New Yorkers Say They Have Mixed Emotions To Resignation Of Gov. Cuomo
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New Yorkers are responding to resignation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo announced Tuesday he was stepping down in the wake of a blistering report by Attorney General Letitia James that concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women.
CBS2's Natalie Duddridge and Andrea Grymes got plenty of reaction.
"First of all, we were shocked, and then there's elation," Vivan Zayas said.
Zayas says when Cuomo announced his resignation, she thought of her mother, Ana Martinez, and the countless seniors like her who died in New York nursing homes during COVID.
Her group, Voices for Seniors, has been fighting against the governor for over a year. They've been demanding accountability for his administration's since-rescinded memo directing nursing homes to admit COVID-positive patients.
"This is far from over. This is just the beginning, and today, we just celebrate a small victory," Zayas said.
The governor has long maintained he was following CDC guidance, but another damning state Attorney General report earlier this year into nursing homes during COVID found that policy may have contributed to more infections and the state undercounted nursing home deaths.
WATCH: Gov. Andrew Cuomo Announces Resignation
It was the AG report on sexual harassment allegations against the governor, however, that ultimately led to his downfall.
Reaction to him stepping down from other New Yorkers is mixed.
"I was surprised that he actually resigned," Brooklyn resident Vivian Jones said.
"Having breakfast at my parents' house this morning, people were saying, 'Oh, it could've been a setup,'" said Medi Sodki, of Sunnyside.
"I think he did the right thing by resigning, because it became very clear that he had no support in the state of New York, based on those allegations. He has avoided dealing with the specific issues of harassment. I think it's better off for the state of New York. We need to move ahead. We need somebody at the helm," Joe Strasburg said.
"He was too cocky. Too cocky," said Sunnyside, Queens resident Maria Mazzella, who added when asked if he should have resigned, "Absolutely. I think he did the right thing for himself and his family."
Watch Andrea Grymes' report --
"It's about time. You brought us through the pandemic, greatly appreciated," Lesa Huffman of Jamaica, Queens, who added on the timing of his resignation, [It should have happened a] long time ago. First allegation was tweeted, should've stepped down."
"Who's to say what comes next, but I think that that's the right move. I think that's what New York needs in order to step forward, and move forward with everything else that's going on. The last thing we need is to worry and busy ourselves with 'Is this man apt to lead,'" Simone Les said.
"I'm glad that he did it. I mean, he needed to do it," one Staten Island resident said.
But not everyone was happy to see Cuomo step aside.
"He's a pretty good guy. He has been a good governor. I'm sorry to see him go," said Jay Heard of the Upper East Side.
"I mean, the heat was getting pretty rough, so he was going to wind up going anyway," one man said.
"That man is great. Let him be great," Jaquan Yansui, of Staten Island, said.
"So you're sad to see him go?" CBS2's Ali Bauman asked.
"Yes," Yansui said.
READ MORE: TIMELINE: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Under Investigation
"Gov. Cuomo was such a good governor and he did a lot for us, especially during the time of the COVID situation when it first appeared. He was very [attentive] as far as letting us know what was going on, more so at the time than the president, Donald Trump. I think he's really a good person," added Laverne Youell of the Bronx.
In the end, it appears most people feel the Cuomo's position was just untenable.
"I didn't expect that he was going to do it. I thought he was going to fight it out until the end, in an impeachment trial. But I guess he opted to just end it here because he saw that the writing was on the wall, coming after the AG's report. I guess you could say there was a lot of good that he did as a governor, but I guess, with this scandal, it made it impossible for him to govern. So I guess he had no choice," Zion Decoteau said.
The attorney representing Charlotte Bennett, one of Cuomo's 11 accusers, told Bauman her client is feeling a sense of relief.
"Maybe she can be one step closer to resuming her normal life," she said.
But even though the governor apologized, some took issue with the way he did it.
"There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn't fully appreciate, and I should have. No excuses," Cuomo said.
"It's just like, come on," Jones said.
"I'm the same age as he, and that's not so. There's nothing to that at all," Bronx resident Gabe Micchelli said.
"Don't blame the people for your mistakes," Bronx resident Silvia Marrero said.
Lindsey Boylan, former aide to Cuomo and one of his accusers, said in part, "From the beginning, I simply asked that the Governor stop his abusive behavior. It became abundantly clear he was unable to do that, instead attacking and blaming victims until the end."
Susan Iannucci, a White Plains woman whose image was used by Cuomo in his defensive photo montage last week, said Tuesday she feels revictimized by him.
"I do not appreciate him using my picture to spin the story," she said.
"That's what happens when you're powerful, you can't admit that you've done something," Jones said.
Advocates with the National Organization for Women in New York said legally, the governor had no other option but to resign because of protections against sexual harassment in the workplace, many of which the governor signed into law himself.
CBS2's Natalie Duddridge contributed to this report.
