It’s Time To Send Andrew Cuomo Packing
– By Ed Kociela –
Andrew Cuomo has had skin in the game for a very long time, long enough to know that anything he says or does can, and will, be held against him.
The New York governor is staring down accusations of sexual harassment from, at this point, at least five women – four former aides and a photographer.
Before he was elected governor he served as his late father’s campaign manager, worked as an assistant district attorney, and was front and center as part of the Bill Clinton administration, all gigs where he should have picked up something about how to operate in the public eye. Of course, you would think he could have learned a thing or two during his 63 years on the planet. Apparently not.
The self-described “love gov” finds himself in double jeopardy now because on top of the sexual harassment accusations there are charges that the reporting on COVID-19 cases in New York senior homes may not be accurate.
We can’t have this.
And, it is hypocritical of progressives, who were quick to point out the lies and shady maneuvering of the previous administration, to want to give Cuomo a pass, as former Sen. Al Franken learned when inappropriate photos of him surfaced.
I liked Franken.
I liked Cuomo.
That doesn’t mean I should turn a blind eye. That sort of partisanship is what got us into this lousy mess to begin with, you know. And, I am not about to play the “what about” game. It is just as wrong for Cuomo to be a schmuck as it was for Donald Trump. To think otherwise is patently offensive.
It is probably very naïve to feel this way, but I am sure I am not the only one who feels like they have been flimflammed by a guy who endeared himself to many of us as he took up the torch against the monster that had been unleashed in the White House only to learn that, well, he was also a member of that “boys will be boys” club that seems to let these guys slide. The truth is that scumbags come in both red and blue and although you might want to split hairs and declare levels of scumminess, the fact remains that both of these guys made women feel violated. It was an abuse of power, a perk of privilege, an act of arrogance.
I thought that the #metoo movement had put a certain level of awareness out there that would protect women from such misogynistic behavior, that there really is a line that you should not cross, that using your power and influence to coerce a woman into sex is a form of rape. It doesn’t matter if the perpetrator is Donald Trump or Andrew Cuomo, this behavior is not acceptable. It doesn’t matter if the guy who did this suddenly finds religion. I mean if they truly have, good for them that they settled with God, but they still have to answer for the harm they caused their victims.
The thing is, this isn’t like some guy who has cheated on his taxes. This isn’t some con that bilked somebody out of money. This is a very personal thing that will leave deep, dark scars that will not heal no matter how much money you use for balm.
What bothers me most about this is the fact that these guys, generally, are unrepentant. They fail to understand that a “harmless” kiss is anything but; that it is never acceptable to lay hands on another person without their consent; that except for guys who lie about their “conquests,” most people don’t really like to discuss the intimate details of their lives. You can’t shrug it off. Saying that you don’t understand why this is such a big deal doesn’t wash either because it exposes you for your ignorance about social graces and arrogance for ignoring them. You may not care, but others do and that matters.
Democrats must remember that during the Trump years, they were the ones calling for honesty, decency, a sense of morality. They ridiculed Lyndsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and a host of others for their lack of those qualities. Now it is time to put up or shut up. They cannot have it both ways just because one of their guys got caught. It destroys their credibility. Clinton was brilliant when it came to fixing a damaged economy, but he was morally bereft, a hulking bully and you cannot simply chalk it up to “it was just about sex,” slap his wrist and pretend it never happened. I get it that sex scandals are typically brushed aside in many other countries, but does that make it OK? I don’t think so.
What this does is open the window so we can peak into exactly what kind of person we have elected, and, more importantly, how they view life and their fellow men and women.
We pretty much know that most of those in power are old, rich, white guys, but we hope they have better morals than an alley cat. Still, we shouldn’t be surprised. This has been going on since the days of Hamilton and Jefferson, so I guess we haven’t learned much over the years.
What is most disconcerting right now is the fact that the economy is in the toilet and we are neck-deep in the COVID-19 pandemic. If we ever needed strong leadership, now is the time and these distractions do nothing to ensure that. How effective can Cuomo be if he is fending off lawsuits and participating in investigations regarding the accusations made against him?
Not very.
That’s why Cuomo should resign.
Cuomo is free and single. He’s got a pretty high profile, wealth, and position so if he is lonely, meeting women shouldn’t be too difficult.
And, supposedly, he’s a fairly bright guy so he really should have known better than to fish in his own pond.
But, somehow, somewhere along the line, that lesson was lost on him.
It’s time to send him packing.
Viewpoints and perspectives expressed throughout The Independent are those of the individual contributors. They do not necessarily reflect those held by the staff of The Independent or our advertising sponsors. Your comments, rebuttals, and contributions are welcome in accordance with our Terms of Service. Please be respectful and abide by our Community Rules. If you have privacy concerns you can view our Privacy Policy here. Thank you!
Click here to submit an article, guest opinion piece, or a Letter to the Editor
