ALBANY — It appeared it was just going to be another round with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his attorneys this time on the offensive.
But, about midway through a 21-minute video posted on Tuesday, Cuomo pivoted from criticizing the attorney general’s report that found he sexually harassed 11 women and announced his resignation, effective in 14 days.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, of Buffalo, will become the 57th governor of New York and the first female to hold the post.
Cuomo was looking at an impeachment by the state Assembly, a process that has only happened once in state history, to Gov. William Sulzer in 1913. Gov. Eliot Spitzer was chased out of office in 2008, after serving for just 15 months, following reports that he was patronizing high-end prostitutes but he, like Cuomo, voluntarily resigned.
If Cuomo stayed on, the process to remove him from office would have taken months and incorporated not only findings in the AG’s report but also other controversies that have dogged the three-term governor in recent months including allegations of using state resources to write a book that included a $5.1 million payout and a directive by his office that sent COVID-positive residents back into nursing homes.
On Tuesday, though, facing a certain impeachment by the Assembly and losing political support by the hour, the governor took exception with just the bombshell report by Attorney General Letitia James.
“The AG’s report says I sexually harassed several women. That was the headline. The reaction was outrage and it should have been. However, it was also false,” he said. “When there is a bias or a lack of fairness in the criminal justice system it is a concern for everyone and not just those immediately effected. The most serious allegations made against me have no credible factual basis in the report and there is a difference between alleged improper conduct and concluding sexual harassment.”
On Monday, Brittany Commisso, who was formerly known as Executive Assistant No. 1, shed her anonymity on national TV and told the story about how the governor had hugged and touched her in an inappropriate manner and then, last November, slammed the door of his Executive Mansion office and stuck his hand up her shirt to fondle her breast.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple and District Attorney David Soares have said they opened a criminal investigation into the allegations. It is not clear where that stands now that Cuomo is resigning.
“There are 11 women I truly offended and for that I deeply apologize,” Cuomo said. “I take full responsibility for my actions. I have been too familiar with people. My sense of humor can be off-putting. I hug and kiss people indiscriminately. In my mind, I have never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts I did not fully appreciate and I should have. No excuses.”
He took time to address allegations made by a female trooper on his security detail, who said the governor ran his hand up her back at one point and touched her on the stomach another time. He said they would banter while driving across the state to different events and that at one point he made a joke about her pending nuptials.
“She was getting married and I made some jokes about the consequences of married life. I meant it to be humorous. She was offended and she was right,” he said, adding he did not remember touching her but that he used to do it with the men on his security detail too as a way to recognize their efforts.
His slogan through the COVID-19 pandemic became New York Tough, and he wove that cliché throughout his speech on Tuesday.
“Part of being New York tough is being New York smart. Being New York smart tells us that this situation and moment are not about the facts. It is not about the truth or thoughtful analysis or how to make the system better,” he said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. “This is about politics and our political system today is too often driven by the extremes. Rashness has replaced reasonableness. Loudness has replaced soundness. Twitter has become the public square for policy debate.”
He said his instinct is to fight the allegations and remain as governor. He has not formally said he was running for a fourth term but many indications, including expensive fundraisers, indicated that was the direction he was heading.
“I am a New Yorker, born and bred. I am a fighter and my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated. I believe it is unfair and untruthful and I believe it demonizes behavior that is unsustainable for society,” he said. “If I could communicate the facts through the frenzy, New Yorkers would understand, but when I took my oath as governor that changed. I am still a fighter but I became a fighter for you.”
He said the process would have taken months and cost millions of dollars in state resources. After the Assembly voted to impeach the governor is relieved of duties pending a trial with the Senate and justices of Court of Appeals acting as jury.
“Wasting energy on distractions is the last thing state government should be doing and I cannot be the cause of that,” he said. “I would not be unhelpful in any way. Given the circumstance the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. So that is what I will do because doing the right thing is doing the right thing for you.
It is not about me it is about we.”
He ended the speech by talking about his three 20-something daughters.
“My greatest goal is for them to have a better world than the women before them. My daughters have more talent and natural gifts than I ever have and I want to make sure society can allow them to fly as high as their wings would carry them,” he said. “I want them to know I never did, and never would intentionally, disrespect any woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated.”
