Andrew Cuomo operating for NYC mayor 4 years after resigning as governor – NBC New York

Andrew Cuomo, the previous governor of New York and arguably one of many greatest names in state politics, has formally entered New York Metropolis’s race for mayor.

The transfer by the 56th governor of New York has been long-anticipated as many political insiders thought of it solely a matter of time earlier than Cuomo threw his hat within the ring.

Cuomo made his candidacy official on Saturday, saying his candidacy in a 17-minute video uploaded to his marketing campaign web site. In that video, Cuomo pitches his return as a approach to pull the town from social and political turmoil, highlighting reasonable positions on crime and his lengthy historical past of political accomplishments.

“Our metropolis is in disaster,” Cuomo mentioned on X. “That’s why I’m operating to be Mayor of New York Metropolis.”

NBC New York beforehand reported that the previous governor and his associates had been discussing their technique for presumably getting into the mayor’s race with a number of sources, together with Reverend Al Sharpton.

Polling courting again a number of months discovered that Cuomo might enter the 2025 mayoral race as a frontrunner, regardless of the scandals that brought about him to resign — with cash to spend and New York identify recognition courting again to his father Mario Cuomo’s three-term reign as governor.

Cuomo resigned from workplace in August 2021, amid sexual harassment allegations, which he staunchly denies. Hochul, a fellow Democrat who had been Cuomo’s lieutenant, inherited the job and was reelected the next yr.

Apart from the present mayor, Eric Adams, Cuomo races loads of opposition within the Democratic major. These different candidates embrace Comptroller Brad Lander, state Senator Jessica Ramos, former metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer, state Senator Zellnor Myrie, and Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani, amongst others.

Regardless of getting into the race behind a big pack of Democratic opponents and with lower than 4 months to go till the first, Cuomo has loomed giant over the race for a while. His identify wasn’t solely mentioned in secret or amongst political circles.

Days earlier than formally launching his marketing campaign, Cuomo acquired a surprisingly public endorsement from Congressman Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from the Bronx. Torres instructed the New York Publish he thinks the town wants “a Mr. Robust Man.”

At a candidates discussion board held by District Council 37 earlier this week, many on the stage took pictures at Cuomo, in addition to Adams who was additionally not in attendance.

“Not like Mayor Adams, who raised your hire, or Governor Cuomo, who put you in Tier 6, I’ve the center to ask in your endorsement in particular person,” Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani mentioned, in response to HellGate.

DOJ investigation into sexual harassment

In January of 2024, the Division of Justice discovered that the previous governor subjected not less than 13 girls to a “sexually hostile work atmosphere” whereas in workplace.

Cuomo “repeatedly subjected these feminine staff to unwelcome, non-consensual sexual contact; ogling; unwelcome sexual feedback; gender-based nicknames; feedback on their bodily appearances; and/or preferential remedy based mostly on their bodily appearances,” the DOJ mentioned it discovered.

Cuomo’s workplace as an alternative labored to guard the then-governor from additional accusations — and his senior employees retaliated towards 4 of the ladies he harassed, the DOJ mentioned.

Cuomo legal professional Rita Glavin in a press release to CNBC mentioned the previous governor “didn’t sexually harass anybody.”

“The DOJ ‘investigation’ was based mostly completely on the NYS Legal professional Normal’s deeply flawed, inaccurate, biased, and deceptive report,” Glavin mentioned.

COVID nursing dwelling response

The Cuomo administration got here below vital scrutiny for a coverage that in the first place required nursing houses to readmit recovering COVID-19 sufferers in an effort to keep away from hospitals from changing into overwhelmed.

Cuomo got here below fire on the topic at a Sept. 2024 listening to earlier than a U.S. Home panel.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York known as the directive “lethal.” Rep. Brad Wenstrup, the Ohio Republican who chairs the subcommittee, mentioned it was inconsistent with federal steerage and its penalties have been “harmful and disastrous.” Republicans accused Cuomo of staging a cover-up to cover errors that endangered nursing dwelling residents.

In a press release, Cuomo spokesperson Wealthy Azzopardi known as the subcommittee’s actions “a taxpayer-funded farce.”

“It is a joke – the Governor mentioned he didn’t recall as a result of he didn’t recall. The committee lied of their referral simply as they’ve been mendacity to the general public and the press,” Azzopardi mentioned.

There have been about 15,000 COVID-19 deaths amongst long-term care residents in New York, way over the preliminary quantity disclosed. Cuomo mentioned some figures have been initially withheld out of issues about accuracy.

Cuomo was extensively seen as a reassuring determine within the early months of the pandemic, however his repute suffered after revelations that his administration launched an incomplete accounting of the variety of deaths at nursing houses and assisted residing amenities.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was within the sizzling seat on Tuesday, as he testified earlier than a congressional subcommittee about how he dealt with the unfold of COVID-19 in nursing houses in the course of the peak of the pandemic. NBC New York’s Chris Glorioso studies.