Cuomo finally QUITS one week after AG report found he sexually harassed 11 women: NY Governor tells daughters he is NOT a serial abuser in 21-minute self-pitying statement but says he will stand down so government can focus on COVID

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has resigned, bringing an end to a 40-year political career that made him a pandemic hero but that is now in ruin thanks to a damning report by Attorney General Letitia James which labeled him a serial sexual harasser, but still faces impeachment, criminal investigations and at least one lawsuit.

Speaking on Tuesday morning in New York City, Cuomo insisted he is innocent and has never groped anyone, but is stepping aside in the interest of the people so government can focus on COVID.

In a 20-minute speech, he addressed his three daughters, calling them his 'jewels' and saying he had 'made mistakes and learned from them', but insisting he was not the serial abuser the report made him out to be.

After the speech, he was seen leaving New York City with two of his daughters, Mariah and Michaela, and his loyal aide Melissa DeRosa, who quit on Sunday.

Cuomo - the highest paid governor in American history who was paid $225,000-a-year - could still be impeached even though he has resigned; critics say they still want to go ahead with the proceedings because it would strip him of his pension and mean he won't be able to run again.

The judiciary committee which was investigating whether or not to launch impeachment proceedings has not indicated if Cuomo's resignation will bring its work to a halt. Carl Heastie, who would oversee an impeachment trial, hasn't commented.

The Albany District Attorney's Office confirmed its investigation into Cuomo was ongoing. The Manhattan DA and Westchester DA have not yet commented.

In his message to his daughters, Cuomo said: 'In many ways I see the world through the eyes of my daughters, Cara, Mariah and Michaela. They are 26 and 26, twins, and 23. I have lived this experience with and through them. I have sat on the couch with them hearing the ugly accusations for weeks. I've seen the look in their eyes and expression in their faces and it hurt.

'I want my three jewels to know this: my greatest goal is for them to have a better future than the generations of women before them. It is still in many ways a man's world. It always has been. We have sexism that is culturized and institutionalized.

'My daughters have more talent and natural gifts than I ever had. I want to make sure that society allows them to fly as high as their wings will carry them. There should be no assumptions, stereotypes or limitations.

'I want them to know from the bottom of my heart that I never did or would intentionally disrespect a woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated. And that is the god's honest truth.

'Your dad made mistakes and he apologized and he learned from it. That's what life is all about.'

President Biden, when asked about Cuomo's resignation: 'I respect the Governor's decision and I respect the decision he made'.

'Well, he's done a hell of a job. Both on everything from access to voting to infrastructure, a whole range of things. That's why it's so sad,' he said.

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo walks with his daughter Michaela, 23, to a helicopter shortly after announcing his resignation on Tuesday, a week after being dubbed a serial sexual harasser by AG Letitia James

Michaela placed her hand on her father's back as they made their way to the helicopter, moments after his resignation

PANDEMIC HERO TO ZERO - TIMELINE OF CUOMO'S RISE AND FALL

2006: Cuomo is elected AG of New York

2010: Cuomo is elected Governor of New York

2014: Re-elected, with Kathy Hochul as Lt. Gov

2018: Re-elected, defeating actress Cynthia Nixon

March 2020: Cuomo becomes a pandemic hero with his daily press briefings on how New York, under his guidance, was responding to the crisis.

He routinely sparred with then President Donald Trump and he basked in people calling him the people's real president in the time of crisis

March 25: At the height of New York's COVID crisis, Cuomo signs a directive telling nursing homes they have to accept COVID-19 patients

May 10: Cuomo rescinds the nursing home directive amid intense criticism of it as COVID deaths climb

October 2020: Cuomo releases his book, Lessons in Leadership, about the pandemic

November 2020: Cuomo is awarded an Emmy for his daily COVID briefings

December 2020: Lindsey Boylan tweets that Cuomo abused her when she worked for him

February 2021: The AP releases a damning report into how Cuomo's administration counted nursing home deaths as hospital deaths which made the numbers smaller

March 2021: Letitia James launches sexual harassment investigation into Cuomo

Assembly Judiciary Committee opens impeachment investigation

August 3: AG releases her report finding Cuomo did sexually harass 11 women

Cuomo issues statement insisting he is innocent but refuses to stand down

August 10: Cuomo resigns, citing the good of the people as his reason for it

'This is not to say there are not 11 women who I truly offended. There are and for that I deeply, deeply apologize.'

He went on to say that he thought a hug was 'friendly' and kissing women on the cheeks at weddings was 'being nice'.

He then launched into his resignation, saying: 'You know me, I am New Yorker, born and bred, I am a fighter.

'My instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated.

'I believe it is unfair and untruthful and I believe it demonizes behavior that is unsustainable for society. If I could communicate the facts through the frenzy, New Yorkers would understand.

'But when I took my oath as governor, I became a fighter but I became a fighter for you and it is your best interest that I must serve.

'This situation, by its current trajectory, will generate months of political and legal controversy. That is what is going to happen. That is how the political wind is blowing.

'It will consume government, cost taxpayers millions of dollars, it will brutalize people.

'The State Assembly outlined weeks of process that will then lead to months of litigation.

'Time and money that government should spend managing COVID, guarding against the Delta variant, reopening up state, fighting gun violence, and saving New York City.

'All that time would be wasted... government really needs to function today. Government needs to perform. It is a matter of life and death. Wasting energy on distractions is the last thing state government should be doing.

'I cannot be the cause of that.... given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing.

Cuomo had been facing impeachment by the New York State Assembly - a process that would have taken months and, he said, cost millions in precious tax payer dollars.

The Judiciary Committee investigating him wasn't just looking at the sexual harassment claims, but also his handling of nursing home deaths in COVID-19, whether he used state resources write and promote his book, or if he gave his family early access to COVID-19 tests when they were hard to come by.

The sexual harassment allegations began last December with the tweets of Lindsey Boylan, a former staffer who says he made inappropriate remarks to her.

The most serious allegation is that of Brittany Commisso, who says he groped her breast in the Executive Mansion in November 2020.

Cuomo denies her claim but he admitted making inappropriate comments to some of the women, saying it's his way of speaking to people.

On Tuesday he specifically apologized to the state trooper who says he 'touched her belly' and ran his finger down her back and said if he did ever touch her, it was his way of thanking her for her service.

He went on to suggest that #MeToo has gone too far and that he didn't understand what would now be considered inappropriate.

'In my mind, I've never crossed the line with anyone but I didn't realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn.

'There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn't fully appreciate. And I should have. No excuses,' he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Cuomo's attorney Rita Glavin gave a press conference where she again tried to undermine the women's allegations and say James' investigation was biased.

Glavin used a slideshow that was similar to the type Cuomo uses to give COVID-19 updates to chip away at the women's claims.

She asked why only 41 of the 179 witness interviews in the report have been transcribed and made public, and said the AG left out 'favorable evidence that did not support the narrative'.

One of the most problematic claims, she said, was that of the doctor who gave Cuomo his COVID-19 test last March on camera at one of his press conferences.

He told her "you make that gown look good", referring to her PPE. The Governor made a joke to the doctor in the hospital gown.

Protected against COVID while she gave him a test.

Cuomo addressed his three adult daughters, calling them his 'jewels'. 'Your dad made mistakes and he apologized and he learned from it. That's what life is all about,' he said. Cara, right, was not with him

Melissa DeRosa, one of the Governor's most loyal aides, resigned on Sunday. She was seen visiting the Governor less than 24 hours later. He thanked her in his resignation speech

Lindsey Boylan said Cuomo harassed her with inappropriate remarks then launched a smear campaign against her when she quit in 2018. Brittany Commisso says Cuomo groped her breast in his office in November 2020

Cuomo's attorney Rita Glavin spoke before him on Tuesday. She undermined some of the allegations in the AG report, saying it omits evidence

'He said in front of the whole world, "you make that gown look good." That's not sexual harassment. I don't know why that was included in the report except to add another number and make the governor look bad,' Glavin said.

She added that investigators failed to interview key witnesses who could have contested the women's allegations and that it was a deliberate attempt to oust him.

'I don't mean to take away from how this woman felt but we do need to think qualitatively about what these women say.'

She pointed to a selfie that Brittany Commisso took with Cuomo, after he allegedly 'rubbed her butt' and said that it does not show her looking uncomfortable.

'For me as a lawyer, as a former prosecutor, I often use pictures as exhibits at trial. The Governor did not violate Brittany Commisso, he did not rub her rear end before this photo.

'I think this picture demonstrates the comfort level of someone who wanted a selfie with the Governor.

'She sent this to her friend, and there is a footnote, her friend said: "I'm so jealous."

'Men should also be believed and treated fairly. All people should be given that and everybody should have a chance to respond.

'Everybody should be scrutinized by facts and context. That hasn't happened here. Our country has a rule of law. I believe in the rule of law. Not mob mentality and not media mentality.

'The Governor deserves to be treated fairly and that did not happen here,' Glavin said.

Glavin is who will now represent him in any criminal cases and lawsuits.

Among those to celebrate Cuomo's resignation on Tuesday was New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was regularly overruled by Cuomo during the pandemic.

In a statement to the press less than an hour after Cuomo resigned, de Blasio said: 'Make no mistake, this is the result of survivors bravely telling their stories.

'It was past time for Andrew Cuomo to resign and it’s for the good of all New York.'

ANDREW CUOMO'S RESIGNATION SPEECH IN FULL

Good morning. Let me begin by thanking Rita Glavin for that powerful presentation. I’d like to address several issues today. First, I’ve always started by telling New Yorkers the facts before my opinion. So let’s start New York tough with the truth. The attorney general did a report on complaints made against me by certain women for my conduct. The report said I sexually harassed 11 women. That was the headline people heard and saw and reacted to. The reaction was outrage. It should have been. However, it was also false. My lawyers, as you just heard from Rita Glavin, have reviewed the report over the past several days and have already raised serious issues and flaws that should concern all New Yorkers because when there is a bias or a lack of fairness in the justice system, it is a concern for everyone, not just those immediately affected.

The most serious allegations made against me had no credible factual basis in the report. And there is a difference between alleged improper conduct and concluding sexual harassment. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that there are not 11 women who I truly offended. There are. And for that I deeply, deeply apologize.

I thought a hug and putting my arm around a staff person while taking a picture was friendly, but she found it to be too forward. I kissed a woman on the cheek at a wedding and I thought I was being nice, but she felt that it was too aggressive. I have slipped and called people honey, sweetheart and darling. I meant it to be endearing, but women found it dated and offensive. I said on national TV to a doctor wearing PPE and giving me a Covid nasal swab, “You make that gown look good.” I was joking, obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t have said it on national TV. But she found it disrespectful. I take full responsibility for my actions.

I have been too familiar with people. My sense of humor can be insensitive and off-putting. I do hug and kiss people casually, women and men. I have done it all my life. It’s who I’ve been since I can remember. In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have. No excuses.

The report did bring to light a matter that I was not aware of and that I would like to address. A female trooper relayed a concern that she found disturbing, and so do I. Please let me provide some context. The governor’s trooper detail had about 65 troopers on it, but of the 65 only six women and nine Black troopers. I’m very proud of the diversity of my administration. It’s more diverse than any administration in history. And I’m very proud of the fact that I have more women in senior positions than any governor before me.

The lack of diversity on the state police detail was an ongoing disappointment for me. In many ways, the governor’s detail is the face of state government that people see. When I attend an event, people see the detail that’s with me. I was continuously trying to recruit more to diversify. On one occasion, I met two female troopers who were on duty at an event. Both seemed competent and impressive, and I asked the state police to see if they were interested in joining. I often meet people, men and women, and if they show promise, I refer them to be interviewed. The state police handled the interviewing and the hiring, and one of the two troopers eventually joined the detail. I got to know her over time, and she’s a great professional, and I would sometimes banter with her when we were in the car. We spent a lot of time driving around the state. This female trooper was getting married, and I made some jokes about the negative consequences of married life. I meant it to be humorous. She was offended, and she was right.

The trooper also said that in an elevator I touched her back and when I was walking past her in a doorway I touched her stomach. Now I don’t recall doing it, but if she said I did it, I believe her. At public events, troopers will often hold doors open or guard the doorways. When I walk past them, I often will give them a grip of the arm, a pat on face, a touch on the stomach, a slap on the back. It’s my way of saying, ‘I see you. I appreciate you, and I thank you.’ I’m not comfortable just walking past and ignoring them. Of course, usually they are male troopers. In this case, I don’t remember doing it at all. I didn’t do it consciously with the female trooper. I did not mean any sexual connotation. I did not mean any intimacy by it. I just wasn’t thinking. It was totally thoughtless in the literal sense of the word, but it was also insensitive. It was embarrassing to her, and it was disrespectful. It was a mistake, plain and simple. I have no other words to explain it. I want to personally apologize to her and her family. I have the greatest respect for her and for the New York State Police.

Now, obviously, in a highly political matter like this, there are many agendas and there are many motivations at play. If anyone thought otherwise, they would be naive, and New Yorkers are not naive. But I want to thank the women who came forward with sincere complaints. It’s not easy to step forward, but you did an important service, and you taught me and you taught others an important lesson: personal boundaries must be expanded and must be protected. I accept full responsibility.

Part of being New York tough is being New York smart. New York smart tells us that this situation and moment are not about the facts. It’s not about the truth. It’s not about thoughtful analysis. It’s not about how do we make the system better. This is about politics, and our political system today is too often driven by the extremes. Rashness has replaced reasonableness. Loudness has replaced soundness. Twitter has become the public square for policy debate. There is an intelligent discussion to be had on gender-based actions on generational and cultural behavioral differences on setting higher standards and finding reasonable resolutions. But the political environment is too hot and it is too reactionary for that now, and it is unfortunate.

Now, you know me. I’m a New Yorker, born and bred. I am a fighter, and my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated. I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful, and I believe that it demonizes behavior that is unsustainable for society. If I could communicate the facts through the frenzy, New Yorkers would understand. I believe that, but when I took my oath as governor, then it changed. I became a fighter, but I became a fighter for you, and it is your best interests that I must serve. This situation by its current trajectory will generate months of political and legal controversy. That is what is going to happen. That is how the political wind is blowing. It will consume government. It will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. It will brutalize people.

The State Assembly yesterday outlined weeks of process that will then lead to months of litigation, time and money that government should spend managing Covid, guarding against the Delta variant, reopening upstate, fighting gun violence and saving New York City. All that time would be wasted. This is one of the most challenging times for government in a generation. Government really needs to function today. Government needs to perform. It is a matter of life and death — government operations, and wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing. And I can not be the cause of that.

New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York, and I love you. And everything I have ever done has been motivated by that love. And I would never want to be unhelpful in any way. And I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. And, therefore, that’s what I’ll do because I work for you, and doing the right thing is doing the right thing for you. Because as we say, “It’s not about me. It’s about we.”

Kathy Hochul, my lieutenant governor, is smart and competent. This transition must be seamless. We have a lot going on. I’m very worried about the Delta variant, and so should you be. But she can come up to speed quickly. And my resignation will be effective in 14 days.

To my team: Melissa DeRosa, Robert Mujica, Beth Garvey, Stephanie Benton, Dana Carotenuto, Kelly Cummings, Rich Azzopardi, Howard Zucker, Rick Cotton, Janno Lieber, Jack Davies and the hundreds of dedicated administration officials. I want to say this: Thank you. Thank you. And be proud. We made New York state the progressive capital of the nation. No other state government accomplished more to help people. And that is what it’s all about.

Just think about what we did. We passed marriage equality, creating a new civil right. Legalized love for the L.G.B.T.Q. community and we generated a force for change that swept the nation. We passed the SAFE Act years ago, the smartest gun safety law in the United States of America, and it banned the madness of assault weapons. We’ve saved countless lives with that law. Fifteen dollar minimum wage, the highest minimum wage in the nation, lifting millions of families’ standard of living, putting more food on the table and clothes on their backs. And we led the nation in economic justice with that reform. We have managed every emergency mother nature could throw at us: fires, floods, hurricanes, super storms and pandemics.

We balanced the state budget and we got it done on time, more than any other administration because government should work and perform. Free college tuition for struggling families. Nobody in the state will be denied their college dreams because of their income. We have built new airports, rail, transit, roads, all across this state, faster and better than ever before, and more than any state in the nation. The most effective green economy program in the nation. We did more for Black and Latino families than any other administration. We did more for working families. We did more for our union brothers and sisters. We did more to battle racism and anti-Semitism.

Today so much of the politics is just noise, just static, and that’s why people tune it out. What matters is actually improving people’s lives, and that’s what you did. You made this state a better state for the generations that follow, and that is undeniable, inarguable and true, even in these ugly, crazy times.

I thank Speaker Carl Heastie and Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for their leadership. And let me say this on a personal note. In many ways, I see the world through the eyes of my daughters, Cara, Mariah and Michaela. They are 26 and 26, twins, and 23. And I have lived this experience with and through them. I have sat on the couch with them, hearing the ugly accusations for weeks. I’ve seen the look in their eyes, and the expression on their faces, and it hurt. I want my three jewels to know this. My greatest goal is for them to have a better future than the generations of women before them.

It is still in many ways a man’s world. It always has been. We have sexism that is culturalized and institutionalized. My daughters have more talent and natural gifts than I ever had. I want to make sure that society allows them to fly as high as their wings will carry them. There should be no assumptions, no stereotypes, no limitations. I want them to know from the bottom of my heart that I never did and I never would intentionally disrespect a woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated. And that is the God’s honest truth. Your dad made mistakes, and he apologized, and he learned from it. And that’s what life is all about.

And I know the political process is flawed. And I understand their cynicism and distrust and disappointment now. But don’t give it up. Because government is still the best vehicle for making positive social change.

Lastly, I want to remind all New Yorkers of an important lesson and one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that’s what you New Yorkers did in battling Covid. The enemy landed in New York State. Covid launched the attack here. It came on planes from Europe, and we had no idea. It was an ambush. And it was up to New Yorkers to fight back. We were on our own, and it was war.

Nurses, doctors, essential workers became our front line heroes. Hospitals became the battlegrounds. Streets were still, and sirens filled the city’s silence. Trailers carried the bodies of our fallen brothers and sisters. But you refused to give up, and you fought back, and you won, going from the highest infection rate in the nation to one of the lowest. No one thought we could do it. But you did it. You led the nation, and you showed the way forward. And how you did it is what’s most important. You did it together, not as Black New Yorkers or white New Yorkers, not as L.G.B.T.Q. New Yorkers or straight New Yorkers, or Democrats or Republicans, or upstate or downtstate, or Jewish, Muslim, Protestant or Catholic New Yorkers, but as one community, one family, the family of New York. You overcame the naysayers and the haters and the fear and the division. And you unified, and you rose and you overcame.

And you saved lives. And that was powerful in its effect. It was beautiful to see. And it was an honor to lead. Please remember that lesson. Hold it dear and hold it up high for this nation to see because it is New York State at her finest, creating her legacy, fulfilling her destiny, giving life an animation to the lady in the harbor, saying “excelsior we can be better. We can reach higher.” And proclaiming, E Pluribus Unum. Out of many one. unity, community, love. That is our founding premise, and our enduring promise. And that is the salvation of this nation that it so desperately needs to hear. Thank you for the honor of serving you. It has been the honor of my lifetime. God bless you.

ANDREW CUOMO'S RESIGNATION SPEECH IN FULL

Luv Guv brought down by his own Cuomosexuality: Born into NY political dynasty and groomed for the top, how Andrew Cuomo stoked his Empire State-sized ego with Emmy and COVID books deal, before sex pest and nursing home scandals

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's abrupt resignation marks a stunning reversal in fortune for one of the nation's top political figures, bringing his career to a crashing halt just a year after he was inundated with fawning pleas to run for president.

Facing certain impeachment over a scathing New York attorney general's report that branded him a serial sexual harasser, Cuomo swallowed his pride and announced his resignation in a video address on Tuesday.

It perhaps marked the closing act of the Democrat's larger-than-life political career, which saw him reach the highest peaks of public adulation before scandal brought him low.

Cuomo, 63, was groomed for the political limelight from an early age, cutting his teeth as his governor father's sharp-elbowed campaign manager. He went on to marry (and divorce) a Kennedy, serve in Bill Clinton's cabinet, and is older brother to CNN primetime host Chris Cuomo.

As politicians go, he was as close to royalty in the Democratic Party as they come, and wielded his power ruthlessly, crushing any enemies, real or perceived

Cuomo was born in Queens in 1957, the son of Mario Cuomo, a lawyer who would go on to become New York governor, and his wife Mathilda.

Andrew Cuomo served as campaign manager during his father's successful 1982 campaign for governor, later joining the administration where he was known as the 'enforcer' for his role in ramming legislation through Albany.

A lawyer by training, Cuomo then went on to work as a prosecutor in New York City, later entering private practice and founding the Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged , which grew into a large provider of transitional housing for the homeless.

Mario Cuomo is shown during a press conference with his family in 1977. From left: Six-year-old Christopher Cuomo, Mario Cuomo, his wife Matilda, and their son Andrew, then 19

Andrew Cuomo is seen right rear during his father's 1986 victory speech after winning re-election as governor of New York

In 1989, Andrew Cuomo, left, joins John F. Kennedy, Jr., during a radio interview in New Rochelle to discuss his housing initiatives for the homeless

Andrew Cuomo and Paul Simon attend Children's Health Fund Benefit on February 16, 1989 at the Sheraton Center in New York City

In 1990, he married Kerri Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. The couple had three daughters together before separating in 2003, later divorcing.

In the early 90s, Cuomo used his experience with HELP to secure the chairmanship of the New York City Homeless Commission under Mayor David Dinkins' administration.

No doubt with the help of his family ties, he quickly rose in politics. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed him as an assistant secretary in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

After HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros departed at the end of Clinton's first term under the cloud of an FBI investigation, Clinton tapped Cuomo as his replacement.

Cuomo was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and served as HUD secretary through the end of Clinton's second term, leading a push to force lenders to issue more mortgages for low-income homebuyers and diversify home ownership.

It was an effort some believe contributed to the subprime mortgage implosion that triggered the Great Recession.

In another controversial move, he created a new program called 'Community Builders' with a staff of 800, without appropriation from Congress, that had a nebulous goal of connecting with local community groups and elected officials across the country to push the Clinton administration's agenda.

Senator Kit Bond, a Missouri Republican, slammed the program as 'Cuomo's personal army.'

One HUD official was quoted at the time describing Community Builders a 'Democratic ward heelers who act as a pipeline between Democratic city officials, party leaders, and the administration and the Democratic National Committee.'

Housing Secretary-designate Andrew Cuomo looks on as President Clinton applauds during a news conference announcing his nomination to the post in 1996

Then-HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo, right, helps work on a Habitat for Humanity home on June 5, 1997 in southeast Washington

Andrew Cuomo celebrates his election as New York Attorney General in 2006 with his father former New York Governor Mario Cuomo during a rally held by New York Democrats

Cuomo's first foray into New York politics went poorly, when he lost the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2002 despite strong fundraising.

In 2006, he successfully ran for attorney general, leading some Democratic politicians to label him the state's 'comeback kid.'

He was largely viewed as a ideological centrist - in 2018, he beat back a liberal challenge from 'Sex and the City' actor Cynthia Nixon - though he has moved left in recent years with the rest of the Democratic Party.

As his power grew, Cuomo built a reputation as an ambitious, ruthless politician who was willing to retaliate against perceived enemies and whose abrasive style in private often alienated others.

Earlier this year, Cuomo called a state assemblyman, Ron Kim, who had criticized the governor over the nursing home crisis, and threatened to attack him publicly, according to Kim. Cuomo would do just that a week later at a news briefing.

His years-long feud with liberal New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio gave the city's tabloids plenty of fodder, from the serious to the ridiculous.

In 2016, the pair fought over the fate of a wayward deer that had found its way into Manhattan; when the deer died, each administration blamed the other.

At times their animosity caused confusion during the pandemic. In the spring of 2020, de Blasio announced city schools would close for the rest of the year, only to be corrected by Cuomo, who said only the governor had the authority to do so.

'Cut the c**p,' a frustrated Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, implored both men in a Twitter post. Adams, now the Democratic mayoral nominee, is widely expected to win a November election and succeed the term-limited de Blasio.

It was the coronavirus pandemic that made Cuomo into a household name nationwide, transforming him into a hero in the eyes of many Democrats.

Meet the 'down to earth' Irish immigrants' daughter who will replace Cuomo: Kathy Hochul was once endorsed by the NRA and replaced a male colleague who was busted soliciting sex on Craigslist

The woman who will replace Andrew Cuomo is Lieutenant Kathy Hochul, the granddaughter of Irish immigrants who was handpicked by the embattled governor and has now turned against him.

Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul who will replace Cuomo if he resigns or is impeached, which is becoming increasingly likely. The 62-year-old mother-of-two is an Irish immigrants' granddaughter who started her political career upstate with more conservative policies than Cuomo's

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, 62, will become the first female governor in New York's history when she replaces Cuomo in two weeks, on August 24.

Throughout the pandemic, she has taken a quiet backseat to her boss's very public profile after being cherry-picked by him in 2014.

She won another political role in 2011 by replacing Rep. Chris Lee, her married male colleague who was caught soliciting women for sex on Craigslist.

Hochul was only in his seat for a year before being replaced. Previously, she ran upstate as a more conservative candidate and was once endorsed by the NRA.

In 2007, when she was the Erie County Clerk, she went against the then Governor Elliot Spitzer's effort to give all undocumented migrants driver's licenses.

She was endorsed again in 2012, when running against Chris Collins, but she lost that election.

Hochul was chosen by Cuomo in 2014, replacing former Lieutenant Gov. Lieutenant-Governor Robert Duff, and was re-elected along with Cuomo in 2018.

Hochul grew up in upstate New York, the daughter of a steelworker father once so poor his family had to live in a trailer, before he became a successful businessman.

She has served Cuomo loyally but this week, as the Attorney General found him guilty of sexually harassing at least 11 women, she turned on him.

Hochul - who grew up in upstate New York, the daughter of a steelworker father, has served Cuomo loyally but this week, as the Attorney General found him guilty of sexually harassing at least 11 women, she turned on him.

Hochul's husband is William J. Hochul Jr, a prosecutor of 23 years whose convictions include those of the Lackwanna Six - six American men who joined al-Qaeda.

Hochul was endorsed by the NRA in 2007 when she was running as Erie County Clerk but she has since become decidedly anti-gun and is shown above at a 2019 rally against gun violence. In the background is AG Letitia James - who found Cuomo guilty in her report this week

'The AG’s investigation has documented repulsive & unlawful behavior by the Governor towards multiple women. I believe these brave women & admire their courage coming forward.

'No one is above the law. Under the New York Constitution, the Assembly will now determine the next steps.

'Because Lieutenant Governors stand next in the line of succession, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the process at this moment,' she tweeted.

Her husband is William J. Hochul Jr, a prosecutor of 23 years whose convictions include those of the Lackwanna Six - six American men who joined al-Qaeda.

In 2011, Hochul replaced Rep. Chris Lee who was caught soliciting women for sex on Craigslist despite being married

He is now a private attorney but was previously the United States attorney for the Western District of New York.

The pair live in Buffalo in a $800,000, three-bedroom apartment, according to public records.

Their kids are in their early 30s. Katie, or Caitlin, works for PR firm Concepts Inc whose past clients include The Gates Foundation and the Justice Department.

Her son, William Hochul III, is a DC lawyer.

Unlike Cuomo - whose father was a governor and who grew up in wealth and New York society - Hochul's family are Irish immigrants.

On her public bio, she talks about how her mother and father lived at one time in a trailer on the grounds of the steel plant where her father worked in Buffalo.

She describes herself as 'progressive' and is keenly pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ rights. Hochul is well-liked upstate, where Cuomo's popularity has evaporated.

'She is probably one of the most down-to-earth people that you could ever meet.

'She’s gone to great heights in government, yet one-to-one, she is so accessible and so warm and just a very generous person.

'She’s always able to help — particularly women, too,' Assembly member Karen McMahon told Politico recently.

'She works hard, she listens to people, she cares. In any state, you want for your lieutenant governor somebody who can do the job of governor. It doesn’t always happen, but in Kathy Hochul’s case she has the ability to do the job if it comes to it,' Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan told The Wall Street Journal.

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