New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (left) and running for vice governor Kathy Hochul participate in a campaign at the New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council the day before the Democratic primary elections in Midtown, New York, in September 8, 2014.
Adrees Latif | Reuters
New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul – who will take power if Governor Andrew Cuomo resigns – said on Tuesday that she is “confident” that women who have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment “will be heard and taken seriously” in an ongoing investigation process.
Hochul’s comments, made in consecutive tweets, were the first time she had expressed an opinion on the controversy over Cuomo’s harassment.
The tweets came a day after State Attorney General Letitia James appointed a former federal prosecutor, Joon Kim, and leading anti-employment discrimination attorney, Anne Clark, to lead the Democratic governor’s investigation, along with several other attorneys. private individuals.
“With yesterday’s announcement launching the independent investigation led by Joon H. Kim and Anne L. Clark, I am confident that everyone’s voice will be heard and taken seriously,” wrote Hochul.
“I hope the investigation will be completed as completely and quickly as possible. New Yorkers must be confident that through this process they will soon know the facts,” added the Democrat.
Two former Cuomo aides, Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett, accused the governor of sexually harassing them and making inappropriate comments. Several other women have also reported stories of inappropriate comments and physical contact from Cuomo in the past few days.
Democratic leader of the state Senate, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, has asked Cuomo to step down, as have several other Democratic politicians. Democratic Assembly spokesman Carl Heastie did not explicitly ask for his resignation, but said he shared Stewart-Cousins’ “feeling”.
“We have a lot of challenges to face and I think it is time for the governor to seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York,” said Heastie. He called the allegations “deeply disturbing”.
Cuomo repeatedly refused to resign, even as more women complained about his conduct.