Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 8/9/21-8/13/21

 

Dear Community,

On Tuesday, August 10th, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation as Governor of New York. This announcement came one week after the conclusion of the Attorney General’s investigation into the Governor’s behavior that confirmed he sexually harassed eleven women and fostered a toxic work environment in the Executive Chamber. It feels as if New York is finally closing a dark chapter. I am forever grateful for the eleven women who risked everything to speak out about their experience of sexual misconduct by the Governor. Because of their courage, New York will be a better and safer place. 

The truth is that the Governor’s harm extended beyond the harassment he inflicted upon the eleven women who came forward. Governor Cuomo upheld a culture of abuse, bullying, and corruption that has existed in Albany for years, impacting both the function and integrity of our state government. For too long, the Governor stood in the way of progressive success, obstructing legislation on healthcare, higher education, transportation, and so much more, prioritizing his own needs over the good of New Yorkers. 

While the Governor stepping aside allows our state to begin to heal, resignation alone does not equal accountability. The Legislature must move forward with impeachment. New York needs a full reckoning of the many ways the Governor has harmed his staff, our government, and our state. If we fail to hold the Governor accountable, we are sending a message that protections against sexual harassment in the workplace do not apply to those with power. Without accountability, we cannot rid Albany of the toxic and corrupt culture that has plagued New York for too long. 

Our government must work for the people, not against them. This is an opportunity for New York to move forward and address the needs of the people we were elected to serve. I look forward to working under Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul’s leadership to change the culture and function of New York State government. Let us focus on recovering from the pandemic, rebuilding our state, and fixing the broken systems that enable abuse of power. I am confident that we can restore the power to the people and serve New Yorkers once again.

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi