New York’s Democratic Party chair is telling state Republicans to take a seat in the current unraveling of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration amid a multitude of scandals including three accusations of sexual misconduct.
Jay Jacobs directed scorn at Cuomo’s alleged sexual harassment of two staffers and one woman at a wedding, but told members of the GOP that they had no room to criticize Democrats after years of blindly supporting former President Donald Trump through controversies with over 20 women accusing him sexual assault among other claims.
Jacobs said the widespread Democratic support for Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into Cuomo’s alleged misconduct serves to prove how different the nation’s two parties are; despite nationwide adoration for New York’s governor throughout the pandemic, Jacobs was “proud” that the same could not be said for Democrats.
“I contrast that with the calls from our Republican colleagues who, in the face of more than two dozen accusations from women against the head of their party, Donald Trump, sat in silence for more than five years – with not even a peep to be heard from any of them,” Jacobs said. “While they may have just now discovered their compass, Republican leaders have absolutely no standing whatsoever to share their opinion on the current matter.”
Jacobs also seemed to speak to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, a number of whom are seeking Cuomo’s resignation. His statement also suggested that “it is both premature and unfair for anyone to opine on the outcome until [the] investigation is completed and the results reported.”
James received the referral letter from the governor’s Special Counsel Beth Garvey on Monday night, granting the AG the bureaucratic permission needed to investigate New York’s top executive in an impartial manner free of influence from Cuomo appointees.
While many state Democrats in Albany say the party, which recently achieved a supermajority in the Senate, must move to impeach, some are calling on the governor to make that decision himself by resigning as soon as possible.
The governor’s office has not responded to a request for comment from amNewYork regarding calls from the state’s progressive wing to vacate the office, nor has Cuomo held one of his famous daily briefings on New York’s progress in COVID-19 pandemic since Feb. 22.
It is unclear when the governor will hold another press conference at this time.
On Tuesday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio elaborated on his view of whether or not Cuomo should wait it out for the AG’s determinations or simply resign.
“These are very serious allegations against the Governor, both in terms of the nursing home scandal and in terms of sexual harassment,” de Blasio said. “Obviously, a third woman has come forward. If these allegations are true, he cannot govern. He would not be able to govern, it’s as simple as that. You have to have a trust from the people, and if you can’t maintain that trust, you can’t govern.”
The controversies surrounding the governor seem to have brought dealings in Albany to a standstill with state legislators canceling a session on Monday in the ongoing effort to pass a financial plan. De Blasio said he had faith that despite the seeming instability in the governor’s office that lawmakers in both houses would succeed in delivering funds for the city.
