Biden plays it safe on Cuomo again: President says NY Gov. should RESIGN and could face prosecution... but only if sexual harassment probe proves allegations
Joe Biden has said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign if the allegations against him are true.
Biden was speaking with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News on Tuesday night when he was asked about the sexual assault allegations made against Cuomo.
Multiple women have made allegations against Cuomo, all of which he has denied so far.
Joe Biden and Andrew Cuomo, pictured together in 2015, may now be at odds due to the sexual harassment allegations the New York governor has been facing
Joe Biden told ABC News that Cuomo should resign from his post if the allegations are true
'I know you said you want the investigation to continue,' Stephanopoulos said. 'If the investigation confirms the claims of the women, should he resign?'
'Yes,' Biden responded. 'I think he'll probably end up being prosecuted, too.'
'Takes a lot of courage to come forward,' Biden added in recognition of the women who have made allegations. 'So, the presumption is they should be taken seriously. And it should be investigated. And that's what's underway now.'
The president also said 'a woman should be presumed telling the truth and should not be scapegoated and become victimized by her coming forward.'
As for whether or not Cuomo can still lead New York, Biden said 'that's a judgment for them to make,' in reference to some of the senators who have asked for Cuomo to resign, including Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer.
Cuomo has constantly denied the numerous allegations he has faced in recent months
Over the weekend, Cuomo was seen walking around his mansion wearing a blanket
He added: 'There should be an investigation to determine whether what she says is true. That's what's going on now.'
The rest of the interview will air on Wednesday morning.
Biden's comments on Tuesday mark a change from a previous statement on Sunday, when he didn't go as far.
'I think the investigation is underway and we should see what it brings us,' Biden said at the time.
CNN reports Lindsey Boylan, Cuomo's first public accuser, met with investigators for the New York Attorney General's Office over the weekend.
Boylan alleges that Cuomo tried to kiss her after a meeting in New York City in 2018.
Former policy advisor Charlotte Bennett, 25, also spoke with investigators on Monday following her accusation of sexual harassment.
Cuomo has faced many calls to resign, including one from Chuck Schumer (right)
She claims Cuomo made her uncomfortable on several occasions, including once asking about her sex life.
Cuomo has said he 'never made advances toward Ms. Bennett, nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate.'
'The feeling there is it's just a matter of time before the clock runs out,' a source told CNN about Cuomo's future.
Earlier this week, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tied Gov. Cuomo's alleged cover-up of nursing home deaths, another scandal dogging Cuomo, to campaign contributions.
De Blasio told CBS' Face the Nation that Cuomo should resign.
Pictured: Karen Hinton, a Cuomo accuser
'He should resign right now because he's holding up our effort to fight COVID. He's literally in the way of us saving lives right now.'
According to the New York Times, aides of Cuomo rewrote a health department report to hide the true number of nursing home deaths.
Meanwhile, at least seven different women have made accusations against Cuomo of sexual harassment or other sexual impropriety.
'He approached me, embraced too tightly, too long and was aroused,' accuser Karen Hinton said of a 2000 incident during a WNYC interview, according to the New York Post.
'I felt extremely uncomfortable and actually shocked. Nothing had ever happened that way between the two of us.'
Cuomo has denied Hinton's accusations.
Employees have alleged that the governor's office is an toxic and unprofessional work environment. Cuomo has also been accused of groping a female staff member at his mansion.
The Associated Press reports Joon Kim, a former federal prosecutor, and employment discrimination attorney Anne Clark are in charge of the AG's investigation, complete with subpoena power.
Biden faced a sexual assault allegation by former staffer Tara Reade, who claims Biden groped and kissed her in 1993. He has denied those allegations.
Cuomo faces an impeachment investigation from the State Assembly, though he maintains that he will not resign.
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