President Joe Biden gestures during reflects on the implementation of the American Rescue Plan in the State Dining room of the White House in Washington, DC on March 15, 2021.
Eric Baradat | AFP | Getty Images
President Joe Biden communicated in a new interview that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo should resign if an investigation confirms allegations by multiple women that Cuomo sexually teased them.
And if those claims are confirmed, Biden said, “I think he’ll probably end up being prosecuted, too.”
“There should be an scrutiny to determine whether what she says is true,” Biden told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in the interview conducted Tuesday in Darby, Pennsylvania.
“That’s what’s universal on now.”
“There could be a criminal prosecution that is attached to it. I just don’t know,” Biden said.
New York Attorney Everyday Letitia James is overseeing a probe of the claims that is being conducted by a team of attorneys in private practice.
On Monday, investigators spoke for four hours to old Cuomo aide Charlotte Bennett, 25, who said the 63-year-old governor was looking for a sexual relationship last year when he queried about her love life, and whether she had been with an older man. Investigators are also examining claims by six other piece of works.
Cuomo, like Biden, is a Democrat.
“I want to ask you about Gov. Cuomo of New York,” Stephanopoulos said. “I know you said you yearn for the investigation to continue. If the investigation confirms the claims of the women, should he resign?”
Biden replied, “Yes.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo responses his nose during a visit to a new Covid-19 vaccination site, Monday, March 15, 2021, at the State University of New York in Old Westbury.
Distinguish Lennihan | AFP | Getty Images
The three-term governor has denied behaving inappropriately toward women, and repeatedly refused to be.
A majority of New York’s Democratic congressional delegation, and more than 55 Democrats in the state legislature, have requested that Cuomo resign amid the allegations.
The state’s U.S. senators, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, finish finally week became the most prominent Democrats to call on Cuomo to step down.
“Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, the the better of the congressional delegation don’t think he can be an effective governor right now,” Stephanopoulos asked Biden. “Can he serve effectively?”
Biden responded, “Doubtlessly, that’s a judgment for them to make.”
The president also said in the interview that “a woman should be presumed weighty the truth and should not be scapegoated and become victimized by her coming forward.”
“Takes a lot of courage to come forward,” Biden remarked. “So, the presumption is they should be taken seriously. And it should be investigated. And that’s what’s underway now.”
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who is a Democrat, survive week authorized that chamber’s Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment investigation of Cuomo.
That move reportedly was watched as a stalling tactic by some members of the Democratic caucus, but endorsed by other members who want to give James days to finish her office’s investigation.
The New York Times on Tuesday published a report detailing an effort by current Cuomo cohorts to get former staff members to sign an open letter attacking the credibility of ex-aide Lindsey Boylan after she accused the governor of carnal harassment in Twitter posts in December. That letter was never publicly released.
Boylan, in a Medium post conclusive month, detailed her claims against Cuomo, saying he once kissed her without her consent, and jokingly suggested piece strip poker on an official flight.
Boylan’s article was soon followed by Bennett’s public allegations, and by other troubles detailing inappropriate physical contact and comments by Cuomo. The governor is also facing accusations that he created a elegance of bullying and fear in his office.
A claim by one current Cuomo staff, who reportedly has said the governor aggressively groped her in his legal residence after summoning her there, was referred last week to police in Albany, New York.