New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is still putting up a fight, despite having announced his own resignation, saying that the report which found he sexually harassed multiple women was, according to the outgoing governor, part of a political move, according to a report in the Independent Journal Review.
Cuomo’s farewell address on Monday took an odd turn since it was expected that the outgoing governor might confine his remarks to what was facing the people of New York or even his achievements while in office. However, that was not meant to b, as the governor said, “The attorney general’s report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic.”
Despite what the longtime New York politician attempted to say on Monday, many considered his actions to be particularly genius considering his continued advocacy or the #metoo and #timesup movements, all the while engaging in the same kind of activity he claimed to stand against.
When it was discovered that the lawmaker was talking out of both sides of his mouth and Cuomo’s compassion for those being victimized was nothing more than the fox guarding the henhouse, it became painfully clear that once again, power was corrupting and it was time for anyone with even a modicum of decorum to quit protecting the aggressor.
Cuomo, however, has stood by his story that what he did wasn’t wrong and that as a political hit job, “it worked,” he said about the investigation into his actions. “There was a political and media stampede. But the truth will [come] out in time. Of that, I am confident,” he continued. Cuomo said that his instinct was to “fight this because it unfair and unjust.”
“But you also know that I love New York, and I serve you. That is the oath I that took. And in this moment, I believe the right thing is that my service comes first. Prolonging this situation could only cause governmental paralysis, and that is just not an option for you and not an option for the state, especially now,” he added. The disgraced lawmaker went on to say that “When government politicizes allegations, and the headlines condemn without facts, you undermine the justice system. And that doesn’t serve women, and it doesn’t serve men or society.”
Cuomo’s comments are hilarious on more than one level. First off, he was right at the start of the pile that attempted to strip former President Donald Trump of any and all credibility by smearing his reputation by any means possible. Then, of course, there doesn’t seem to be any real attempt to make it known that he didn’t do what his accusers said he did (how could he, there was photographic and all kinds of other proof) only that he shouldn’t be getting in trouble, or that it wasn’t that big of a deal. So what’s the real story here? That a powerful man doesn’t think people should resist him? That Cuomo specifically is the victim? That women shouldn’t criticize men?
Let’s just be honest, none of it is a good look for the former #metoo champion who seems to have drastically changed his tune since being called out for forcing women to cooperate with what he wanted.
Especially considering Cuomo’s strange comments came after New
York State Attorney General Letitia James (D) released a report that found the governor “sexually harassed a number of State employees through unwelcome and unwanted touching, as well as by making numerous offensive and sexually suggestive comments.”
But all is not lost for the soon-to-be-former governor of New York as he has not yet been charged with any crimes and still vehemently denies that he “touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.” Something seems to have rung true with his fellow New Yorkers, however, since he faced bipartisan calls for resignation.
