Cuomo resigns as governor: "I will step aside" 3:30
(CNN) -
Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul will become New York governor after Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that he will resign in two weeks.
The resignation follows an investigation by the state attorney general that determined that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women.
Hochul will become New York's first female governor and inherit a political landscape that Cuomo dominated for more than a decade.
He will also take office at a time when New York is battling the rebound in the coronavirus pandemic and the fallout from Cuomo's departure.
"I agree with Governor Cuomo's decision to resign. It is the right thing to do and it is in the best interest of New Yorkers," Hochul tweeted Tuesday afternoon, shortly after Cuomo's announcement.
"As someone who has served at all levels of government and is the next person in the line of succession, I am poised to lead as the 57th Governor of New York State."
What Kathy Hochul said about the allegations against Cuomo
Hochul, 62, has served as Cuomo's lieutenant for nearly the past seven years.
In the wake of the state attorney general's report last week, she denounced Cuomo's alleged behavior as "repulsive and illegal," adding: "I believe in these brave women and admire their courage in coming forward."
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In the report, New York Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, engaged in "unwanted and non-consensual touching" and created a "hostile" work environment for women.
Brittany Commisso details harassment complaint against Cuomo 4:55
Cuomo has denied some of the allegations in the report, while claiming that other aspects of his behavior detailed in the report were taken out of context.
As calls for Cuomo to resign grew louder, Hochul prepared to take office in Albany, a state official told CNN last week.
She had already cleared her schedule and met with legislators and advocacy groups.
Andrew Cuomo