US: Senior NY lawmakers urge governor to resign

ANKARA

Top New York Democratic lawmakers have urged Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down hours after Cuomo said the resign option is off the table.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said Sunday in a statement that the allegations about Cuomo are "drawing away from the business of government."

"We have allegations about sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the Covid-19 nursing home data and questions about the construction of a major infrastructure project," Stewart-Cousins said.

Noting that New York is still fighting with the pandemic and its social and economic effects, she said: "We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state, Governor Cuomo must resign."

"Our state is rightly crying out for truthful, transparent government," Manhattan Senator Liz Krueger said, explaining why she is standing with the Senate majority leader's call to resign. "The people's business is too pressing to continue to be derailed in this way."

Although not directly calling for Cuomo to leave his post, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said he shares Stewart-Cousins' "sentiment" on "the governor's ability to continue to lead this state."

Heastie urged Cuomo to "seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York," while defining allegations about him are "deeply disturbing."

Earlier Sunday, Cuomo said in a conference call with reporters that resignation demands by lawmakers are "anti-democratic."

"There is no way I resign," he added.

Cuomo facing calls for his resignation after several women stepped forward claiming sexual harassment by the Democratic governor. Also, his administration is under fire for allegedly showing coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes way lower than real numbers.