![]() Change isn’t a matter of finding the right gatekeepers-it’s about the end of gatekeeping.ĭeRosa and other top aides used a range of tactics to protect Cuomo, and themselves, at all costs, including trying to discredit Lindsey Boylan, one of the governor’s accusers, by orchestrating a campaign to leak her personnel file to the press to undermine her credibility. If the Cuomo report and his resignation are a lesson in anything, it’s that the right policies, and women in leadership positions, will never be enough. (He did the same in his resignation speech, reciting exactly the same issues as further vindication of the kind of man he is.) But the report, which captures the actions of an abusive man, also outlines in staggering detail how the systems and people supporting these men, including several high-profile women aides, were able to weaponize feminism, gender, and progressive optics to silence victims and perpetuate abuse. The Cuomo administration has long touted his track record on reproductive rights and marriage equality as a way to deflect criticism of his progressive performance. On Monday, Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo’s top aide, resigned from the administration, another sure sign that the political fallout for the governor was becoming untenable. It was, it turns out, his strategy until the end. A form of representational politics and optics sharpened to a point that could draw blood. The strategy was simple: Maybe you wouldn’t believe Cuomo, but here was Glavin claiming her legal and feminist bona fides-“I think that women should be believed”-while denouncing the report and state investigators “as the prosecutors, the judge, and the jury of Governor Cuomo.” Glavin’s role was a familiar trope during Cuomo’s time in office: a powerful woman acting as a shield for the governor and his abuses. His announcement was preceded by a statement by his personal lawyer, Rita Glavin. “This is about politics, and our political system today is too often driven by the extremes.”Ĭuomo wasn’t alone at the press conference. It’s not about: How do we make the system better?” he said. “This situation and moment are not about the facts. The problem, he explained, was that he could see no way to move forward despite his innocence. ![]() In his address to the state, he continued to deny the allegations of sexual harassment detailed in Attorney General Letitia James’s report and refused to take responsibility for his actions. ![]() On Tuesday, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation as governor of New York.
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