New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigns

By Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 7:25 p.m. ET, August 10, 2021

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12:11 p.m. ET, August 10, 2021

Cuomo says the "situation" involving the allegations against him "is about politics"

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he thanks the women "who came forward with sincere complaints."

"It's not easy to step forward, but you did an important service. And you taught me and you taught others an important lesson. Personal boundaries must be expanded and must be protected," he said.

Cuomo said he accepts "full responsibility."

The governor went on to criticize the "situation" involving allegations of sexual harassment against him, claiming it "is about politics" and not "thoughtful analysis."

"This situation and moment are not about the facts. It's not about the truth. It's not about thoughtful analysis. It's not about how do we make the system better. This is about politics and our political system today is too often driven by the extremes."

12:02 p.m. ET, August 10, 2021

Gov. Cuomo says attorney general report is "false," but apologizes to women he "truly offended"

Gov. Andrew Cuomo addressed the New York attorney general's report today, calling it "false."

"The report said I sexually harassed 11 women. That was the headline people heard and saw. The reaction was outrage. It should have been. However, it was also false," Cuomo said.

In a live-streamed address today, he apologized to the women "I truly offended," and said said that he takes responsibility for his actions.

This is what Cuomo said:

"This is not to say that there are not 11 women I truly offended. There are. And for that, I deeply, deeply apologize. I thought a hug and putting my arm around a staff person while taking a picture was friendly, but she found it to be too forward. I kissed a woman on the cheek at a wedding and thought I was being nice, but she felt that it was too aggressive. I have slipped and called people 'honey,' 'sweetheart' and 'darling.' I meant it to be endearing. But women found it dated and offensive. I said on national TV to a doctor wearing PPE and giving me a Covid nasal swab, 'you make that gown look good.' I was joking. Obviously, otherwise, I wouldn't have said it on national TV. But she found it disrespectful. I take full responsibility for my actions."

11:54 a.m. ET, August 10, 2021

NOW: Gov. Andrew Cuomo is making a statement

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is making a statement now via a livestream.

His comments follow a briefing by Cuomo's counsel Rita Glavin.

She said the attorney general's report "contains errors" and criticized the attorney general office's investigators, claiming "this was not about an independent review of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding them."

11:50 a.m. ET, August 10, 2021

This is what the New York State investigation into Cuomo found

From CNN's Tierney Sneed, Eric Bradner and Sonia Moghe

(Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Images)

New York's Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women and created a "hostile" work environment for women, a report released Aug. 3 by New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

The damning findings of her civil review into the harassment allegations have created a political firestorm around Cuomo after what has already been a scandal-plagued couple of months for the governor.

President Biden said Cuomo should resign. New York legislators of both parties vehemently condemned Cuomo's conduct and are contemplating whether further action should be taken against the governor. Cuomo denies the allegations and has shown no willingness to resign over them.

Here's what to know from the report and what to expect next:

The report: The investigators said they found a "pattern" of inappropriate behavior by Cuomo, which included both "unwanted" touching and comments of a "suggestive and sexual nature." All told, Cuomo harassed multiple women, both current and former staff members, and women outside of his office also reported harassment by the governor, the investigators said.
The allegations: Several women recounted to investigators unwanted touching by Cuomo, according to the report. One of them, a state trooper who served on Cuomo's protective detail, said on one occasion, Cuomo ran his finger down her neck and back while they were in an elevator. On another occasion, he ran his hand from her belly button to her right hip while she was holding the door for him, according to the report.
"Overwhelming" evidence: The investigation — led by investigators tapped from outside of James' office — was launched earlier this year, and investigators spoke to 179 people, including New York State Troopers, state employees and others who "interacted regularly with" the governor. The governor himself sat for an interview, as did his brother Chris Cuomo, a CNN anchor. Investigators also reviewed 74,000 pieces of evidence, including notes, emails and other communications memorializing the allegations.
The reaction: As Cuomo flounders in New York, national Democrats rushed to distance themselves from him. New York's Democratic US senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, issued a joint statement calling the report's findings "profoundly disturbing, inappropriate and completely unacceptable" and reiterating their March call for Cuomo to resign. Other New York lawmakers similarly said the third-term governor must go — including Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the political group charged with protecting the party's majority in the 2022 midterm elections. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime ally of the Cuomo family, also said the governor should resign.
Cuomo's response: In a broadcast response released not long after the report was unveiled, Cuomo gave no indications he planned to resign. "I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances," Cuomo said. He touted his cooperation in the attorney general's investigation, but he repeatedly suggested it was biased and tainted with politics. While he straight up denied some of the conduct — such as the alleged groping incident in his governor's mansion office — he claimed other aspects of his behavior described the report had been taken out of context. The governor's office interspersed within his statement photos of Cuomo hugging, kissing and embracing various individuals.
Are legal consequences coming for Cuomo? At the news conference, James reiterated that her investigation was civil in nature, and that there would not be any criminal actions from office that would follow. "Our work is concluded," James said. Still, the investigators said that Cuomo's violated both state and federal law. Clark, the lawyer leading the investigation, alluded to the possibility of civil lawsuit from the complainants. She also noted that the information had been "fully documented" in the report and was available for other prosecutors to review if they were weighing further action. Albany County District Attorney David Soares said in a statement that his office was "formally requesting investigative materials obtained by the AG's Office."

Read more about the report here.

11:48 a.m. ET, August 10, 2021

Cuomo's attorney says attorney general's report "contains errors"

From CNN's Mary Anne Fox

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's lawyer Rita Glavin speaks at a press briefing on Tuesday. (State of New York)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's lawyer Rita Glavin said at a press briefing today that the New York attorney general's report "contains errors."

She criticized the attorney general office's investigators, claiming "this was not about an independent review of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding them."

Glavin said Tuesday she would go through the report, which she continues to claim is biased.

A recent “media frenzy” she claimed contributed to what she said is the investigators acting “as the prosecutors, the judge and the jury of Governor Cuomo.”

She claims the report omitted evidence that undermined the narrative. She has begun presenting slides.

She said the report contains “errors” and she is presenting “the other side.”

She said it “failed” to collect relevant evidence and credited people who lied in the past “or had motive” to lie.

Some more context: New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday that her investigation concluded that Gov. Andrew Cuomo "sexually harassed multiple women and violated state law." Read more here.

11:04 a.m. ET, August 10, 2021

NOW: Gov. Cuomo's lawyer is holding a briefing

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s counsel Rita Glavin is holding a virtual briefing.

Outlets were provided a livestream link for the briefing.

According to a spokesperson for the office, there will be no questions taken after the briefing.

10:52 a.m. ET, August 10, 2021

The Cuomo report was released last Tuesday. Here’s what has happened since.

The New York attorney general's investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo found that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, Attorney General Letitia James announced last week.

According to James, the investigation found that Cuomo harassed current and former state employees, as well as a number of women outside of state government.

However, Cuomo has since denied these allegations.

"I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances," he said.

Following the investigation, Cuomo has faced tremendous pressure to resign from several politicians, including President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Similarly, New York legislators of both parties condemned Cuomo's conduct and are contemplating whether further action should be taken against the governor.

Moreover, sources told CNN that Cuomo's closest confidants spent the weekend trying to convince him to resign, but Cuomo has remained firm in his denial of the allegations. One source said Cuomo "thinks he can wait it out.”

Multiple people close to Cuomo said the governor has been in a “fighting mood" this weekend, according to Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist who has long been involved in New York politics. However, many people close to the governor are making preparations for when the governorship ultimately comes to an end.

Meanwhile, a New York state impeachment investigation into various allegations of misconduct against Cuomo is coming to a close soon, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

Lawyers working for the New York State Assembly Judiciary Committee's impeachment probe informed Cuomo's attorneys that the "Committee's investigation is nearing completion and the Assembly will soon consider potential articles of impeachment against your client."

The committee's attorneys invited Cuomo to submit additional evidence or written submissions to the committee by no later than Aug. 13.

"Assuming that the committee's investigation is very similar to the findings of the attorney general, it would be hard to imagine that sexual harassment would not be a basis for impeaching this governor," Democratic Assemblyman Phil Steck, a member of the Judiciary Committee, told CNN.

Steck added that the committee may be looking at additional impeachment charges.

"I'm hoping and believing that we'll have this wrapped up from the Judiciary committee's point of view in early September," he said.

Amid calls for resignation and the ongoing impeachment investigation, Cuomo’s counsel Rita Glavin will hold a virtual briefing at 11 a.m. ET today, according to the governor's public schedule.

CNN's Alyssa Kraus, Tierney Sneed, Sonia Moghe, Kristina Sgueglia, Lauren del Valle and Veronica Stracqualursi contributed to this post.