State, federal and county officials call for Gov. Andrew Cuomo's resignation in wake of scandal

County and state officials joined a chorus of voices across the country that have called for the immediate resignation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, after New York’s Attorney General Letitia James released a blockbuster report Tuesday detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by the governor.

And, they said, if the governor does not step down, he should be impeached.

“On March 12, I said that Governor Cuomo should step aside," said State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach. "Now we know that he must step aside or be removed. These damning findings from the attorney general, who has done a great job, show quite clearly that the governor must resign  — and if he will not, that he should be impeached."

On Tuesday, Cuomo released a pre-recorded statement, apologizing if his conduct had been offensive and saying he had meant no harm. His comments included no mention of resignation.

"The facts are much different than what has been portrayed," Cuomo said.

But calls for the governor’s immediate departure have grown louder after James’s report that he had sexually harassed 11 women, some of whom had worked or him and others who had not. One was a New York state trooper who worked on Cuomo’s security detail. The trooper’s allegation had not been made public previously.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, a Democrat from Baldwin, issued a brief statement:

“The attorney general’s findings are clear. The governor must resign immediately,” she said.

Assemblyman Ed Ra, a Republican from Franklin Square, said Cuomo's alleged actions are an issue that goes beyond party lines. “Democrats and Republicans must come together and take a definitive, bipartisan stand against sexual harassment and toxic abuse in the workplace," he said in a statement. "That’s what we owe his victims. That’s what we owe all New Yorkers."

State Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, a Democrat from Rockville Centre, condemned Cuomo's reported actions, calling them "egregious, devastating, and reprehensible," and adding that she had all the faith that James had the ability to conduct a strong, thorough, comprehensive and impartial investigation.

"Sadly, Governor Cuomo has shown he is unfit to serve New York state," Griffin said in a statement, "and I am asking for him to step down."

“What we have here is a master manipulator,” said Bert Saraco, of Franklin Square. “The governor has been using media to skillfully form the elements of events into his own version of reality. The very thing we loved about his Covid-19 era updates make him a formidable and dangerous politician, although his over-the-top pre-recorded ‘defense’ is starting to reveal cracks in his foundation.”

New York’s two U.S. senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, issued a joint statement calling on Cuomo to resign.

“Confronting and overcoming the Covid crisis requires sure and steady leadership,” they said in their statement. “We commend the brave actions of the individuals who have come forward with serious allegations of abuse and misconduct. Due to the multiple, credible sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, it is clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners and the people of New York. Governor Cuomo should resign."

Acting District Attorney Joyce A. Smith said she has begun to study the  results of the probe.

“We are reviewing the deeply disturbing findings of the attorney general’s report regarding the governor’s alleged conduct.," she said in a statement. "We have requested the attorney general’s records related to any incidents that occurred in Nassau County and will thoroughly and expeditiously investigate any potential crimes.”

State Assemblywoman Melissa Miller (R-Atlantic Beach) weighed in as well. "The AG report validates what we have been saying for months: Gov. Cuomo is not fit to lead our state," Miller said in a statement. "He is not above the law and he should do the right thing. He asked for time for the investigation to be completed and he got it, which is more than anyone else with those allegations against them would have gotten. It is time for him to resign and if he still refuses then I, along with my colleagues, are ready to move forward with articles of impeachment."