Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday condemned the idea that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo could return to state politics after several media outlets reported that Cuomo might be thinking of a comeback. .
“He should be off the stage,” Blasio told Robert Costa of CBS News when asked about Cuomo’s return.
“What he did to the women who work for him, what he did to the residents of the residence, there were a lot of problems,” the former mayor said. “There was so much that came out of his uncontrolled power and his arrogance.”
Cuomo resigned in August 2021, when the state legislature conducted an impeachment investigation and amid allegations of sexual harassment. He had been charged by the state attorney general sexually harassing 11 women, including members of his administration staff and people who did not work for his administration. Cuomo has denied sexually harassing anyone.
“I think, given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I stand by and let the government rule again,” Cuomo said in a speech at the time.
He had spent more than a decade in office and was known nationwide for guiding New York City during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, and the following year, he conducted daily television news sessions on COVID-19, which many Americans watched closely.
But an audit published in March 2022 found that his administration had not reported thousands of deaths in nursing homes and, at times, up to 50%, CBS New York reported. State auditor Thomas DiNapoli accused those at the highest level of government of misleading the public, according to CBS New York.
In the months following his resignation, Cuomo has slowly re-emerged on the New York political scene. CBS New York reported that on March 6 he spoke at a black church in Brooklyn and told attendees, “They broke my heart, but they didn’t break my spirit. I want to take the energy that could make me bitter and use that energy. for us better “.
A poll by Emerson College and The Hill had Cuomo four points behind current Gov. Kathy Hochul with likely Democratic primary voters in March, CBS New York reported.
On Thursday, de Blasio said that if Cuomo made a comeback, he would bring many of his problems with him.
“I’m waiting for the good of the Democratic Party, I’m waiting for the good of the people of New York State, they just realize their time has come and gone,” the former mayor said.
De Blasio left office in January after serving two terms. Democrat Eric Adams, former captain of the New York City Police Department and president of the Brooklyn District, was chosen to run the city.
Caroline Linton contributed to the report.
- In:
- Andrew Cuomo
- Bill de Blasio
- New York
Add Comment