Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo introduced March 1 that he’s operating for mayor of New York Metropolis, relaunching his political profession following a yearslong exile over a barrage of sexual harassment accusations.
In a video asserting his marketing campaign, Mr. Cuomo pitched his return as a solution to pull town from social and political disaster, highlighting reasonable positions on crime and his lengthy historical past of political accomplishments.
“I’m not saying that is going to be straightforward, it received’t be straightforward however I do know we will flip town round and I consider I might help and that’s the reason I announce my candidacy at present for mayor of New York Metropolis at present,” he stated.
The Democrat is predicted to mount a formidable marketing campaign, regardless of coming into the race deeply wounded by the scandal that pressured his resignation from the governor’s workplace in 2021.
He takes on a big subject of major opponents with low identify recognition plus an incumbent, Mayor Eric Adams, who – for now – stays below indictment on federal corruption expenses, and below scrutiny from critics who query his independence from Republican President Donald Trump.
Mr. Cuomo enters the race with fundraising prowess, a file of accomplishments over his three phrases as governor, and potential assist amongst lots of the similar reasonable voters who helped propel Mr. Adams to the mayor’s workplace.
But it’s unclear whether or not voters are prepared to present Mr. Cuomo one other probability following his outstanding downfall 3 1/2 years in the past, when he went from being hailed for his management in the course of the onslaught of COVID-19 to being castigated for his habits with girls and questioned about his response to the pandemic.
In his marketing campaign video, Mr. Cuomo acknowledged previous “errors” over his profession however forged himself as a seasoned chief who might thread political divides between the left and proper, calling for a authorities that “can take a stand and get issues achieved.”
“Did I all the time do every thing proper in my years of presidency service? In fact not. Would I do some issues otherwise realizing what I do know now – actually. Did I make errors, some painfully? Positively, and I consider I discovered from them and that I’m a greater individual for it and I hope to point out that on daily basis.”
Mr. Cuomo had been circling a return to politics for years whereas concurrently combating to rehabilitate his picture and undermine the allegations towards him.
Not less than 11 girls accused him of sexual harassment, which included allegations of undesirable kissing and touching, in addition to remarking about their seems to be and intercourse lives, in line with a report launched by New York’s legal professional common.
Mr. Cuomo denied the sexual assault allegation, which a prosecutor in the end dropped on the grounds that there wasn’t sufficient proof to get a conviction at trial.
As for his habits with a number of the different girls, Mr. Cuomo insisted he didn’t deliberately mistreat them and had merely fallen behind the occasions of what was thought of acceptable office conduct.
Taxpayers have spent tens of millions of {dollars} to defend him and his prime aides in courtroom towards varied lawsuits associated to the allegations. He’s shifting to sue at the very least one of many accusers for defamation.
The race already has a number of candidates vying to beat Mr. Adams within the June Democratic major. Amongst them are metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, and former metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer, who was a frontrunner within the mayor’s race 4 years in the past till a girl accused him of groping and kissing her with out her consent 20 years earlier.
His rival major candidates, lots of whom have been taking pictures on the former governor for weeks as he loomed over the race, had been fast to launch statements of their very own that attacked Mr. Cuomo’s file.
Mr. Adams can also be in search of reelection however is dealing with a tempest over the felony case towards him, and the U.S. Justice Division’s extraordinary effort to finish the case over the objection of the prosecutors who introduced the fees.
An indictment stated Mr. Adams accepted luxurious journey perks together with unlawful marketing campaign contributions from a Turkish official and different international nationals. After Mr. Trump took workplace, a prime Justice Division official ordered federal prosecutors in Manhattan to dismiss the fees so Mr. Adams might deal with helping the president’s immigration agenda, whereas leaving open the presumably that the case might reemerge after the mayoral election.
That dynamic led critics to say that Mr. Adams had struck a deal to assist with Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown in trade for authorized salvation.
Mr. Adams has strongly denied such an association was made, whereas dealing with intense stress to step down and a possible removing from workplace by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat. Among the mayor’s prime deputies introduced plans to step down in protest.
Mr. Adams, caught on a metropolis avenue by a Politico reporter after Mr. Cuomo’s announcement, welcomed the previous governor to the race.
“Come one, come all. Everyone ought to put their place ahead. I’ve an excellent file to run on. We look ahead to the marketing campaign,” Mr. Adams stated.
Mr. Cuomo began in politics working for his father, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, and later rose to change into U.S. housing secretary below President Invoice Clinton and New York legal professional common earlier than being elected governor in 2010.
His nationwide star energy was highest in the course of the coronavirus pandemic, when his televised every day briefings, filled with clear-eyed rhetoric on the virus, attracted admirers nationwide who noticed him as a gradual hand of management at a chaotic time. The briefings received a world Emmy award and led to him getting a e book deal for greater than $5 million to put in writing “American Disaster: Management Classes From the Covid-19 Pandemic.”
Ladies, although, started coming ahead in late 2020 and early 2021, accusing Mr. Cuomo of misconduct. He confronted a possible impeachment earlier than he stepped down. A state ethics panel tried unsuccessfully to get Mr. Cuomo to surrender the proceeds of his e book deal after it decided he used taxpayer assets to arrange, edit, and publish the e book.
Mr. Cuomo was additional broken by allegations {that a} directive from his administration had unintentionally contributed to a wave of COVID-19 deaths in nursing houses by initially barring them from refusing to readmit virus sufferers discharged from hospitals. The governor insisted the allegations was baseless, however his administration was subsequently discovered to have considerably undercounted the variety of nursing dwelling deaths because it sought to deflect the criticism.
Mr. Cuomo nonetheless has a big marketing campaign conflict chest that would technically be utilized in his bid for mayor. However the means of transferring his state donations to a metropolis committee can be sophisticated and require every donor to log out on the change, a probably burdensome effort.
This story was reported by The Related Press.
