New York lieutenant governor resigns after indictment on bribery charges

Brian Benjamin.
(Image credit: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned on Tuesday afternoon, hours after he was indicted on federal bribery and conspiracy charges and surrendered to authorities.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said in a statement that she has accepted Benjamin's resignation, "effective immediately. While the legal process plays out, it is clear to both of us that he cannot continue to serve as lieutenant governor. New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence in their government, and I will continue working every day to deliver for them."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.