The small, yet lively crowd of protesters who gathered outside Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Midtown office on Tuesday evening made one thing perfectly clear: They want the governor gone for his many scandals.
Amidst closing walls of controversy from the highly publicized nursing home death data fiasco to multiple sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo is facing multiple calls to resign from office as an investigation into his actions is underway.
Just after 5 p.m. on March 2, a small group circled the entrance of 633 3rd Avenue where they chanted, “Hey, hey, ho, ho Governor Cuomo has got to go!” The group cited the deaths of over 15,000 older adults, which they attribute to Cuomo’s immunity regulations, and the several women who have come forward to accuse the high-ranking official of sexual misconduct.
“Yesterday, the third woman so far came out accusing Governor Cuomo of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. We know that where there are three, there is more! These things are not isolated incidents,” said Sumathy Kumar of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Kumar shared that as a woman of color working in politics, she feels a bond of solidarity with those who’ve come forward to share their stories. She explained that this issue has been perpetuated throughout the decades, where those in power, particularly men have used that position as leverage against younger women.
Those at the modest rally pushed signs reading “Cuomo Must Resign” onto the building’s windows while others proudly displayed quirky banners exclaiming “Cuomo is a sex pest.”
The call for the governor to resign was not only written on homemade signs, but it was also on the lips of Brooklyn City Council member and mayoral candidate Carlos Menchaca, who did not shy away from sharing his feelings on the matter.
“Cuomo, resign now! We, the people, demand it! We demand because your power has become corrupt! Your power has assaulted women and when that happens, you lose the trust of all the people!” Menchaca yelled.
