Chris Hayes Calls Out Gov. Cuomo’s Intimidation Tactics Amid Widening Sexual Harassment Scandal: ‘Don’t Vote for Bullies’
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes revealed what is an open secret in the political world: Gov. Andrew Cuomo is a vindictive, strong-arming bully. And he told viewers: “Don’t vote for bullies if you can avoid it.”
Hayes took aim at New York’s top Democrats during a Monday night segment of All In, amid what has become a widening sexual harassment scandal for the three-term governor. Hayes delivered his monologue in the wake of one former Cuomo aide firing back at the governor’s caveated apology to her allegations he sexually harassed her, calling on him to “take responsibility for his predatory behavior.” Hours later, just before the MSNBC host went on air, a third woman accused Cuomo of making aggressive, unwanted advances at her wedding in a New York Times story. And leading off his segment, Hayes noted that Congresswoman Kathleen Rice (D-NY) from Long Island tweeted a demand that the governor “must resign.”
The time has come. The Governor must resign. https://t.co/GjcvuNfpfQ
— Kathleen Rice (@RepKathleenRice) March 2, 2021
But Hayes then pivoted from those allegations to hit Cuomo on a broader charge of demeaning and intimidating conduct toward other staffers and politicians who don’t kowtow to him. The MSNBC host cited, as but one, recent example, New York State Assemblyman Ron Kim, who Cuomo allegedly threatened to “destroy” for criticizing his handling of Covid nursing home deaths.
“Independent of any specific allegation against Cuomo about sexual harassment or policy failures or allegations of covering up data, Andrew Cuomo’s style has been well known for years,” Hayes explained. “He relies on intimidation and strong-arming and vendettas against people who cross him. He is a bully. That is just how he has operated. It’s not a secret. I mean, everyone who covered him knows this.”
“But in some ways this reckoning shows the limitations of that style of politics. It’s a style with no specific political party or ideology,” Hayes added. “There are officials and staffers and voters and occasionally some of the press that can confuse intimidation with actual strength. You see that sometimes. ‘They’re getting stuff done.’ My advice, though, is don’t vote for bullies if you can avoid it. Now, Andrew Cuomo has been returned to office time and time again by the voters. It’s not like he hasn’t been covered negatively. This is not his first bout of negative press, okay? But voters don’t have to just accept the description of being hard-nosed or tough as good enough in leaders. People can’t be kept in silence from intimidation forever. With political leaders, their words and messages they send do matter tremendously.”
Watch the video above, via MSNBC.
