Kathy Hochul, the newly sworn-in governor of New York, said she's cleaned house and fired those who allegedly contributed to a culture that tolerated sexual harassment under her predecessor.
Andrew Cuomo Resigned From His Office
In a recently published article in MSN News, Andrew Cuomo resigned this week after the New York Attorney General's Office published a report earlier this month alleging that he sexually assaulted 11 women. Cuomo has rejected sexual harassment allegations and said that he is leaving to avoid the distraction of an impeachment process.
According to a report from MSNBC, this administration no longer employs the individuals named in the report. Hochul promised to remove anybody who contributed to the culture of sexual harassment the day after announcing his resignation.
She said that the culture of sexual harassment is over and none of this is going to happen again. She also emphasized that she is surrounded by talented and young women. The newly sworn-in New York Governor stressed out as well that she wants them to become role models, according to a published article in VNExplorer.
Some Aides and Staffers of Cuomo Resigned
Several Cuomo advisers and employees included in the study have already departed state government, including former secretary Melissa DeRosa and former Financial Services Superintendent Linda Lacewell. DeRosa, a close ally of Cuomo's, resigned only days before the governor announced his retirement. Lacewell resigned on the same day as Cuomo, on Tuesday.
Furthermore, as Albany moved ahead under new leadership, a number of state lawmakers requested that people linked to Cuomo and his scandals be removed from office as well, according to a recently published news article in Bloomberg.
Additionally, Sen. Robert Ortt, a Republican from New York, has requested a "clean slate," saying in a statement earlier this month that state agency employees with clear connections to the soon-to-be-former Governor and the many scandals that have plagued state government should retire immediately.
A New Era of Government in New York
According to Basil Smikle, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University's School of International Public Affairs, her choice to fire those employees sends a message to voters that Andrew Cuomo's reign is gone. She said that all state workers would be required to attend in-person sexual harassment and ethics training.
The political analyst also said that it was obvious that she had a certain goal in mind. She spoke a lot about openness and responsibility and the act itself is a continuation. However, he also admitted that changing Albany's culture as a whole may be more difficult.
Moreover, he also explained it would be a mistake to believe that these early steps would eliminate all toxins. To really affect long-term change, she has to conduct a more comprehensive and broad examination of state agencies, state contracts, and even ties with lawmakers, as well as focus her administrative policies on diversity and women.
Needless to say, Hochul also stated on Wednesday that she is investigating employees who were engaged in the tumultuous management of nursing facility data during the pandemic.
