Former Governor Andrew Cuomo

Wouldn't you know it? By the time I finally get the opportunity to discuss the curious case of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, he's already submitted his resignation! 

When New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued her report on Cuomo's dealing with women, she found that not only had he touched, hugged, harassed and intimidated them on a regular basis, he created a toxic work environment in his office.  He also faces criminal investigations of his actions, especially with he how he handled COVID cases among elderly patients by sending them to nursing homes, which would have been part of an impeachment trial had Cuomo not resigned.  

Cuomo tried to preempt the Attorney General's report about his sexual-harassment charges against him with a carefully worded explanation of his behavior on a video that included pictures of him touching, hugging, and glad-handling people of both sexes to demonstrate that he's just a physical guy.  But he downplayed the more egregious charges against him and angered his accusers even more.  Like Gary Hart in 1987 - who was accused of far less serious womanizing -  he gave a statement that was more of an excuse than an explanation and satisfied no one.  Similarly, his resignation speech, while starting off with a Hart-like statement of a defiance, devolved into a professing of his innocence and a declaration of his responsibility to set aside to put the interests of the state first.  It was so eerily reminiscent of Richard Nixon's presidential resignation speech - which took place 47 years ago this past Sunday  - that if Nixon were alive today, he'd have sent a message to Cuomo telling him what a great job he did in announcing his resignation.  

What a waste.  And Andrew Cuomo did so much for New York State - building infrastructure, protecting voting rights, getting the state through extreme weather - just as Nixon did so much for the country - the Environmental Protection Agency, Amtrak, Title IX . . ..  Ah, but as we read in Matthew 16:26, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"

New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul becomes the state's governor on August 24.