NATIONAL NEWS – Andrew Cuomo set to run for New York City mayor

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

Former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his candidacy for New York City mayor on Saturday. Cuomo resigned from his position as governor in early 2022 after a sexual harassment scandal forced him to resign. Cuomo, 77 was the governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. Cuomo guided the state through some of the deadliest months of the Covid-19 crisis. However, he was forced to resign in August of his final year as governor when an investigation commissioned by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that he had sexually assaulted at least 11 women during his time in office. Cuomo is a Democrat and is aiming to unseat the current mayor Eric Adams who has grappled with criminal corruption charges. The U.S. The Justice Department is currently trying to get these charges lifted and is pending judicial sign-off. This initiative is being spearheaded by President Trump.

A campaign video was released announcing his candidacy making New York City out to be a city in a crisis. Cuomo stated in his campaign video that, “the first to solve a problem is having the strength, having the courage, to recognize it, and we know that today our New York City is in trouble.” In his nearly 17-minute campaign video, he pointed to empty stores, graffiti, and an increase in crime as reasons that he thinks, “The city just feels threatening, out of control,” Cuomo said in his more than 17-minute announcement video. “These conditions exist not as an act of God, but rather as an act of our political leaders, or more precisely the lack of intelligent action by our political leaders.”