ANDREW CUOMO’S EXIT: A TALE OF TWO PARTIES – ONE REPUBLICAN, ONE DEMOCRAT - YOU CHOOSE

Two things happened Tuesday, August 10, in which Democrats – and the nation – could take

pride. First, the U.S. Senate passed President Biden’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. Second, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. The infrastructure deal isn’t done. The bill that passed the Senate may not clear the House unless Biden and his allies can pass a companion $3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” bill through budget reconciliation. That means we’ll have opportunities for talking about infrastructure for months.

We want to talk about the Cuomo development now! It showed the fundamental difference in our

two major political parties. Cuomo’s situation provided an apples-to-apples comparison of how Democrats and Republicans handle sexual harassment. Both have faced exams on sexual

harassment charges against one (or more) of their stars. With Cuomo’s announced departure, Democrats, in our view, passed their test. Republicans flunked the same exam numerous times.

The fact of this starkly different result makes even clearer just how much our political system has changed, and not for the better. The parties look like they evolved in separate societies; that they didn’t come from a common tradition in which decency, civility, accountability, and dedication to the rule of law triumph over the imperative of retaining power.

The Cuomo Challenge

Andrew Cuomo hails from a powerful political

family. He’s accomplished a great deal in politics on his own. His father, Mario Cuomo, served three terms as New York governor, perpetually flirting with running for president and delivering eloquent convention speeches in 1984 and 1992 that stirred Democratic hearts nationwide. Andrew Cuomo served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration, New York attorney general, and nearly three terms as New York’s governor. He’s been an immensely effective political operative, to the point of leaving office with an $18 million campaign war chest. He’s, also, been known as someone you don’t cross in New York politics.

Despite the fear Andrew Cuomo once struck, there he was on August 10 announcing he’d  step aside,

effective 14 days later. He left to a chorus of “Amens” from local, state, and national Democrats. Unfinished business remained: (1) post-resignation impeachment proceedings that could permanently bar him from office; (2) criminal investigations; and (3) civil suits brought by his alleged harassment victims. Legislative leaders appeared genuinely divided over the first question. They must consider Cuomo’s potential complicity in a nursing home scandal and ethical

transgressions involving a book deal. They found themselves torn between moving on and a desire for accountability. Some former prosecutors thought the criminal cases might go away. The civil suits, however, will go forward and probably get settled when Cuomo pulls out his checkbook.   

 

Democratic Unity

Democrats forced Cuomo from office. First, fellow Democrat, Attorney General Letitia James,

conducted the investigation and authored the damning report that forced his hand. Second, New York’s political leadership quickly called for Cuomo’s resignation. They’re all Democrats – U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand,  New YorkCity Mayor Bill de Blasio, and strong majorities in the state legislature. After the James report, they all said Cuomo should leave.  Third, President Biden weighed in early, asserting that if the James investigationproved the allegations against Cuomo, he should resign. Biden restated that position once the report came out. It showed credible evidence supporting the allegations of 11 women who charged Cuomo with offensive touching, creation of a hostile work environment in his office, and other transgressions. 

The Democratic unity left Cuomo no running room. Nobody defended him. As legislative impeachment machinery moved into high gear, Cuomo ran out of options. Timing represented the major surprise in the August 10 resignation announcement.  Many expected he’d leave eventually, but most observers thought the combative Cuomo would fight long and hard in an effort to hang on as long as he could.

 

And Republicans?

As suggested, we believe the most important aspect of the Cuomo resignation story resides in the difference between how Democrats reacted to his difficulties versus how Republicans handled similar situations. First, of course, there’s former President Donald Trump. Must we reiterate the facts of the Access Hollywood tape and the Stormy Daniels payoff? Those Trump sins (and others) were arguably worse than Cuomo’s, but Republicans stood by him.  Had Republican leaders abandoned Trump in October 2016 after the Access Hollywood tape emerged, the nation likely would have been spared the disaster that was the Trump presidency.

Then, there are the Republican second stringers like

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, accused of sex trafficking in underage girls, and Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, who allegedly helped cover up sexual abuse allegations in the Ohio State University wrestling program while he coached there. In each instance, Republican members of Congress and other GOP elected officials stood by these bad actors or remained silent, which is as bad (or worse).

We’ve said we think America needs two viable political parties arguing over ideas and policy.  We’ve also said we don’t need this Republican Party because it’s not interested in character ideas or policy, only in keeping power. The Cuomo affair demonstrated that we have one party that will police itself in the name of fidelity to our values and institutions.  The other party, as currently led and configured, won’t do that. It deserves that special place in hell for those who thrash those cherished values and institutions.