Senate Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) went the furthest from any Democratic senator asked about the issue. Although she trusting in the Attorney General’s inquiry, she suggested that ‘there may be a tipping point regarding the Cuomo government where he should resign.’
The #MeToo movement that emerged in 2017 in a nationwide confrontation of sexual harassment, fueled in part by the election of Donald Trump, ended the careers of members of Congress in both parties. Perhaps no one has become a greater symbol of the Democratic Party’s attempt to introduce a political zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment as Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), who resigned after seven women accused him of touching them inappropriately. But senators view the allegations against Cuomo differently from those against Franken, who was a colleague.
Although Cuomo is known and is running for a higher office, senators largely leave it to New York State officials to decide the governor’s political fate.
‘I’m glad there’s going to be a very careful investigation by the Attorney General. The most important thing is that the women are heard and taken seriously, ‘said Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). On the question of whether Cuomo should retire, she said: “At this point, I think people in New York need to decide on that.”
Democrats also rejected allegations of sexual assault against Judge Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation fight in the Supreme Court, but the situation was even more clear: Kavanaugh was a nominee that they had an obligation to vet.
‘One of the baselines is that claims like this should be investigated. “You have just investigated the Attorney General in New York, and I assume she will make recommendations,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (DR.I.). “So the difference is: Even if it never got it.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) Predicted Cuomo was a ‘goner’, but compared the governor’s situation to that of Franken as follows: ‘The Senate is pursuing its own policies.’
The two Democratic senators in New York, the majority leaders Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, strongly endorsed the Attorney General’s investigation into Cuomo. Although Cuomo said he intended to cooperate in the investigation and apologized for making the women uncomfortable, the governor made it clear on Wednesday that he did not intend to resign. In addition to allegations of sexual harassment, Cuomo is also facing an investigation into his handling of deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic.
So far, Representative Kathleen Rice (DN.Y.) is the only member of the state delegation requesting Cuomo’s resignation. Rice encouraged Franken to retire in 2017 during his own #MeToo flap before Gillibrand became the first senator to call on her colleague to leave office.
Other Democratic members of the New York delegation, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, are awaiting the investigation. Rep. Yvette Clarke told reporters she’s a big fan of proper process ”, while rep. Gregory Meeks described the issue as a ‘very, very serious matter’.
The allegations against Cuomo began last week when his former assistant, Lindsey Boylan, wrote an essay accusing the governor of asking her to play strip poker and kiss her violently on the lips. Days later, a second former assistant, Charlotte Bennett, said Cuomo asked her about her sex life, including whether she would consider having sex with older men. A third woman, Anna Ruch, came forward this week and said Cuomo asked her if he could kiss her at a wedding reception.
“Any public official should realize that what they say in the workplace is subject to investigation,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). who refused to weigh in on Cuomo’s future. “In these cases, these women are having a difficult time and are under a lot of pressure. And they must be heard. This is more than just an overview of actions. Things you say are relevant. ”
Some in the GOP see a double standard in Democrats’ treatment of Cuomo compared to other high-profile misconduct allegations, although Trump faces more than 20 allegations of sexual harassment and assault, which Republicans rarely addressed. The former president denies any wrongdoing.
Even so, outside Schumer and Gillibrand, several Senate Democrats have said they do not pay much attention to the Cuomo controversy and that they are reluctant to talk about it.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said he does not live in New York and that he has zero thoughts. ‘Sen Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) Said she was focused on President Joe Biden’s coronavirus relief plan. When asked by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) To comment, he said, “the same one that everyone does: complete the investigation.”
One senator, who addressed the thorny issue on condition of anonymity, said Democrats were reluctant to publicly call on Cuomo to resign, even though they have no tolerance for allegations of sexual harassment because it is a controversy in another state. Voters do not want senators in other countries’ affairs to interfere, the senator added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.), who complained to Democrats about their treatment of Kavanaugh during his confirmation, said his colleagues were ‘twisted around the axis’.
“They were loud, ‘Kavanaugh has to go,'” Graham said. ‘Now they’ve got someone, a prominent Democrat, and they’re figuring out how to deal with it. Here’s my advice: treat everyone the same. This way, you do not have to worry about it. ”
Anna Gronewold contributed to this report.