State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D. 34) issued a statement on Tuesday following the publication of the findings of the independent investigation carried out by Attorney General Laetitia James into allegations of sexual harassment by New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, allegations which the governor has denied.

 

On Tuesday, Aug. 3, Biaggi said the independent investigation concluded that the governor sexually harassed former and current staff, violating federal and state law. “The report confirms what we already knew – the Governor has sexually harassed and intimidated employees while actively silencing the victims of his abuse and fostering a toxic and hostile work environment,” she said.

 

“I commend the brave women who came forward in the face of actual and potential retaliation,” Biaggi added. “I believe you. I support you, and I stand with you always. No longer can we let powerful men abuse their positions without facing consequences. It is time for Gov. Cuomo to face accountability for his actions.”

 

A slideshow of @NYGovCuomo kissing people does NOT negate that he sexually harassed his employees.

— Alessandra Biaggi (@Biaggi4NY) August 3, 2021

 

In the context of posts and comments on social media by some who sought to defend the governor’s actions, the senator later tweeted, “A slideshow of @NYCGovCuomo kissing people does NOT negate that he sexually harassed his employees.”

 

As part of her formal statement, she said that as a New Yorker, a legislator, as chair of the senate ethics and internal governance committee, and as a survivor of sexual abuse, she was calling on Cuomo to resign.

 

A number of other elected officials have also called on the governor to resign, including U.S. Senator Kirstin Gillibrand, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), the latter saying, “The conduct described in the Attorney General’s report is nauseating and is antithetical to the ideals that we must uphold in New York State. I feel terrible for the women who experienced such outrageous behavior while working on behalf of the people of New York.”

 

11 women. 11. #Resign https://t.co/bob3TT2WMR

— Maya Wiley (@mayawiley) August 3, 2021

 

Dinowitz added, “I’ve said from the beginning that there must be due process and we cannot operate in a system of ‘guilty until proven innocent’. Now that the Attorney General’s investigation is complete, it is clear to me that Gov. Cuomo has had due process. It is time for the governor to resign, for the good of our state.” Former candidate for Mayor of New York City, Maya Wiley added to the calls, tweeting, simply, “11 women. 11. #Resign.”

 

As reported, Biaggi previously called for the governor to resign in February 2021, when news broke regarding a second complainant. “If he refuses, I am calling on Speaker Heastie and the Assembly to move to impeach immediately,” she said.

 

Stay tuned! 😉 https://t.co/IQVlWpKcIx

— Alessandra Biaggi (@Biaggi4NY) July 26, 2021

 

Norwood News reached out to the governor’s office for a comment on calls for the governor’s resignation. We did not receive an immediate response. The governor later released a video statement.

 

On July 28, CNBC reported that Biaggi was allegedly considering a run for governor, citing the fact that her website was being updated for a possible future campaign. The senator neither confirmed nor denied the suggestion, but when Nick Merril later tweeted about her website, and asked if something new and exciting was in the offing, she replied on Twitter, “Stay tuned.”