Aug. 10 conference by almost immediately denying New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ Aug. 3 report, which found that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. He called the report “false,” and stated “the most serious allegations have no credible factual basis in the report.” However, amid multiple civil lawsuits, potential criminal charges, and a possible impeachment, Cuomo announced that he will step down from his position as governor, effective two weeks from the announcement. “Given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. And that’s what I’ll do,” he explained.
Since Cuomo dropped the bombshell announcement, people all over Twitter are chiming in with their thoughts — and they all seem to be thinking “great, but this should’ve happened a long time ago.”
Several women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against Cuomo, including: Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to the governor; Charlotte Bennett, a second aide; and Anna Ruch, who attended the same New York City wedding reception as Cuomo in September 2019. Cuomo denied all allegations from the women in a March 3 public address, in an Aug. 3 video, and in his most recent Aug. 10 press conference. “There is a difference between alleged improper conduct and concluding sexual harassment,” Cuomo stated during the conference. “This is not to say that there are not 11 women who I truly offended. There are, and for that I deeply apologize,” he added, later stating that he does indeed “hug and kiss people casually. Women and men. I have done it all my life."
However, the attorney general’s report concluded that Cuomo didn’t just “offend” the women — he “engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law” through “unwelcome and unwanted touching, as well as by making numerous offensive and sexually suggestive comments.”
Although Cuomo has announced his resignation, he’s by no means out of the woods. He’s still facing multiple civil lawsuits and potential criminal charges for his alleged misconduct. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will take over as governor of New York after Cuomo steps down, making her the first woman to serve in the position in the state of New York.
