Black leaders rally around Cuomo

NEW YORK – Governor Andrew Cuomo has become a pariah in many New York political circles, with almost the entire congressional delegation, both U.S. senators and most of the legislature, urging him to resign due to growing allegations of sexual harassment.

But the leader of the scandal was among friends at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem on Wednesday, smiling and lightning with a thumbs up as he found his coronavirus vaccine surrounded by black leaders and clergy.

“Some people will say, why would the governor choose a time like this to come to Harlem to get his chance?” former representative Charlie Rangel said during the event. “When people start piling you up … you go to your family and you go to your friends because you know they’ll be with you.”

As Cuomo is let down by fellow Democrats in Albany and Washington, his strategy to stay in power – and perhaps even be re-elected – is a proven political play: “Dance with the One Who Brought You.”

Cuomo, who was increasingly isolated, relied heavily on black leaders during the crisis. His appearance in Harlem was the fourth similar event he has held in recent days – all broadcast online but closed to the press, apparently due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Black voters have come out in large numbers for Cuomo in his last two Democratic primary elections and remain one of his most important and trusted support blocks. Two polls in recent weeks show that black voters still support the governor in large numbers, despite his bleeding among the elected Democrats.

Like many of the leaders who have been with Cuomo over the past few weeks, Rangel – who has had his own scandal – stressed the need to retain judgment until the conclusion of an investigation launched by the Attorney General after several allegations of harassment and inappropriate behavior. Cuomo now faces.

“Come back, until you have some facts,” he said.

Any path to re-election of the governor, should he survive long enough to run for a fourth term, would run through the black electorate. One former assistant to the governor said the strategy is currently in line with the needs of the state.

“Is good government good politics? Absolutely. It makes sense, because he has always been there, “said the former Cuomo official, who still lives close to the government.

The person, who requested anonymity to talk about the governor’s strategy, noted that most black voters are older, female and not on Twitter – a constituency Cuomo and his father, the late Mario Cuomo, have always had the made court.

“The Cuomo name is synonymous with it,” the person said.

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the strategy.

At least six women, including several former assistants, have accused Cuomo of misconduct ranging from aggressive touches to inappropriate comments. Attorney General Tish James, the first black woman to hold the post, launched an investigation into the charges and the state legislature began the process of investigating an accusation.

A Siena College poll released this week found that 69 percent of black voters believe Cuomo should not resign, the highest of any of the demographic groups surveyed, while only 22 percent said he must. This is compared to 35 percent who say he should resign among all polled voters, and 41 percent among white voters.

There was the least chance that black voters would say Cuomo had committed sexual harassment – with 21 percent saying they believe he did – and the greatest chance of saying they were satisfied with how he addressed the allegations, on 71 percent.

And if Cuomo is elected for a fourth term in 2022, 59 percent of black voters said they would support him, while 29 percent said they would prefer someone else. Among voters of all races, 52 percent would like someone else, while only 34 percent would re-elect Cuomo.

“We all know how many people, especially in our community, are currently locked up because of allegations. Allegations and facts are two different things, “said Rev. Johnnie Green, the pastor of Mount Neboh, in an interview after Wednesday’s event.

He said the calls to retire Cuomo before the investigation were ‘ridiculous’.

“I think it’s premature and there will be a lot of eggs on a lot of people’s faces if the facts come out in his favor,” he added.

Cuomo’s support among black voters is far from monolithic, and a number of black elected officials are among those calling for him to resign or be sued. These include the majority leader of the state, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the representatives Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones, the public advocate in New York, Jumaane Williams, and many state legislators.

Some view his survival strategy as cynical.

“I hate the fact that he’s trying to use black people as a shield for what he did,” said Senator Jabari Brisport (D-Brooklyn), who called for Cuomo to be charged.

‘I’ve seen colleagues who happen to Cuomo compare to the Central Park Five or Emmett Till, and I think it’s very out of place. “We are talking about a governor who has pushed policies forward that have harmed black people in this state the most,” he said. “We are the last to come to his defense now.”

Williams called Cuomo’s tactics “contemptible” and said he had exploited the experience of Black New Yorkers with false allegations in the criminal justice system to serve his own defense.

‘The black community has a long history of trauma around many issues, and it’s definitely in the Cuomo playbook to use people’s trauma and sensitivity to it. So I am not surprised, “he said. “It’s not above him.”

Cuomo has appeared with black clerics in Syracuse, Long Island, and Manhattan’s Javits Center in recent days to promote the Covid-19 vaccine and make positive comments about his pandemic leadership.

He was recently supported by a statement released by 21 Democratic women’s congressmen, led by majority leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, who argued that the demand for Cuomo’s immediate resignation would undermine the authority of the first black women’s attorney general.

“We request that she be given the right time to complete her investigation, rather than undermine her role and responsibility as Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the State of New York,” the group said.

Cuomo’s allies also circulated statements in support of his wait-and-see attitude of a group of black clerics and of NAACP conference president Hazel Dukes, who called Cuomo his ‘second mother’.

“As a civil rights advocate, I believe in the right process,” Dukes said in an interview. “You have no proof. You have no proof. ”

Rev. Al Sharpton has said he is reluctant to ask for Cuomo’s resignation before the outcome of the inquiry is in, and he hears the same sentiment from top leaders of his National Action Network and listeners to his radio program.

“There is an innate mistrust of just coming to the conclusion because we are more victimized,” Sharpton said in an interview.

But that could change if it becomes clear that Cuomo is incapable of governing, and legislative leaders are unable to negotiate with him on the state budget.

“It will dominate me on top of that and a lot of the black community,” Sharpton said.

Cuomo was twice re-elected as primary challenger to his left, with strong support in the black neighborhoods of New York City, even though he fell in disfavor with some residents in the state and white liberals.

Before the scandal broke, he was expected to be offered a fourth term. He gave non-answers in answer to questions about whether he still intends to present.

Green predicted that black voters would stick with Cuomo unless the investigation finds evidence of misconduct.

“He has a very impressive record. It would be difficult to deny him a fourth term if the facts of these allegations turn out to be in his favor. “It will be difficult to file the case by a fourth term,” he said.

But Brisport said its support would weaken as allegations surfaced.

“Everyone has their limit. “Some people reached their limits months ago or years ago in response to the governor, and some people are not there yet,” he said.

Sharpton said it all depends on who is in the game against Cuomo. Williams and James were both named as potential candidates.

“If he was challenged by Jumaane Williams, he would be hurt. When he v. Donald Trump Jr. would act, he would probably get an increase in votes. Sharpton said.

Anna Gronewold, Shannon Young and Bill Mahoney contributed to this report.