New York governor urged to quit after damning harassment report

U.S. President Joe Biden joined leading Democrats on Aug. 3 in calling on powerful New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign after an independent investigation concluded that he sexually harassed multiple women.

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Cuomo, who drew praise nationwide for his early pandemic response, denied inappropriate conduct and resisted immediate calls to quit after the probe found he harassed current and former New York state employees.

But his position was looking increasingly untenable late on Aug. 3 after Biden and House speaker Nancy Pelosi said the three-term governor should step down and state lawmakers moved to impeach him.

"I think he should resign," Biden told reporters in Washington.

The explosive report detailed allegations by 11 women that paint a "deeply disturbing yet clear" picture of a pattern of abusive behavior by Cuomo and his senior staff, state Attorney General Letitia James said, announcing the findings.

It was not clear if the governor would face criminal prosecution, with James saying the investigation was "civil in nature," but U.S. media reported that the district attorney's office in state capital Albany had opened an investigation.

The five-month investigation "concluded that Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and in doing so violated federal and state law," James told a news conference.

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She said Cuomo engaged "in unwelcome and non-consensual touching and making numerous comments of a suggestive sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women."

The investigation also found that Cuomo and his senior team took retaliatory action against at least one former employee for coming forward with her story, she added.

Cuomo issued an unequivocal...