by Tony Gray
posted: 9 August 2021

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should not resign his office even though a recent report from the state Attorney General lends credence to women who allege he committed sexual abuse.

I have been a registered Republican since Richard Nixon was president. I have no love for Gov. Cuomo. I do not like him as a person or a politician. He is, however, an American citizen entitled to the presumption of innocence that is the bedrock of our judicial system.

Imagine the chaos if a mere allegation is enough to destroy lives and careers. Anyone looking for revenge or gain or just likes on social media could have a field day accusing people of anything and everything.

At least one of the women accusing Cuomo of sexual misconduct is very credible. She has produced multiple emails from the governor that lend support to her claims. It seems very likely to me she would prevail in a legal proceeding but that has not happened yet. Until a jury convicts him or the state Legislature impeaches him, he has a right to claim innocence, demand his day in court and keep his job.

Cuomo can probably last the balance of hi term without worry about a criminal conviction. Justice is slow in New York, even without Covid. When a sitting governor is the defendant, glaciers probably move faster. The real worry for the governor has to be the Legislature; will they impeach him? Do they have the stones to actually kick him out of office?

Mainstream media is doing its part to whip readers into a frenzy they hope will result in a Cuomo capitulation but media outside New York don't understand how much Cuomo revels political hardball.

I don't see the governor voluntarily resigning because he probably figures another crisis like 20,000 Covid patients in a day would change the headlines in a hurry. He will hope to run out the clock on the year before the next election.

Will the legislature remove him? Elections for governor are scheduled for next November. Impeachment hearings would probably be lengthy because of the number of accusers against the governor and then Cuomo would have days, maybe a week, to present his defense. For weeks, mainstream media would lead their nightly coverage with New York's impeachment.

Democrat party leaders won't want voters to see daily descriptions of Cuomo wrongdoing so close to next November's election. Plus, after an Assembly vote for impeachment, state law requires waiting at least 30 days before the Senate may vote to convict. That would be another month of daily dirt on Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Campaign staff for every Republican candidate next year will undoubtedly scramble to find sound bites of their opponents praising Cuomo, calling him a good leader, a visionary or the savior of lives. Each of those sound bites will be followed by a damaging sound bite from the impeachment hearing. Oh, it's going to be a thing of beauty to see.

I may even start watching network news again, just to get my daily laughs. The only thing that could screw that up would be if Cuomo resigns before impeachment hearings begin.

Please, please, please don't resign, Governor Cuomo; I beg you. Please! Your impeachment trial is the best hope of electing a Republican governor next year.