Thursday, October 1, 2026
On Tuesday, a nearly five-month-long investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James came to a close. It found that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women who are current or former government workers, violating state and federal law. Cuomo, who has been fundraising for his re-election campaign next year, has maintained his innocence and has said he would not resign.
“I’m not a big fan of Cuomo,” said Mark Bruderman, of Bayville. “I don’t believe him. And I don’t like his demeanor and character. He’s been accustomed to getting things his way.”
State Sen. Jim Gaughran, of Northport, said he found the attorney general’s findings “credible and deeply troubling,” and added, “I thank the women who bravely spoke out about the governor’s reprehensible conduct.”
“I think it’s an awful thing,” Amandine Bourne, 17, who will be a senior at Oyster Bay High School this year, said of Cuomo, “using his power like that, abusing these poor women.”
James’s announcement was followed by calls for Cuomo’s resignation from nearly every state elected leader and the governors of surrounding states. A few hours after the findings were released, President Biden joined in, saying the three-term governor should resign.
U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand were also quick to comment. “Today’s report from the New York State Attorney General substantiated and corroborated the allegations of the brave women who came forward to share their stories — and we commend the women for doing so,” they said in a joint statement. “No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”
When the investigation began, most state elected leaders either urged Cuomo to resign or recommended that he step aside temporarily. Three Democratic members of Congress — Representatives Tom Suozzi, of Glen Cove, Hakeem Jeffries, of Brooklyn, and Gregory Meeks, of Queens, did not join their colleagues in condemning the governor.
Suozzi, like Biden, took a wait-and-see approach before weighing in.
On Tuesday, however, Suozzi joined Jeffries and Meeks in releasing a statement denouncing Cuomo’s actions. Describing the allegations as “disturbing,” the congressmen wrote that James’s investigation was thorough and professional. “The investigation has found that the governor engaged in abusive behavior toward women, including subordinates, created a hostile work environment and violated state and federal law …,” they stated. “The time has come for Governor Andrew Cuomo to do the right thing for the people of New York state and resign.”
John Taylor, a former Bayville village trustee, said that the decision on Cuomo’s behavior was overdue. “Politics aside, I’m a big believer in innocent until proven guilty, but now I think he should at least step aside until this plays out,” Taylor said. “The finding doesn’t surprise me. When I was appointed to New York Rising [after] Sandy, I met him. There was a creepiness about him.”
“The governor needs to resign immediately — he should have months ago, after the nursing home scandal, but clearly he cares about his pride more than what is right for our state,” said Assemblyman Michael Montesano, a Republican who represents the 15th District.
Montesano, of Glen Head, a member of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, said, “We most likely will have to go the impeachment route, and the attorney general confirming the sexual harassment claims is a vital step in that process. I hope we can swiftly move forward and remove the governor from office so we can put someone in power who has New York’s best interests in mind.”
The only other governor of New York to be impeached was William Sulzer, in 1913, because, according to Britannica, he argued with the Tammany Hall boss Charles F. Murphy.
State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie approved an impeachment inquiry on March 12. The Judiciary Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Charles Lavine, a Democrat from Glen Cove, has been conducting the investigation ever since. Lavine said when it began, that the inquiry could last a long time. But Davis Polk & Wardwell, the committee’s independent counsel, advised Cuomo’s attorneys on Thursday that the investigation should be completed by the end of the month. “Accordingly, we invite you to provide any additional evidence or written submissions that you would like the committee to consider before its work concludes,” the firm wrote. The committee was scheduled to meet again on Monday.
“We are reviewing the Attorney General’s extensive report documenting sexual harassment and misconduct committed by Governor Cuomo,” Lavine said in a statement on Tuesday. “The report is being studied by the members of the Judiciary Committee and every member of the Assembly. We are engaged in an intensive analysis of the report and its exhibits …”
The Assembly will consider the results of James’s investigation, as Montesano said, but the Judiciary Committee’s recommendation will carry more weight. A decision to proceed with impeachment by the committee would lead to an Assembly vote. And if the majority were to vote to impeach Cuomo, he would have to step down, and Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Hochul would serve as acting governor. A trial in a Senate Court of Impeachment would follow, and Cuomo would have to be acquitted to be reinstated as governor. If he were impeached in the Senate, the verdict could preclude him from ever running for office again.
“This is a terrible time in our state’s history,” Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “I believe the State Legislature will soon begin the process to right this situation. In the meantime, the world should know that we will never tolerate harassment or harm to women at any time or [in] any place.”
“The findings are extraordinarily disturbing,” Lavine said. “The details provided by the victims are repugnant. This is a difficult day for the people of the state of New York.”
