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Cuomo chokes back tears in his farewell address to New York before he's replaced at midnight: Uses his last speech as governor to slam AG's report as a political 'firecracker' and make final dig at Mayor Bill de Blasio

  Ousted New York Governor   Andrew Cuomo   choked back tears in his final address as governor on Monday but managed to slam Attorney Genera...

 Ousted New York Governor Andrew Cuomo choked back tears in his final address as governor on Monday but managed to slam Attorney General Letitia James again and claim her 'firecracker' sex pest report underserves sexual harassment victims. 

Cuomo will be replaced at 12.01am on Tuesday morning by Kathy Hochul, his Lt. Governor. 

In his farewell address on Monday, he thanked New Yorkers for 'trusting' him through COVID and choked back tears as he told them for the final time to stay 'New York tough' - his COVID catchphrase. 

He took parting shot at Mayor de Blasio by saying Eric Adams, who is likely to be voted in to replace him in November, would bring 'a new philosophy and competence to the position that can give New York City residents hope for the future.' 

Cuomo resigned earlier this month after being labeled a serial sex harasser by Letitia James, whose report upholds the allegations of 11 women who say Cuomo sexually harassed them. 

After it was released, a chorus of Republicans and many Albany Democrats called for Cuomo to be impeached. 

The State Assembly launched impeachment proceedings and three district attorneys opened criminal investigations into the allegations. They were also investigating COVID deaths in nursing homes - which Cuomo was accused of obscuring data for - and whether he used state resources to fund his self-congratulatory memoir, Lessons in Leadership. 

Before any kind of public impeachment trial could get underway, Cuomo resigned.

He said he was stepping back because he didn't want to be a distraction to the state's ongoing work battling COVID-19. 

Afterwards, the State Assembly dropped its impeachment inquiry. 

Cuomo, 63, hasn't been arrested or charged with any crime and he maintains he is the victim of a political attack by James, who has joked in the past that AG stands for 'Aspiring Governor'.  


Cuomo will be replaced at 12.01am on Tuesday morning by Kathy Hochul, his Lt. Governor. He gave a farewell address on Monday afternoon, where he appeared emotional

Cuomo will be replaced at 12.01am on Tuesday morning by Kathy Hochul, his Lt. Governor. He gave a farewell address on Monday afternoon, where he appeared emotional 

He started off by again claiming he was the victim of a political attack. 

'I wanted to share some thoughts with you that I've been thinking about over the last few days. 


'There will be another time for me to talk about the truth and ethics in the situation involving me.

'But let me say now that when government politicizes allegations and the headlines condemn without facts, you undermine the justice system and that doesn't serve men and it doesn't serve women. 

'Of course everyone has a right to come forward and we applaud their bravery and courage in doing so, but allegations must still be scrutinized and verified whether made by a woman or a man. That is our basic justice system.  

'I understand there are moments of intense political pressure and media frenzy that causes a rush to judgement that is not right, fair or sustainable.

'Facts still matter. A firecracker can start a stampede but at some point everyone looks around and says "why are we running?"

'The Attorney General's report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic. 

'And it worked. There was a political and media stampede. The truth will out in time - of that I am confident,' he said. 

Cuomo's critics say he got off lightly and has never been held accountable for thousands of nursing home COVID deaths that they blame him for. 

Cuomo maintains that Attorney General Letitia James was driven by a political desire to take him down and not to represent sexual harassment victims.
He will be replaced tonight by Kathy Hochul

Cuomo maintains that Attorney General Letitia James (left) was driven by a political desire to take him down and not to represent sexual harassment victims. He will be replaced tonight by Kathy Hochul (right) 

The impeachment investigating committee was also looking at the nursing home issue and was investigating whether or not Cuomo used state resources to fund his self-congratulating COVID memoir, Lessons in Leadership. 

Now, those investigations have stopped.

Cuomo's administration sent thousands of COVID-19 positive patients into nursing homes by signing a mandate that forced homes to take them. 

They then obscured the number of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents by marking them as hospital deaths. 

There was no mention of the nursing home scandal as he eulogized his time in office and congratulated New Yorkers for how they handled the pandemic. 

'I gave it my best... I tried my best to deliver for you. I want to thank my team, my family for their sacrifice and help in serving you. 

'For the Cuomos, public service is a family affair.' 

Cuomo then wished his successor 'well' in her new role and said she was 'up for the challenge.' 

He then spoke of Eric Adams, the Democratic candidate in New York City's mayoral election later this year, saying: 'Eric Adams will be the next mayor of New York City. 

'I think he'll bring a new confidence and philosophy.' 

He said nothing of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, with whom he regularly sparred on the job and who was among those who called for him to be impeached earlier this month. 

'Thank you for the honor of serving as governor of New York. Thank you for allowing me to represent you. Thank you for empowering me to fight for you. Thank you for trusting me through COVID. 

'Thank you for making New York State the progressive capital of the nation. Thank you for the honor of serving you.

'Never forget always stay New York tough, smart, united, disciplined and loving. 

'It's the essence of of what makes New Yorkers so special. God bless you.' 


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