Sen. Fred Akshar, whose 52nd Senate District includes Tioga and Broome counties, issued this brief statement in response to an investigative report released Tuesday by the New York attorney general that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harrassed at least 11 women, including a New York state trooper, and also violated numerous state and federal laws.
Akshar said Tuesday: “Based on the findings of the Attorney General’s independent and thorough investigation, it has become abundantly clear that the Governor must resign.”
Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend, whose district includes Tioga and Chemung counties, issued a statement, saying:“First of all, I commend the many brave women who came forward to hold a powerful man accountable for terrible sexual harassment. The attorney general’s office should be commended for its professionalism during the thorough five-month investigation to verify the governor’s many misdeeds. I am thankful for the vindication for his victims. I call on the governor to resign immediately and if he does not, the Legislature must remove him (by impeachment initiated by the Assembly).”
Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, a Democrat who represents Binghamtion, and town of Union and Vestal, said: “When the allegations against the Governor first came to light, I wanted to wait for the Attorney General’s report to be completed. Even though the Assembly is currently conducting our own impeachment investigation, it’s clear from this report that the Governor is no longer able to effectively serve and should resign. Otherwise, I am sure this will factor heavily into the Assembly judiciary committee’s work.”
Sen. Thomas O’Mara, from Chemung and Steuben counties, reported: “As Governor Cuomo continues desperately trying to remain in office, he clearly is living in an alternate universe fabricated upon his sociopathic lying that only he believes to be reality. If Cuomo were CEO of a public company, he would have been removed long ago for far less egregious conduct. The state Assembly Democrat super-majority must immediately move articles of impeachment on to the Senate.”
