Dear Andrew,
Firstly, congratulations. It takes a big man to admit no fault at all, claim innocence, blame his victims, and then resign all the same shortly afterwards. Leadership exemplified.
Before news of your serial sexual harassment and assaults became the talk of the town, you served as the perfect example of what is wrong with American politics. A silver tongued, faux-populist, media manipulator: qualities that recall another egomaniac of our very recent past. You had an iron grip over the workings of New York State, an alliance with the more conservative Democrats allowed you and the old-guard to keep our state perpetually frozen in place. This, of course, is better than a reactionary administration. But the fact that marijuana has only been legalized as a last ditch effort to endear yourself to voters is an embarrassment, and you still managed to partly sabotage that effort all the same.
Watergate tore apart the fantastical perception that Americans held towards their government and elected officials, that those in power were trustworthy and caring towards our needs and democracy. We live in a cynical age, rightfully so. Your actions are no longer shocking, your depravity almost expected now as a common trait among leaders in our society. The veil of the “gallant statesman” has been ripped off to reveal the ugly truth — those in power often embody the worst in us, rather than the best.
Corruption is accepted as simply a concession that the average citizen must accept as part of our democracy. We are reprimanded like children by the ruling class if we call attention to it, reminded that “it could be much worse.” Your lackeys, funded by the taxpayer’s dime, helped you create a work environment of fear and submission. Any dissent was seen as treachery, any opposing idea seen as subterfuge. This fear enabled your crimes to go unreported, anyone who may have had the courage to speak up was silenced by their own fear of retribution. Now, thankfully, the cat’s out of the bag, and you’ll be out of the Governor’s Mansion.
The President of the United States, that is President Biden for those still in denial of reality, remarked that you had done “a hell of a job.” It would be foolish to claim your tenure did not have its occasional triumph, New York has made important strides during your time in office. But while your ability to wield the power of the executive helped achieve some of these victories, the authoritarian nature of your leadership and actions dilutes these achievements.
For some, the benefits of your time in office outweigh your crimes. I have not even touched on the accusations regarding your actions during the pandemic, horrific in their own right. The report provided by the Attorney General paints a picture too awful to ignore: a misogynist demagogue who truly believes he has done no wrong.
For many, especially women, the testimonies provided by your victims may seem all too familiar. I have worked alongside and fought on behalf of individuals who faced discrimination and harassment based on their identities and sex, it is disturbing how prolific and common this type of behavior is. It is also tragic that even in the wake of greater calls for accountability regarding sexual misconduct that some still doubt the seriousness and prolific nature of it. You are not in short supply of company, there are Andrew Cuomos in every university, corner shop and government department.
I ran for office, unsuccessfully mind you, because I truly felt at the time that younger individuals with a true passion for change could help turn the tide against the current rot in our system. It is admittedly tough to continue believing this. In fact, it almost seems naive. Knowing that someone like you was able to ruthlessly dominate the New York State government, cultivate an environment of fear and petty retribution, and all the while engage in criminal behavior without a hint of remorse reminds me of why I was hesitant to involve myself in politics.
But let us not become disparaged or apathetic in the face of such brazen corruption. Let us instead remember that those in office, more often than not, are willing to do just about anything to coalesce their power, enrich themselves, and live out that most sacred of infantile fantasies: a world in which they never have to hear the word “no.” We need to organize, we need to get involved. We can no longer allow people like you to hold positions of power, not even as the local dog catcher.
To steal, and slightly modify, a line from Tom Lehrer: “Politics is a lot like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”
Ciao Bella, Andrew,
A Fellow Italian.
