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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he will be “stepping aside” from his office in a fortnight after a state investigation released last week accused him of having “sexually harassed multiple women and violated state law.”
The indicting report from the state’s attorney-general Letitia James’s office had said it found the reported allegations from eleven women against Mr Cuomo credible.
Since the report was released, Mr Cuomo, a Democrat, has been facing an impeachment investigation from the New York Assembly’s judiciary committee.
President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and more than two-thirds of New York state senators called on him to resign.
Mr Cuomo has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying the impeachment investigation into him was “politically motivated,” but he was nonetheless stepping down because he would “never want to be unhelpful in any way.”
Deputy Governor Kathy Hochul will replace Mr Cuomo, becoming the state’s first female governor, CNN reported.
The embattled politician said Tuesday that he has “been too familiar with people” and apologized to the women he said he “truly offended,” CNN added.
“I’m a New Yorker, born and bred. I’m a fighter and my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated, I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful and I believe it demonizes behavior that is unsustainable for society,” he said.
“New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York, and I love you. I would never want to be unhelpful in any way.”
Mr Cuomo further apologized to three daughters with whom he said he watched some of the media coverage detailing the accusations against him.
“I want them to know” that I never did “intentionally disrespect” a woman. “Your dad made mistakes, and he apologised.”
