Incoming New York Governor Kathy Hochul held her first news conference Wednesday since Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, saying it was not something she expected, but she’s ready to take on the role of New York’s 57th Governor.
Hochul says she’s ready to “fight like Hell” for the people of New York, and added that no one will ever say her administration was a “toxic workplace” for women, as the State Attorney General’s report found of Governor Cuomo’s Executive Chamber.
Meanwhile, both Democratic and Republican Assembly members say the impeachment process against Governor Cuomo should continue so all the facts are known. They also have questions about Cuomo’s roll in nursing home deaths during the COVID outbreak and whether he used state resources in the writing of his book.
Hochul said in her first news conference that Governor Cuomo has pledged his support for a smooth transition over the next two week. She deferred questions about her future plans and staffing changes until then, saying New York only has one governor at a time. But Hochul said she’ll be meeting over the next two weeks with each member of the cabinet, and will announce at the appropriate time who will stay and who will go. She also vowed that no Cuomo staffer involved in pressuring women to keep quiet about their allegations of misconduct by Cuomo will work in her administration.
Hochul said she’ll have a major address in two weeks to lay out her plan for the future of New York and answer many of these questions. She officially becomes governor on August 24th.
Hochul says her style is to “listen first and then take decisive action.”