Anyone else skeptical about the Gov. Cuomo accusations?

[brush]

Is he up for re-election soon or something? First the long-term care home deaths allegedly low-balled/not reported (but actually reported as hospital deaths when covid patients were moved to hospital), and now the two sexual harrassment accusations.

Sounds like a pattern, similar to the Al Franken, Katie Hill and Joe Biden take-down campaigns. Two worked and one didn't but it seems to be part of the playbook against targeted Democratic politicians, which is why I asked when is Gov. Cuomo up for re-election? It's not as if there's a republican who's going to win the governorship of New York if he's taken down? And the presidential election, for which he looked very attractive for a while, is long over.

What is this all about?

[flor-de-jasmim]

1. Yes.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. I don't think it was sexual assault. It was sexual harassment.

The first one basically claimed that he gave her a bad time.

I am not sure about the second one.

But he has called for an outside review.

It does sound like a typical Republican move.

[brush]

4. I'll edit it to harrassment. That's the right word.

[hlthe2b]

3. I don't know, honestly and I do think there is quite a bit. He's not up for reelection until 2022

It does, however, feel like a real "pile-on," so I am not going to render an opinion until some verified facts (rather than conveniently timed allegations) are made public. DOJ is looking at the nursing home issue. The sexual harassment allegations (or at least one) does seem to have been challenged by other staffers, so?

Best to remain concerned but with an open mind right now, IMO... I don't deny he has a pattern of being an asshole, but that covers a lot of politicians and isn't generally criminal.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. When I read the first one it sounded like she thought

he wasn't being nice to her. Hecwas complaining about her work.

[theneworiginal]

66. The thing that makes me go hmmmm...

is that Trump did not jump on him about it. He remained conspicuously distant.

Normally, I am quick to guess that most women who come out with these kinds of stories are real victims, with some exceptions, of course. But I am reserving judgment on this one. Requesting an inquiry reflects well on the Gov.

What appears obvious to me in the recent stories about AC is that he is not easy to work with. He has a lot of conflicts which I guess is inevitable in a complicated state like NY, but people don't see him as warm and fuzzy. There's a big jump from being tough on people and threatening to ruin them, however, but he does not seemed well-liked by colleagues.

Not sure what to make of all this.

[PoliticAverse]

6. "What is this all about?" - A man who repeatedly behaves badly. n/t

[brush]

20. So you don't suspect any republican skullduggery?

Despite the pattern we've seen before?

[PoliticAverse]

23. Cuomo doesn't need any Republican help to self-destruct. He's got a Trump-sized ego. n/t

[brush]

27. Possibly, but you seem to be forgetting, maybe ignoring, that Cuomo made trump's...

daily covid news updates look like the inept, clown show they were compared to his competently handled ones. Plus Cuome is the governor of a state that is investigating trump criminally and civilly and has recently received even more receipts (trump's tax returns).

The timing by itself, coinciding with the trump investigations going on in NY, not to mention the similarity of it to the Franken-Hill-Biden take down pattern, must at least raise an eyebrow.

This smells hugely of free-ranging Roger Stone, saved from jail by trump.

[PoliticAverse]

28. No, as I live in New York I can tell you that Cuomo is his own worst enemy.

The investigation of Trump in NY has been going on for the entire time Trump was President. The Republican leadership would love it if NY Democrats now took down Trump. It would solve their #1 problem without them facing any repercussions from the electorate.

[brush]

30. What republican faction wants trump taken out by NY? The one that dominates...

the party now and is celebrating him at CPAC with a key speech today, and a golden statue?

[PoliticAverse]

31. The one that is more based in reality. When Trump was elected the Republicans controlled the Senate

and House. Now Democrats control both and the Republican party has gone off the deep end and is in disarray. Trump is not good for the Republican party, he is only good for himself.

[brush]

32. Of course he's not good for the party but his peeps are in charge of the party now.

That's just the reality.

[Maru Kitteh]

48. You are making the point. If Trump is taken out of the equation

it does the R party a favor by installing someone to push and pull the levers on those nutjobs that at the very least is less likely to do things like get cops killed on the steps of the capitol.

[DTomlinson]

74. This.

[SheltieLover]

7. Yup!

[Hortensis]

8. We're coming up to another hugely important election -- the 2022 midterms.

That's what's happening. Has to be. The stakes for America are enormous.

The senate is 50:50. McConnell and company intend to take it back.

We now have a bare majority in the house. They intend to take it back.

And we should assume they'd then do their best to keep power permanently by finishing what they've started.

So, the RW character assassination machine's going after the Democratic Party. Of course.

They're already working to obscure the good we do behind a blizzard of lies, sleazy accusations and insinuations, a barrage of politically motivated phony legal actions, social media carpet bombing to sow confusion, destroy belief and poison with disaffection. They'll trigger and augment anti-Democratic left hostilities and welcome foreign warfare against us.

Including hillarying Cuomo and other big Democratic names with "the insinuation is the crime." When managed by their expert character assassins, accusations that can't be proven or disproven can be not just every bit as damaging as those that can but often far more.

Buckle up. Helmets would be good.

[BlueMTexpat]

12. This indeed! eom

[CTyankee]

21. You make excellent points! BUT

at this point people are going to either be wholly in the deep shit of what has become the Republican Party or either a Democrat or those who may not even vote. Here is a case that the Right cannot win on its doubtful merits alone. Unless there are the equivalence of Monica's stained dress, the GOP has a problem, esp. in a blue state like NY.

You are right to warn us so we can be prepared. Cuomo doesn't come across as affable, to say the least.

[Hortensis]

26. The GOP's shrinking, but it'll come down to turnout again.

You're so right, of course, that the Republicans cannot win on merits; they were forced long ago to turn to swiftboating our party to defeat us.

I believe that has to be behind the current attacks on high-profile Dems, just as the Biden administration gets going, simply because it's what they always do now, and have had great, tragic successes with.

I was thinking that that and subversion of elections is all they have, but of course they now have almost all the Republicans in congress, half their voters, and many in state governments overtly supporting the authoritarian takeover that analysts have been watching them build toward for years. And that trumpism has applied jet fuel to.

Interesting times...!

[CTyankee]

45. We'll never get the hardcore thugs or their sympathizers. It's okay because we don't want

the racial and women hatred in our party. Can we win more of the center with demonizing such folk? I like the use of piling up our great Democratic accomplishments. My mother used to decry those who said we "can't" do something. She would say "This is a country that won WW II and put a man on the moon and you're telling me we can't ______?" (fill in the blank).

Well, we won WWII with a DEMOCRAT in the White House. We started the space program with a DEMOCRAT in the White House. Let's appeal to our doubters with great things like that and remind folks who we ARE.This small government nonsense makes me crazy. By definition, the Presidency represents Big Government because it has to. Even Eisenhower realized that when the U.S. paved/modernized/built our interstate highway.

I don't think we get much when we hurl labels unless we get to the "enough is enough" level "common decency." We got there fast with Trump but now Trump has been tarnished so badly that the Right has to make up their hatred amongst themselves. I do hope and believe this will fail. Let's be the party that lets the sun shine in.

[Hortensis]

47. +1000. :) We've elected a president determined to let the sun shine in.

Just a month in, and it feels so good. And you're right of course.

The Republican actions are also illuminating what they've become, dangerous time for them as more people finally become aware. Guessing your mom was around and among those who saved our nation last time they became a huge threat.

[PoliticAverse]

24. We are not "coming up on the 2022 midterms". It's currently February 2021. n/t

[Hortensis]

29. Averse, 2022 started well before the 2020 elections, and

that reality has affected every big decision made by our party leaders all along -- because that's the way it HAS to be.

[PoliticAverse]

36. Then with congressional elections every 2 years they are always "coming up". n/t

[Hortensis]

37. Yes. But we're in a time of great danger, and the threats

are existential and urgent. These aren't the good old days.

[kentuck]

9. The timing is coincidental, I am sure.

Just when the investigation of Donald J Trump begins in earnest.

[PoliticAverse]

25. Trump is no longer in office. Anything that dminishes Trump's political power at the moment...

only helps the Republican party move past the disaster that was Trump. The Republican power-elite would love it if Trump would be eliminated as a political threat as long as they could avoid any blame for the take-down.

[mwooldri]

10. I don't honestly know.

Maybe he is being Frankened. Let's have an investigation and see what happens.

[Politicalgolfer]

11. Gee, Gov of NY attacked as NY going after Trump🤔

Don's only hope is a governor who will stop investigating or pardon him???? Hope Cumo has extremely intense security..... we're dealing with a mobster here and a boy who could spill a lot of beans about the Russians

[nuxvomica]

13. The pandemic gave Cuomo great visibility

Because of his daily press briefings, which were so reassuring to people that he was called "America's Governor" around that time. Somewhere deep in the bowels of Castle Dracula, or wherever the Repub power brokers meet, he was identified as a future threat that had to be nipped in the bud, like Franken.

[Dem4Life1102]

14. I don't have a double standard

and only become skeptical when a democrat is accused. Everyone has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty though, that applies to everyone including Cuomo, Trump, Franken and Kavanaugh.

[Klaralven]

15. It's hard to see what would induce Charlotte Bennett to make false charges

Charlotte Bennett biography: 13 things about Andrew Cuomo’s ex-aide

https://conandaily.com/2021/02/28/charlotte-bennett-biography-13-things-about-andrew-cuomos-ex-aide/

I can't imagine that any discussion of sex with a 25 year old woman subordinate is appropriate for a superior of Cuomo's age.

If it is a takedown, it is most likely internecine Democratic politics in New York.

In deep blue or red states, the most important battles are blue on blue or red on red.

[Demsrule86]

40. I honestly don't care. I won't allow the GOP to destroy another Democratic leader.

I don't know what this person is thinking or if it really happened ...but I will support Cuomo. And not allow the Trump forces to win in New York or California.

[PTWB]

43. You don't care?

You will support Cuomo? Regardless of the facts?

I support an independent investigation. If the accusations are found to be credible I will support the survivors.

[Demsrule86]

70. Yes I will. I consider it BS. I am sick of these accusations that bring down powerful Democrats

without any sort of proof. Had Northam and Fairfax fallen for it, we would have lost Virginia. The GOP is using this sort of thing to attack our people. Also, Cuomo has been attacked before by Democrats...who consider him too middle of the road. I support Cuomo and I will continue to do so.

I survived sexual assault...and I hate hate women who use such things politically. It is disgraceful and is why many truly evil men will not be brought to justice as it causes women not to be believed when they should be believed.

[Silver1]

60. Why would she do it?

There are many possibilities and an investigation is the only way to find out how the dialog went. For all we know she could have instigated the conversation and he may have been answering her questions.

[Demsrule86]

72. Endless investigation weakens Democrats. The so called charges do not rise to a level of

investigation. It will end up going nowhere and weaken a strong Democrat. I could see looking into the nursing home thing but I feel the way Trump handled it caused there to be few options for governors...but that would be legit...the rest of it is pure unsubstantiated BS if you ask me.

[Silver1]

78. He has to clear his name ...

otherwise this will hound him for the rest of his career in office. Without an investigation, his enemies can embellish the story any way they like and that's really damaging to the rest of the party too.

[pwb]

16. It is a puke hit job, because Cuomo can speak in full sentences.

And he gets things done.

[malaise]

17. Let me put it this way

ReTHUGs tried to overthrow the Biden win and they are asking me to pay attention to another Al Franken like bullshit argument.
Focus on locking up the terrorist in chief and his goons.

Everything about this smells of Trump.

Fuck this shit. ReTHUGs are going after New York and California. Wake the fuck up!

[vsrazdem]

18. I will wait for the facts to come out, but I will not defend anyone's bad behavior,

Democrat or Republican.

[Demsrule86]

39. Then the next governor could be Republican...I consider that unacceptable and this is something tha

can't be proved one way or the other.

[vsrazdem]

50. Well I have seen numerous claims here that everytime someone of our party is accused of bad

behavior it is just sabotage by the Republicans, and the women are not to be believed. My personal feeling for when this came out when it did, is that Cuomo's name was being talked about as a possible position in the Biden administration, and maybe this person did not want this type of behavior to affect the president. My opinion is that if you've acted this way with 1 woman, there are probably more down the line that will come out. Excusing bad behavior because you are worried that the next Governor might be Republican is not the answer.

[Demsrule86]

69. Nonsense...in my opinion. We have lost great Democrats because of this. And it needs to stop.

You can't believe anyone- woman or man without evidence...any person can make accusations and that is not proof.

[vsrazdem]

77. Just like anyone can have an opinion, and mine happens to differ from yours.

[Demsrule86]

84. Agree to disagree.

[Lancero]

54. Well, that's one way to justify sexual harassment.

How far are you willing to draw that line? What else will you excuse? What else will you justify? What else will you wholeheartedly support?

[Demsrule86]

63. You know what...I heard the same BS with Governor Northam...and I will say the same thing.

The GOP and others who dislike Cuomo are using this to get rid of him...and we can't allow it. I am the victim of violent sexual assault. I have also experience sexual harassment... and I don't see that here.

This is political. And I bitterly resent using 'Me Too' politically. Already, you see women not being believe when they should be. This is a merely an attempt to destroy powerful Democrats. And I won't be part of it...purity costs us elections. Had we rushed in and forced Northam and Fairfax out when the GOP plotted to get rid of them...Virginia would be run by Republicans today.

[soothsayer]

19. It's ny that's threatening Trump with its criminal cases

Or this could be the usual make-that-guy-a-hero, tear-that-guy-down syndrome

[North Shore Chicago]

22. I will wait

until a full investigation is complete.

Either he is getting Frankened OR he is behaving inappropriately with younger women, neither outcome would be surprising.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

33. No.

[meow2u3]

34. Sounds like a RW setup targeting powerful Democrats for disgrace

Every time a Democrat becomes popular and powerful because of their popularity, some repunk operative pulls some dirty trick from the same RW playbook to sabotage them and bring down down. I've had enough of this shit!

[smirkymonkey]

61. +1000

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. I just don't trust the timing of this, and I also think his accuser is a little overzealous when it comes to these matters.

I am tired of how willing our party seems to be in throwing our own under the bus whenever there is a shady accusation.

I do think we have to have to listen to women, but there needs to be a thorough investigation before we accuse Cuomo without solid evidence.

[Polybius]

35. No

There were hints recently.

[Demsrule86]

38. Yes. I don't believe this is sexual harassment period. and I am sick of the me too

movement being used for political payback. As a woman who survived sexual assault...it pisses me off to see sexual harassment or Sexual assault used for political reasons... which in the end will make it so women who experience what I did are not believed.

[NurseJackie]

41. ...

[Tom Rinaldo]

42. Cuomo has a political reputation in NY of being pretty heavy handed

There are plenty of Democratic sources who attest to that. He is willing to throw his weight around and is not shy about intimidating adversaries, in any political party. His feud with NYC's Democratic Mayor is pretty epic, and unusual for its bitterness. Whatever you may think of NYC's Mayor, there is a pattern of Cuomo playing hard ball with other Democratic politicians.

Cuomo has also been a pretty effective executive for New York State. Prior scandals have touched his administration close to him, but he has escaped being nailed for any, though some suspicions have lingered. In the past a lot of the "good government" type reformers in New York have been critical of him. He defused a lot of opposition to him by tacking from center left to further left on the political spectrum, which suits New York State Democratic politics.

The man is of course innocent unless proven guilty, but it is entirely plausible to me that the attacks on Cuomo, which may well be coordinated in some way, are coming from within the Democratic Party. Cuomo is skilled at using power, and he is capable (at the very least) of making political life difficult for any Democrat who crosses paths with him. It would be hard for one individual to take him on and win, which could explain why multiple people with Democratic Party ties, are coming out against him now simultaneously; strength in numbers.

The other thing is that if it becomes widely accepted by many NY Democrats that Cuomo has become damaged goods, the political calendar calls for taking him on now. Cuomo was planning to run for another term as Governor, and some may fear the consequences of having a seriously wounded Democratic standard bearer running against a Republican in what otherwise should be a safe election for Democrats. The calculation might be to pile on Cuomo now with hopes to deprive him of another nomination to run for Governor

[Demsrule86]

64. They can seriously wound anyone...and you run someone new...you risk a GOP winning.

[kcr]

44. I'm not

And this is nothing like Al Franken.

[grantcart]

52. Agreed.

[ADK]

46. Cuomo did this to himself.

Cuomo governs by fear and has no friends outside of his very small circle of like-minded advisors. While the Dems in the State legislature endure Cuomo, there is a lot of cheering amongst them in private quarters right now, and don’t expect many Dems in NY to stand up for Cuomo. Cuomo has become toxic.

Keep in mind that AG Tish James (D) started this ball rolling when she released her nursing homes report, and Assemblyman Ron Kim (D) pushed it along when he went public with the Cuomo threats. The women who came forward with sexual harassment allegations are both former Cuomo staffers and Dems too. I wouldn’t be surprised if more accounts of Cuomo bullying or worse start coming to light now that ball has picked up steam.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/For-Cuomo-a-legacy-of-intimidation-hardball-15972208.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-CP-Spotlight

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/andrew-cuomo-bullying-crisis-new-york-governor_n_603a7dcfc5b6d7794adf4ee

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/10/19/andrew-cuomo-the-king-of-new-york

[BlueLucy]

49. I don't care.

Trump and republicans get away with so much really vile behavior that I am numb to wrong doings now. Republicans have set president.

[MustLoveBeagles]

51. Yes

[gulliver]

53. The reports should always begin, "Cuomo's alleged behavior is not close to as bad as Trump's but..."

Everything Cuomo is accused of is dwarfed by Trump at a level of magnitude. I'm not saying Cuomo shouldn't be held accountable for any actions he took. But it does look like the media is not providing a very much needed sense of proportionality. There's only one headline on the page, and Cuomo's in the headline right now. But the headline should not disguise the underlying vast difference in the data that produces similar words in the headline.

Cuomo, for example, may have caused excess deaths through a decision he made about nursing homes. But Trump and the Republicans who have his bit in their mouths are arguably more to blame for ten or more times the deaths. It's way too easy to forget that if we don't keep reminding people. Mere headlines don't do it.

[IcyPeas]

58. trump has like 26 cases of sexual harassment against him. and crickets....

the only one I hear about is E. Jean Carroll ;

:large

[smirkymonkey]

62. +1000

[PBass]

55. Cuomo has stood in the way of progress in NY and I'd be glad to see him go.

He used the "IDC" caucus - who he directly supported - they are Democratic state senators who caucused with Republicans (!!!) to block reforms in NY state.

He's been tainted for years. He set up a corruption panel to investigate allegations against his own administration, then dissolved the panel before they could complete their investigation.

Innocent until proven guilty, but it totally fits his personality to harass people and act like he is above the law.

NY can do better than Andrew Cuomo.

[healthnut7]

56. Whenever I hear about stuff like this I always wonder if a Republican is behind this?

Now anything is possible that these women are telling the truth. However I am always curious when it happens to a Democrat, as in Al Frankin.

[brush]

57. Dirty trickster Roger Stone is on the lose...freed by trump, and NY is investigating trump...

both criminally and civilly and just got trump's income taxes to boot, and Cuomo is the governor of NY.

Of course all of that is just a series of coincidences.

[hookaleft]

59. My first thought was it is either true or

a hit job. Either way, I say he doesn't survive.

[Greybnk48]

65. Trump is going after him for revenge.

I believe he's a clumsy flirter, and inappropriate, but nothing more.

He's being "Al Frankened," and Democrats need to stop it.

[Jose Garcia]

67. Is it appropriate for a boss to flirt with his subordinates, clumsily or otherwise?

[PufPuf23]

68. The timing of the accusations against Cuomo is curious.

There is a target on Cuomo by Trumpers, the GOP in general. and some Democrats as well. I interpret the within Party as political positioning similar to the disaster that took down Franken, could be wrong. Maybe Cuomo is guilty of sexual harassment but that may be a matter of interpretation of the interactions and possibly even self-promotion by accuser.

Sure harms focus of getting the USA on an even keel. No coincidence that the two largest Blue States, New York and California, have their Governors at risk despite general adult response compared to most States during the fluid and hard to comprehend pandemic.

[DTomlinson]

73. Are people here so wedded to particular Democratic politicians that they will always defend them?

Because that’s neither a moral virtue nor a good political strategy:

[leftyladyfrommo]

75. Maybe Cuomo can be a jerk but it takes someone like

him to go up against Trump. Most people were too intimated to do anything.

And Trump pretty much left Cuomo alone because he knew it wasn't a good idea to mess with him.

[PufPuf23]

76. Though a lifetime Democrat and an exclusive Democratic voter for 50 years next election,

I am probably one of the least likely DU members to have that problem.

[radius777]

79. +1. The element of the left that hates Biden also hates Cuomo.

The far right started the nursing home 'scandal' online way back in spring of last year - even as Trump was still claiming the virus was a hoax. Then some on the left started to pile on with that one, and now these 'harassment scandals' are coming out.

The NY GOP leader is calling for Cuomo's impeachment.

The local Dem politicians (Deblasio, Biaggo, Kim et al) that have been really going after Cuomo (before and after the sex accusations) are part of a wing that dislikes Cuomo for purely ideological and political reasons, in addition to any of the reasons they currently cite.

Cuomo should not to agree any 'independent investigation' IMO. He should just let people know that if they have a problem with him to take it to court. Then move on just as Republicans do all the time.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

80. Not sure if you're talking about reporting. But my dad went

From hospital to nursing home for his back and they put him next to a man with covid. He died 14 days later. So, the part about nursing homes being unprepared and negligent maybe hospitals too, is real.

[DTomlinson]

71. Not particularly.

[Stinky The Clown]

81. I am not so much skeptical as wanting the full story to be told. Can it be a hit job? Of course.

But it could just as easily be true. So far, it seems to have untold parts and pieces.

I'll wait.

Innocent until proved guilty.

I wish some Democrats would keep that in mind instead of calling for his resignation.

[Mr.Bill]

82. I don't want to live in a world where

nothing but words from a few people can destroy someone's career.

I'll keep an open mind, but there needs to be some more investigation.

[Ligyron]

83. Hmmm, well, this does kinda stink like a Roger Stone type operation.

They like using sexual type accusations because they know Dems will be quick to jump on board and gut their own to show how "Me Too" they are. Because let's face it, it's worked so well in the past with Al Franken, et al.