The majority of House Democrats from New York on Friday called on Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign from office in the wake of sexual harassment allegations and his handling of Covid-19 deaths at state nursing homes. The New York congressional members had been largely silent as Democratic state lawmakers were leading the calls for Cuomo's resignation in the wake of the allegations. The stunning, coordinated announcements sent shockwaves through the state and could signal a turning point in the scandal. Cuomo has vigorously resisted calls for his resignation, brushing them off as political maneuvers by his rivals. But the congressional group demanding he step down includes members from across the party's ideological lines and included both senior figures connected to the state political establishment and younger progressive lawmakers. Their decision follows another, less than 24 hours earlier, by Democrats in the state Assembly to launch an impeachment investigation that will be carried out concurrently with the state attorney general's independent probe. At least a dozen House Democrats from New York on Friday said Cuomo must resign, arguing that the allegations have impeded his ability to effectively govern and serve the people of New York. A source familiar with the conversations that preceded Friday's coordinated call for Cuomo's resignation said the group has been in touch as the allegations mounted, but only agreed to move forward together on Thursday. They decided to wait until Friday morning to go public so as not to step on President Joe Biden's speech Thursday night.
