Andrew Cuomo, the 56th governor of New York, is the brother of news presenter Chris Cuomo and the son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. He previously served as the Attorney General of New York and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Political Ascendancy
During his father's campaign for governor of New York, Cuomo served as his campaign manager. Andrew Cuomo oversaw his father's Transition Committee after his father was elected to the first of three terms as governor in 1982, and later became a prominent adviser.
Cuomo began his career as an associate district attorney in Manhattan in 1984 before joining the legal firm Blutrich, Falcone & Miller as a partner. Returning to public service, he established the state's Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged in 1986. (HELP). HELP has since grown to become "one of the nation's largest builders and operators of transitional and low-income housing," according to Cuomo's website.
Cuomo joined President Bill Clinton's Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as an assistant secretary in 1993. In 1997, he became Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, a position he held until 2001.
Cuomo ran for governor of New York in 2002, but dropped out after making a contentious remark about then-Governor George Pataki's lack of leadership in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Cuomo went out of the public glare for a few years to work in real estate after what was seen as a big blunder for the Democratic candidate.
Accusations of Sexual Harassment
Cuomo was accused of sexual harassment by a number of women, including current and former colleagues, in 2021. His resignation has been demanded by both Republicans and Democrats, including New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Cuomo expressed regret for acting "in a way that made folks feel uncomfortable," but he refused to quit.
Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and retaliated against one for going public, according to a 165-page investigation released in August 2021.
