Citing New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s abusive treatment of women and his systemic neglect of the state’s most vulnerable, leaders of Progressive Women of New York today are joining the chorus of those calling for his resignation or removal from office.
The steering committee of the 1,600-member PWNY is stressing the urgent need for new leadership in Albany to immediately address the ongoing injustices in the state’s response to the pandemic. Governor Cuomo's reign of fear has exacerbated Albany’s culture of abuse and corruption and stood in the way of desperately needed progress for long enough. How can he govern effectively when he’s focused on all the crises he created? The only path forward to ensure New Yorkers’ confidence in their state government is for Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign. If he does not, the New York State Legislature must proceed with impeachment and removal from office.
A PWNY member, Lindsey Boylan, was the first of at least eight women who have bravely come forward to accuse Cuomo of behavior ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault. Cuomo’s own words - which he does not deny uttering - prove he is a predator. Boylan, candidate for Manhattan Borough President, experienced firsthand what happens to those who defy the Governor - when his insiders try to silence, discredit, or “destroy'' critics.
“The governor must be held accountable for his abuse of power and harassment of women," said Boylan. "Instead of leading us out of the pandemic, the governor and his aides have been focused on smearing and discrediting women who have made credible accusations against him. The governor’s actions and his administration’s response make it clear he is unable to lead with integrity.”
The Cuomo crises have paralyzed state government and sidelined the Democratic Party’s legislative agenda, revealing that the state’s executive branch is dedicated to serving the Governor, not governing.
Cuomo’s many abuses have had a real human cost, disproportionately devastating communities of color.
Issuing an order protecting his top donor, leading to an indeterminable number of deaths, and covering up as many of 50 percent of COVID deaths in nursing homes across the state all up for more than a half-year
Ordering draconian Medicaid cuts in the midst of a pandemic
Ceding control over healthcare policy in NYS to a private hospital network, blocking two critical pieces of legislation: The New York Health Act and the Safe Staffing for Hospitals
Making a series of devastating, fatal missteps in handling the state’s COVID response, releasing a book and accepting an Emmy while constituents are suffering and dying
Because of his obsession with austerity, dozens of hospitals have closed during his tenure, and many more are critically under-resourced.
Demonstrating hypocrisy, after urging the resignation of Eric Schneiderman in 2018 when sexual harassment allegations against the then-attorney general emerged
PWNY steering committee members stand with other survivors to document this pattern of abuse and call the Governor to account for his executive actions and inactions during his tenure.
Progressive Women of New York -- a statewide political activism and social justice organization committed to upholding progressive values and human rights at every level of government formed in 2017 — pledges to support the administration of New York’s first female governor and plans to help elect a progressive governor in 2022.
Progressive Women of NY
PO Box 1197
No comments:
Post a Comment