The Walls Are Closing In: Nancy Pelosi Becomes Latest High-Profile Dem to Turn On Cuomo
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign Tuesday following a damning report on his alleged inappropriate and illegal behavior toward women.
The temperature is rising in Albany.
In the hours after New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that a months-long investigation into Cuomo found that he “violated federal and state law” by allegedly sexually harassing almost a dozen women, calls for his resignation started pouring in.
By the afternoon, Pelosi had issued a brief statement calling for one of the most powerful Democrats in the country to step down.
“Under Attorney General Letitia James, a comprehensive and independent investigation into the allegations against Governor Cuomo has been completed. As always, I commend the women who came forward to speak their truth,” Pelosi said.
“Recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds, I call upon the Governor to resign,” she concluded.
Pelosi calls for Cuomo to resign ——> pic.twitter.com/wt2EFQeJD4
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) August 3, 2021
The California Democrat had been notably quiet when scandal consumed Cuomo last year. It was not until late February that she finally answered a request for comment from Fox News about the allegations against him.
“The women who have come forward with serious and credible charges against Governor Cuomo deserve to be heard and to be treated with dignity,” Pelosi told the outlet. “The independent investigation must have due process and respect for everyone involved.”
That independent investigation has now concluded, and James says those allegations are credible — although some suspect she is angling to replace Cuomo.
That very well may be, as Democrats aren’t exactly known for having principles beyond those that serve themselves and their political allies.
Maybe that is why Pelosi stayed mum on Cuomo for months but skewered then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 after he was accused of sexually assaulting a girl when he was in high school.
“Failure to postpone this vote without due process and a thorough investigation into these serious and credible allegations would be a dereliction of Congress’ duty to demand zero tolerance of sexual harassment and abuse,” she said in a news release at the time.
Cuomo faces numerous allegations, including from state employees, which James detailed in a 165-page report containing interviews with 179 witnesses and thousands of documents.
BREAKING: NY Attorney General Letitia James says independent investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo concluded that he “sexually harassed multiple women, and in doing so, violated federal and state law.” This included current and former New York State employees https://t.co/5hX3mAWII9 pic.twitter.com/sqbjeSa1Z1
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 3, 2021
But all Pelosi could muster was a few halfhearted sentences “recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds.”
This shouldn’t surprise anyone. The party of “believe women” always drags its feet when one of its own gets in trouble.
In any event, Pelosi and even President Joe Biden, who is himself no stranger to dealing with accusations of sexual assault, have finally had to cast Cuomo aside. The walls are closing in.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
