Senators Schumer and Gillibrand join Cuomo's petition for resignation

Cuomo denies accusations of harassment in prosecutor's report 8:51

Washington (CNN) -

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday faced mounting pressure from Democrats, including the two U.S. senators from his state, to resign after a report that he sexually harassed several women. .

The investigation carried out by the office of the New York attorney general, Letitia James, determined that Cuomo made "unwanted and non-consensual touching" and made "suggestive" comments of a sexual nature. The report detailed the accusations of 11 women who reported the harassment. Cuomo's conduct violated multiple federal and state laws, James said.

Cuomo has continued to insist that he did nothing wrong and has not indicated in his remarks Tuesday his intention to resign. But the Democrats' public complaints pose the most serious challenge yet to his 11-year grip on New York state politics, and it was far from certain Tuesday afternoon that he would be able to withstand pressure to step down. .

"As we have said before, the actions denounced against the governor were deeply disturbing, inappropriate and completely unacceptable," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said in a statement.

"Today's report from the New York State attorney general corroborated the allegations of the courageous women who dared to share their stories, and we applaud the women for doing so."

They concluded: "No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor's office. We continue to believe that the governor should resign."

Cuomo sexually harassed several women, says Prosecutor 6:03

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he believes New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign.

"I think he should resign. I understand that the state legislature may decide to impeach him. I don't know for sure," Biden said Tuesday in response to a question from CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

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New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul tweeted that the report had "documented repulsive" and "illegal" behavior on Cuomo's part and that she believed the "brave women" who had brought their accusations.

But, noting that she is next in line, Hochul refrained from calling for the governor's resignation, saying "it would not be appropriate to comment further on the process at this time."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat who has frequently fallen out with Cuomo, called the actions detailed in the report "unacceptable to anyone, let alone a public official," after the journalists read a summary of the report to the mayor.

"I've been very clear about the fact that what we've seen disqualifies him," de Blasio said.

More Democrats Join Calls for Resignation

The report's findings have prompted not only Democrats who have been calling for Cuomo's resignation for months to again demand that he resign, but they have also pushed several other party leaders who had previously called for the investigation to be developed to say Tuesday. that it was time for the governor to leave Albany.

Following the report's release, Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Thomas Suozzi and Gregory Meeks, who did not call for Cuomo's immediate resignation in March, publicly joined their Congressional colleagues in doing so.

"The time has come for Governor Andrew Cuomo to do the right thing for the people of New York State and step down," the three said in a statement.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Nassau County Executive Laura Curran declined to call for Cuomo's resignation in March, but changed their stance on Tuesday, with Latimer calling the evidence "clear and compelling." .

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who had launched a Cuomo impeachment investigation earlier this year, said Tuesday that the report was sent to members who "will undertake an in-depth examination of the report." with the advisers of the Assembly and the law firm that he hired.

"The governor's conduct outlined in this report is indicative of someone unfit for office," Heastie said in a statement, calling the report's findings "disturbing" and the victims' accounts "heartbreaking."

What does Biden think about whether Cuomo should resign?

1:25

Cuomo has frequently accused the investigation of being politically motivated and again denied the allegations detailed in the report shortly after its publication on Tuesday.

"I want you to know directly from me that I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances," Cuomo said in a speech, reiterating a position he has held for months.

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CNN's Julian Cummings, Kristina Sgueglia, Ryan Nobles, Allie Malloy and Mark Morales contributed to this report.

Andrew Cuomo