The "Cuomo Report & Vaccine Mandate" Special Edition
The "Cuomo Report & Vaccine Mandate" Special Edition
A focus on two news stories, the Cuomo report and vaccine mandates, that broke within two hours of Tuesday's edition on The Briefly, not that I'm bitter about it.
If we elected Cynthia Nixon we wouldn’t have to be dealing with this mess OR the new season of Sex and the City.
“Governor Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women.” - New York State Attorney General Letitia James (8/3/2021)
The report from the attorney general makes the case that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed or degraded 11 women and created a culture of fear and intimidation. This includes a state trooper recruited to join the governor’s protective service detail, the doctor who tested him for Covid-19 during his press conference, and more. Read the report. (link to PDF)
• The Times has 11 things to know about Tuesday’s announcement. (Luis Ferré-Sadurní for NY Times)
“The attorney general’s investigation has documented repulsive and unlawful behavior by the governor towards multiple women. I believe these brave women and admire their courage coming forward.” -Lt. Governor (and future governor of New York) Kathy Hochul (8/3/2021)
• Five takeaways from the report, including Cuomo’s crisis response team, which included Chris Cuomo, a former senior advisor to Pete Buttigieg, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, and a communications manager at Facebook. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist)
“It is now the duty of the New York State Assembly to take swift and appropriate action and move forward with impeachment proceedings if the governor will not resign.” -Eric Adams (8/3/2021)
• The Times also has five things to know about the report, which includes three previously unknown incidents and an offensive against the investigators by Cuomo’s office. Basically, this report is everything we’ve ever felt about Cuomo without knowing it for certain. (Jonah E. Bromwich, Dana Rubinstein, and Brian M. Rosenthal for NY Times)
“We are appalled at the findings of the independent investigation by the New York Attorney General. Governor Cuomo should resign from office.” - Joint statement from the governors of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. (8/3/2021)
• President Biden called on Cuomo to resign but wouldn’t go as far as to say that he should be impeached. (Brigid Bergin and Gwynne Hogan for Gothamist)
“Once we receive all relevant documents and evidence from the Attorney General, we will move expeditiously and look to conclude our impeachment investigation as quickly as possible.” - New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (8/3/2021)
• Cuomo had “broken multiple state and federal laws,” and that he’d “sexually harassed multiple women and, in doing so, broke the law.” Could Cuomo be facing criminal charges or jail time? (Greg B. Smith for The City)
“I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.” -Governor Cuomo, lying (8/3/2021)
• The president of the New York State United Teachers is also calling for Governor Cuomo to resign. (Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech for amNewYork Metro)
“He must resign, and if he continues to resist and attack the investigators who did their jobs, he should be impeached immediately.” - Mayor Bill de Blasio (8/3/2021)
•Albany County District Attorney David Soares announced that his office is criminally investigating Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Dan Mangan for CNBC)
Having the mayor announce the vaccine mandate an hour before the Cuomo news almost seems deliberate but let’s not forget Hanlon's razor: "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
• Mayor de Blasio announced that proof of vaccination will be required for indoor dining, gyms, and movie theaters. Yes, I called the mayor a coward on Tuesday for not implementing a mask mandate and I still stand by that statement because not implementing a mask mandate but only strongly suggesting people wear masks is a coward’s move. (Emma G. Fitzsimmons for NY Times)
• Enforcement begins on September 13 with all of the details being announced on August 16. If you want to be vaccinated before the enforcement begins, get your first vaccine before August 9. You’ll be fully vaccinated by September 13. (Hannah Albertine for The Infatuation)
• What you need to know about the mandate. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• We’ll have three options for vaccine passports between your vaccine card, Excelsior Pass, and NYC COVID Safe. Excelsior Pass only tracks vaccines administered in New York state so a second app was necessary. You’ll only ever have to show one. (Richard Lawler for The Verge)
• The city announced it will stop using the 7-day positivity rate to help make decisions about Covid-19, instead of relying on vaccinations and hospitalizations. The CDC issued its new mask guidance based on positivity rates. (Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky for Gothamist)
• Six questions and answers about breakthrough infections. (Sanjay Mishra, Ph.D., Project Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University for BK Reader)
