Biden calls on Cuomo to resign after sexual harassment findings
03 August 2021
President Biden called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign on Tuesday after an independent investigation found that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, including employees in his office, in violation of state and federal law.
Why it matters: Unlike dozens of other prominent Democrats, Biden initially held off on calling for Cuomo's resignation in March when the allegations of sexual misconduct first emerged.
- Biden initially did not comment, but later said Cuomo should resign — and could even be prosecuted — if the allegations were corroborated.
What they're saying: "Yes," Biden said after being asked if he believed Cuomo should resign and if he stood by his comments in March.
- "Let's take one thing at a time here. I think he should resign. I understand that the state legislature may decide to impeach. I don't know that for fact. I have not read all that data," Biden said.
- "Look, I'm not going to fly-speck this. I'm sure there are some embraces that are totally innocent. But apparently the attorney general decided there were things that weren't."
Between the lines: Cuomo is one of the most powerful Democratic governors in the country, and he and Biden have been friends and political allies for years.
- Biden was also close to Cuomo's father, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.
The big picture: The investigation overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo engaged in unwanted and inappropriate groping, kissing, hugging, and comments that accusers called "deeply humiliating, uncomfortable, offensive, or inappropriate."
- The report also found that Cuomo and his staff took steps to retaliate against at least one former employee for coming forward with her story, and fostered a "toxic" workplace that enabled sexual harassment to occur.
Go deeper:Read the full report
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.
Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.
The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.
- The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.
What the transcripts say:
- Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
- The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
- Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."
Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.