An area state lawmaker has become the latest Democrat to ask the governor to step down, but the governor says he isn’t going to resign. North Rockland and Orange County state senator James Skoufis, who heads the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, says a months-long inquiry by the state Attorney General is too long to wait…
In the photo Senator Skoufis just referenced the governor appears to be holding the head of his third accuser, who claims he asked to kiss her after having just met. That was right after she removed his hands from her lower back.
The governor yesterday resurfaced for the first time in a week to hold a COVID-19 press conference. Cuomo said the mid-Hudson region and New York City have higher COVID positivity rates than the rest of the state, and he explained why…
But Cuomo did not address why, then, Rockland doesn’t have its own COVID vaccination distribution facility yet. As far as the sexual harassment allegations made against him by three women, Cuomo said he’ll fully cooperate with the independent review. He emphasized he didn’t know he was making anyone feel uncomfortable, and said kissing and hugging people when he greets them is his custom and there are probably hundreds of pictures out there to prove it. He said he is embarrassed, but urged people to wait for the report before forming an opinion.
An aide to governor Cuomo is leaving his post on the COVID-19 Task Force to return to the state Financial Services Department. It was at Gareth Rhodes’ wedding where that now infamous photo was taken.
In other COVID news, event, arts and entertainment venues can reopen at 33 percent capacity, up to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors starting April 2nd. Starting March 22nd, the maximum on outdoor gatherings at home goes up to 25 people, indoor gatherings remain at 10. Non-residential indoor gatherings go up to 100 people, outdoor gatherings go to 200.
COVID-19 by the numbers now, here in Rockland, the death count remains unchanged since yesterday, 891. We’ve got 36 hospitalized confirmed with coronavirus, and 1,458 active cases. Our total case count is 38,955, that’s 158 more than yesterday.