The Truth About Rudy Giuliani And Andrew Cuomo
Only days after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation in light of Attorney General Letitia James' report — which concluded that Cuomo had indeed sexually harassed and bullied at least 11 women during his tenure, many of which were in his employ — it looks like another disgraced former New York politician has decided to speak up with his own two cents on the matter.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the now out-of-work lawyer and one-time major yes-man to President Donald Trump who was once regarded as "America's Mayor" following the September 11 terrorist attacks, weighed in on Cuomo's resignation during an appearance on "The Other Side of Midnight" radio show on August 11, per the New York Post. Considering the current reputations of Giuliani, a Republican, and Cuomo, a Democrat, it appears that Giuliani's opinion on the final crescendo of Cuomo's fall from grace was both shocking and completely unsurprising all at once. So, what did Giuliani have to say about Cuomo's circumstances in the moment, as well as what Cuomo's future might hold? Keep reading after the jump to learn more.
Rudy Giuliani says he thinks Andrew Cuomo will 'resurrect himself'
Per the New York Post, out-of-work attorney Rudy Giuliani seemed to praise Gov. Andrew Cuomo's character, calling him "tough," a "determined guy," and a "fighter," despite multiple accusations of sexual misconduct and an ongoing controversy involving a cover-up of the number of nursing home deaths related to COVID-19, which Cuomo purportedly did to uphold an upswing in popularity in 2020. Calling Cuomo "smarter and more talented" than other politicians who have found themselves embroiled in scandal, Giuliani's prediction for Cuomo's future political endeavors were that they are, to put it simply, very likely to happen. "He'll find some way to resurrect himself," Giuliani concluded on-air.
The former NYC mayor also took the time to lambast New York District Attorney Letitia James, who headed the investigation against Cuomo after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced in early 2020. "What she did was so unethical. She should be disbarred for doing that," said Giuliani, who had two of his licenses to practice law revoked for his role in disseminating misinformation about the November 2020 election, and who is currently being investigated by the FBI for purported dealings with foreign officials. He also theorized that James' motives were a "set up for her to become governor," even though, as Newsweek noted, James has made no mention at all of any intention to run for governor in the state's next election.
Rudy Giuliani has also been embroiled in controversy regarding possible misconduct
Rudy Giuliani himself is no stranger to instances of purported sexual misconduct. More specifically, one such example was famously captured on film in the 2020 "Borat" sequel. In the film, actor Maria Bakalova, in character (and unbeknownst to Giuliani at the time) was invited to Giuliani's hotel suite, where he was captured on camera putting his hands down his pants. (While nothing went further than that before Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as the titular Borat, was able to burst into the room and interrupt, the moment was uncomfortable to watch due to the power differential and Bakalova presenting herself as a journalist to Giuliani.)
While it's only speculation, one reason Andrew Cuomo might have tendered his resignation rather than face impeachment might have more to do with the trajectory of his political career rather than actual remorse. As Politico noted in its coverage of the Cuomo scandal, an impeachment on his record could feasibly bar Cuomo for running for a gubernatorial seat ever again; if, to paraphrase Giuliani (albeit reluctantly), Cuomo wanted to "resurrect" his career in the political sphere, a resignation — and the hope that the scandal would eventually blow over with time and distance — would still enable him to take another jab at holding one of the highest offices in the state again.