Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared himself “vindicated” six months after resigning from office and said he is not ruling out another run for office, Bloomberg reports.
Cuomo resigned last year after a damning report from New York Attorney General Letitia James detailed numerous sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo as well as his efforts to use state resources to publish his pandemic-era memoir.
Cuomo stepped down ahead of an expected impeachment but numerous prosecutors have continued to investigate the allegations since.
Five prosecutors have since dismissed sexual misconduct allegations against the former governor, though some have stressed that their decisions do not mean that the claims are not credible.
“To be clear, this decision is based solely upon an assessment of the law and whether the People can establish a legally sufficient case under controlling precedent,” Oswego County District Attorney Gregory Oakes said. “In no way should this decision be interpreted as casting doubt upon the character or credibility of Ms. Limmiatis, or how harmful the acts she experienced were.”
Cuomo claims vindication:
Cuomo claimed that the dropped charges mean that he is innocent.
“It turns out in a remarkably short period of time that it did become all bogus. 11 became zero,” he said.
“If you do an honest summary, which is what I get from people on the street, I have been vindicated,” he added.
Cuomo, who has routinely criticized James’ report, told Bloomberg that the investigation led to “collateral damage” that “hurt a lot of people in a lot of different ways.”
“And it was a brand of ugly politics like I had never seen before,” he added.
Will he run?
Cuomo said he would not have resigned if he could do it over again.
He would not rule out another run for office but repeatedly changed the subject to James’ investigation.
He said he would not discuss his political future until he relitigates James’ report.
“I’m still focused on communicating what happened here. Because as a precedent, it has to be exposed,” Cuomo said. “Vindication is not the reason to run for office.”
