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Andrew Cuomo Departs At Midnight; Kathy Hochul Takes Over As NY's First Female Governor

Andrew Cuomo's resignation is effective as of midnight Tuesday. Kathy Hochul will take the oath of office at 12:01 a.m.
screenshot/ twitter @ltgovhochulny
Andrew Cuomo delivers departing remarks via recorded video message. His resignation is effective as of midnight Tuesday. Kathy Hochul will take the oath of office at 12:01 a.m.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, in his final hours in office, delivered what he called a “Farewell Address” to New Yorkers.  He continued to sow doubt about the veracity of the attorney general’s report, while also highlighting nearly 11 years of accomplishments.

Cuomo began his speech saying the allegations of sexual harassment against him need to be verified and scrutinized so as not to undermine our basic justice system.

"I understand there are moments of intense political pressure and media frenzy that cause a rush to judgment. But that is not right, it's not fair, or not sustainable. Facts still matter."

He likened the AG's report to a firecracker that started a political and media stampede, and says the truth will out in time. Cuomo then turned his focus to the ever evolving pandemic, and offered what he called “advice” to schools and businesses.

"Teachers must be vaccinated for their protection and for our children's protection. Masks must be required in high-risk areas, and private businesses must mandate proof of vaccination for large gatherings. Now, this will simply not happen without a state law mandating that it happen."

That might be seen as a call to state lawmakers and incoming Governor Kathy Hochul. Going into the future, Cuomo implored actions that keep business thriving and competitive, control crime, and reform police. He says the most important lesson he learned is his belief in the intelligence of New Yorkers, whom he credited for tackling tough issues such as marriage equality, gun safety, the minimum wage, and fighting COVID. In the end, he says, he thanked new Yorkers for the honor of serving as governor.

"We didn't get everything done that we wanted to. Or even everything we should have done. And we didn't always get it quite right. But I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that everyday, I worked my hardest, I gave it my all, and I tried my best to deliver for you."

HOCHUL TO BECOME NY'S FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR
By Karen DeWitt

Kathy Hochul will be sworn in as New York’s first female governor at midnight on Monday after a disgraced Andrew Cuomo resigned to avoid impeachment by the State Legislature. Hochul faces multiple challenges, including rising COVID-19 rates due to the delta variant of the virus and stagnating vaccination rates, and a looming eviction crisis.

Hochul was Cuomo’s chief cheerleader during her six years as lieutenant governor, traveling across the vast state of New York to promote his policies, often at several events in one day.

Despite that, Hochul was never part of Cuomo’s inner circle. She was left out of his daily nationally televised Covid briefings during the height of the pandemic.

Hochul says she was unaware of the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo until the women went public with their accusations. She condemned Cuomo after the state’s Attorney General, Tish James, found that he harassed, and in one case sexually assaulted, 11 women, and led an office rife with intimidation and bullying. One day after Cuomo announced his resignation, Hochul promised that she would run the state differently.

No one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment,” Hochul said in her first public appearance on August 11, one day after Cuomo announced his intention.

Hochul who describes herself as someone who listens first, then takes decisive action, will be leading the state’s efforts to grapple with the spread of the COVID Delta variant among unvaccinated and younger New Yorkers, including school aged children. Earlier this month, Cuomo’s health commissioner failed to provide guidance to schools on health and safety policy. Hochul says she will act swiftly to develop safety protocols. And she says he believes the commissioner has the power to impose mask mandates in school, if necessary.

Mask mandates is something that the department of health has the authority to call for,” Hochul said. “I believe that we will need mask mandates for children to go back to schools. And that will have to be universal, it will be statewide.”

New York’s eviction moratorium runs out August 31st, and the state has been awarded over $2 billion in federal aid to help tenants pay back rent. But a recent report by the state’s Comptroller finds that as of mid August, only $108.8 million have been distributed. Hochul says she will speed up the process, but says there is a longer time period for the money to go out.

I know we are facing a crushing deadline,” Hochul said on August 18th. But she says there is a “one year window” for applicants to receive the money.

As Hochul prepared to take over as governor, she announced two key appointments. Karen Persichilli Keogh, who’s worked for then-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, will be chief of staff, and Elizabeth Fine will be chief counsel. Fine is currently counsel to the state’s Empire State Development Authority.

Hochul has said there will be “turnover” among Cuomo’s former staff, and anyone implicated in bad behavior in the Attorney General’s report will be out of job. She’s asking for a 45 day transition period to continue interviewing potential new staff and making final decisions.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo, during his final hours in office, made several public appearances, presiding over storm briefings to alert New Yorkers about the potential dangers from tropical storm Henri, and giving a farewell address, twelve hours before his planned midnight exit. He used his last speech as governor, in part, to continue to deny the accusations against him, saying the AG’s report was political instead of factual .

“The Attorney General's report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic. And it worked. There was a political and media stampede,” Cuomo said. “But the truth will out in time. Of that I am confident.”

Attorney General James stands by her report, saying the women’s claims were corroborated by a “mountain of evidence.”

Cuomo also offered “advice” to his successor on pandemic policy going forward, and recounted what he believes were his major accomplishments in office, including renovating major airports and revitalizing Buffalo.

Cuomo continues to face several criminal investigations, including for allegations he groped a staffer, a federal probe of how he handled nursing home policy during the pandemic, and an investigation by the state’s Attorney General over whether his aides improperly helped him write and edit a book, for which he was paid $5 million.

 

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.
Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 public radio stations in New York State. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990. She is also a regular contributor to the statewide public television program about New York State government, New York Now. She appears on the reporter’s roundtable segment and interviews newsmakers. Karen previously worked for WINS Radio, New York, and has written for numerous publications, including Adirondack Life and the Albany newsweekly Metroland.