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Posted: 2021-08-03T19:52:24Z | Updated: 2021-08-04T14:06:46Z

Though New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) remains defiant in the face of a damning sexual harassment report , the calls for his resignation have already begun.

Several New York lawmakers, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), have released statements urging Cuomo to step down, following an investigation from the New York state attorney generals office that found the governor sexually harassed at least 11 women.

The New York State Attorney General has conducted an independent, thorough and professional investigation that found the Governor violated state and federal law, had a pattern of sexually harassing current and former employees, retaliated against at least one of the accusers and created a hostile work environment, Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint statement released Tuesday afternoon.

No elected official is above the law, Schumer and Gillibrand added. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governors office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.

Schumer and Gillibrand, along with several other prominent New York Democrats , called for Cuomo to resign in March when women first came out with accusations of sexual harassment against the governor. Now, many are doubling down after the attorney generals investigation corroborated Cuomos misconduct.

Eric Adams, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, said in a statement that its the duty of the New York State Assembly to take swift and appropriate action and move forward with impeachment proceedings if the Governor will not resign.

No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governors office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.

- Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)

Various state lawmakers also called for Cuomos resignation in light of the investigations findings.

New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) said that the Governor must resign for the good of the state. New York state Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, an outspoken critic of Cuomo, said she has already drafted articles of impeachment.

It took 179 witnesses and a statewide investigation by the Attorney General to hold one powerful man accountable, Niou told reporter Eoin Higgins. Tell me again that New York doesnt have a power problem.

U.S. Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) said he believes Cuomos behavior is disqualifying, adding that today is a very, very sad day in the history of our state. In order to move forward, we need to have new leadership.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) went so far as to call for Cuomos arrest, adding that President Joe Biden must immediately call for the governors resignation.

No one is above the law and today justice must be served, Stefanik said Tuesday. In December, I was the first federal official to publicly call for an independent investigation into Governor Cuomos sexual harassment, abuse, and assault ... The media and Democrats smeared me and closed ranks to protect Cuomo, a shameful chapter in New York history. All of them including his staff must be held to account. These brave women deserve swift and definitive justice.

Other New York lawmakers including U.S. Reps. Tom Suozzi, Hakeem Jeffries and Gregory Meeks, all Democrats have also urged Cuomo to step down in light of the state attorney generals findings.

In March, Biden said Cuomo should resign if the sexual harassment allegations against the governor were confirmed. Biden stood by his initial comments during a Tuesday press conference. I stand by that statement, Biden said. I think that he should resign.