BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Calls for Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign are growing louder, following accusations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.
Now, members of his own party say that Cuomo must resign.
Sunday afternoon, the democratic calls for resignation began with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
"New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign," wrote Stewart-Cousins.
Not long after, Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie wrote:
"We have many challenges to address, and I think it is time for the Governor to seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York."
7 Eyewitness News has reached out to several local state law makers, about the recent surge in calls for Cuomo's resignation, few have responded.
Assemblyman Pat Burke tweeted this:
"After these latest allegations against Governor Cuomo, an unacceptable pattern of behavior has been made clear. Governor Cuomo can no longer be entrusted to lead our state and he must resign."
On Sunday, before so many Democrats called for the governor to resign, Cuomo said this about his recent allegations:
"I was elected by the people of the state. I wasn't elected by politicians. I'm not gonna resign because of allegations. The premise of resigning because of allegations is actually anti-democratic."
One political expert from the University at Buffalo weighed in on the growing number of Democrats calling on the governor to resign:
“There's almost no political downside to them cleaning house at this stage. And if there is a resignation or some other means of removing him. They'll get Kathy Hochul in for a while and then open it up to really whomever they want, and more than likely, someone more liberal than the governor,” said Jacob Neiheisel, at political science professor at UB.
Local republicans, like Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt continue to call on the governor to resign.
