New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is calling for "further accountability" as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is set to leave office, and he wants people to "keep a very close eye" on the governor during his final days.
The mayor during a news conference Thursday addressed Cuomo's announcement that he will leave office in two weeks amid a sexual harassment scandal. With 12 days now remaining in Cuomo's term, de Blasio, who has long clashed with the governor, suggested he fears what the governor might do during his remaining time.
"People should keep a very close eye on him after everything he's done, and I don't know why it needs to be 12 days, honestly," he said. "I think we're all ready to move on, and I think the quicker we can move on, the better at this point."
De Blasio also said he was "surprised" that Cuomo did "the decent thing" by resigning, and he added he "felt a sense of relief" that "justice was served." Cuomo resigned after New York Attorney General Letitia James concluded that he sexually harassed 11 women. Asked if Cuomo should still face impeachment, de Blasio called for "further accountability" in some form, both due to the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo and allegations that his administration covered up the number of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents.
New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul is set to serve the rest of Cuomo's term, and she said Thursday she's planning to run for a full term in 2022. Asked if he might also run for governor, De Blasio didn't rule it out, saying he remains focused on "getting us through fighting COVID" and that there will be "plenty of time to sort out everything else."