A major union boss came out in opposition to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, signaling eroding support among the New York labor base for the Democrat amid mounting scandals.
John Samuelsen, the international president of the Transport Workers Union, announced he would no longer support Cuomo, saying his union will follow suit.
“I didn’t go to Cuomo’s recent fundraiser. I’m over him,” Samuelson told the New York Post.
SENIOR CUOMO AIDE INTERVIEWED IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION: REPORT
Samuelson said the mounting accusations against Cuomo, including allegations of sexual harassment from at least 10 women, have caused him to rethink his support.
“My sense is, how can the trade union movement stand with him if, as a result of that report, it becomes evident and becomes clear that he engaged in workplace criminality or misbehavior?” he said, according to Spectrum News.
The union leader emphasized his criticisms of the governor in an email to the Washington Examiner, calling Cuomo a “dishonest power broker.”
“Cuomo ceased supporting TWU members in New York. He’s emerged as a dishonest broker. The TWU will not support politicians who betray our membership,” Samuelson said.
Richard Azzopardi, a senior Cuomo adviser, hit back, calling Samuelson “an extortionist who is trying to undo pension reform.”
“We also understand he is a political supporter of [Attorney General Letitia] James and she says she may run against the governor, and he wants more benefits in his contract. Everyone gets that,” he tweeted.
The Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO represents more than 150,000 members across the airline, railroad, and transit, university, utility, and service sectors, according to the labor union’s website.
Despite diminishing support, with members of his own party calling for his resignation and only one-third of New York voters saying he should run for reelection, Cuomo held a $10,000-per-person fundraiser last month at which he raised more than $1 million toward his reelection efforts.
Cuomo, who has relied heavily on union support in past gubernatorial contests, faces several scandals threatening his governorship.
The governor has been accused of directing state health officials to give special COVID-19 testing access to members of his inner circle. Azzopardi denied those claims as “insincere efforts to rewrite the past” in an email to the Washington Examiner.
The alleged use of state resources in promoting Cuomo’s book, American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from COVID-19 Pandemic, has also attracted scrutiny from elected officials.
In April, Attorney General Letitia James, widely believed to be a possible challenger in the 2022 gubernatorial race, received a referral to conduct a criminal investigation into Cuomo’s use of state resources to promote the book after a March 31 ethics complaint from a liberal watchdog group sought an inquiry into whether he violated a law prohibiting “the use of campaign funds for personal use.”
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli authorized James to examine “any indictable offense or offenses,” including “the drafting, editing, sale and promotion of the governor’s book and any related financial or business transactions.”
Cuomo insisted members of his staff volunteered to help with the book, though his office acknowledged there might be some “incidental” use of state resources, according to the New York Times.
In addition, the Democratic governor is under federal investigation for his handling of nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic after Melissa DeRosa, a top Cuomo aide, acknowledged the governor’s office hid the state’s nursing home coronavirus death toll out of fear of political retribution from then-President Donald Trump.
Cuomo has been accused of sexual harassment by at least 10 women, many current or former staffers. The allegations prompted two inquiries: James is investigating the matter at the state level, and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has authorized an “impeachment investigation” to pursue the accusations in the Legislature.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
On June 25, it was reported Azzopardi was interviewed by James’s office, signifying her investigation may be nearing its conclusion. Cuomo, 63, denies any inappropriate touching or advances but apologized if he made anyone feel uncomfortable.
