With more accusations of sexual misconduct coming out against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo every few days, the dam appeared to fully break Friday as a torrent of powerful New York politicians called for his resignation, while others plotted to begin impeachment hearings.
Over the weekend two things became clear: first, the New York political establishment has quit Cuomo. Second, Cuomo is not yet quitting New York.
As it stands, six women have accused the Democratic governor of sexual assault, harassment, or misconduct. When there were only two accusations, Cuomo’s office announced there would be an independent investigation and pleaded for New Yorkers to wait for the results. Cuomo said he had come to understand his actions made people uncomfortable, and apologized, but maintained that he never touched anyone inappropriately.
For at least a week this was an acceptable position for the New York political establishment. In statement after statement, legislative leaders, the state’s federal delegation, and even candidates for New York City mayor all expressed their concern over the allegations, yet said they were reserving further judgment until after an investigation by the state’s attorney general.
But soon, as more allegations came out, Cuomo’s political position became untenable. The same people who days earlier were waiting for an investigation were no longer waiting. Now, they called on him to resign, and a majority of the state Democratic caucus in the House began to prepare for impeachment proceedings.
However, on a conference call with reporters on Friday Cuomo said he wasn’t quitting and said those who called on him to resign before an investigation are “reckless and dangerous.” He repeated that “I did not do what has been alleged, period” and he even questioned the motives of some of his accusers, telling reporters that “there are often many motivations for making an allegation.”
Cuomo added that he was not going to resign and be part of his party’s “cancel culture.”
Still, Cuomo faces overwhelming pressure to step down from most of the New York Congressional delegation. There are three basic reasons why he isn’t resigning.
1. Politics is all he knows
For Andrew Cuomo there is really nothing else in life other than politics. He has been in politics since he was 23, aiding his father, a three term governor. He’s served as governor himself for more than 10 years. It is not as though he has made money doing anything else or an identity doing anything else. There is no fall back plan.
As the New York Times noted on Sunday, after he split with his long time girlfriend they sold their home. So the governor’s residence is the only home he has and there is no place to go if he were to resign today. Of course, he is enormously privileged, but it speaks to his mindset.
Stepping down removes essentially the only thing he knows, and would make it very hard for him to hold any sort of public role in the future. That is a very high-stakes decision.
2. Recent history is full of examples of politicians surviving calls to resign
History has all kinds of examples of politicians, especially governors, who have faced calls to resign over one thing or another. Some resigned, some refused to. Looking back, those that stuck around often found a way to survive the scandal.
Former President Donald Trump didn’t quit his presidential campaign despite calls for him to do so following the leak of the Access Hollywood tape. (Weeks later he won the election.) He didn’t quit during the Mueller probe, the first impeachment, or the second. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is still in office years after basically every member of his own party told him to leave over a racist yearbook photo. Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford stuck around in office even after his “hiking on the Appalachian trail” episode caused many to call for him to resign. He eventually found a second act in returning to the US House.
3. Until he sees he will be removed from office he may see no reason to leave
It’s clear that Cuomo is just trying to hold on, but here is the thing: at the moment it looks logistically like it’s his call whether he stays or goes.
If New York House Democrats continue with their impeachment of him, it appears that there are enough votes to impeach, but it’s less clear if there are enough votes to remove him from office in the Senate, where two-thirds of the body must vote to convict. It’s really a question of what the New York Senate’s Republican members will do: Do they want him out? Or is it in their interest for him to remain in office, hobbled by scandal? In the meantime, Cuomo will stay.
(There is one wrinkle: under New York rules, if Cuomo is impeached, the lieutenant governor becomes the acting governor during the Senate trial. So Cuomo would technically be removed from office, even if just temporarily.)
Also, there is this: the public is still with him. A new Sienna College poll on Monday showed that just 35 percent of New Yorkers believe he should resign immediately, while 50 percent said he should not.
James Pindell is a Globe political reporter who reports and analyzes American politics, especially in New England.