Andrew Cuomo must address scandals while on NYC mayoral campaign trail, Eric Adams says

Mayor Eric Adams said Monday that former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, his newest opponent in June's Democratic primary, needs to account for allegations he sexually harassed state workers and evidence that COVID-19 patients died in nursing homes after one of his orders — scandals that cost him the governorship.

In Adams’ first extended reaction to Cuomo’s entry Saturday into the 2025 mayoral race, the mayor said Cuomo owes voters answers.

"Should that be an automatic disqualification? No, I think it needs to be answered on the trail, exactly what happened," Adams said, speaking at a weekly City Hall news conference.

The mayor said he thought family members of people who died in nursing homes after Cuomo's order — early in the pandemic compelling the facilities to take infected COVID-19 patients — would "be looking forward" to Cuomo addressing the situation. An audit also found that Cuomo undercounted the deaths of nursing home residents by attributing them to hospitals.

As for the sexual harassment allegations, which increased the pressure in 2021 on Cuomo to resign the governorship, Adams said: "If those allegations are true, he said they were not true, he has to answer that on the campaign trail."

"I respect what they stated," Adams said of the women who made the allegations. 

"I believe what they said, based on the investigation," he added, referring to Attorney General Letitia James' inquiry into the governor.

Cuomo has denied all wrongdoing.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said by email: "We'll let the voters decide." Azzopardi added: "Some politicians want to talk about the past because they don’t want to talk about the present — which is that the city is in crisis and Andrew Cuomo has the experience and the track record to help save it."

Over the weekend, Cuomo entered the race, seeking a political comeback. Adams, ticking off what he says are his own accomplishments, such as lowering the crime rate, improving the economy and making the city a better place to raise a family, scoffed at the notion the city needs saving.

"Somebody said the city’s in crisis? I wonder, who was that guy?" Adams said sarcastically, adding: "Yes, I do believe we need to be saved — from him."

Adams suggested that he would partner with those opposed to Cuomo.

"I met with some of the nursing home family members and advocates. There are some things that we want to do with them," Adams said.

Also Monday, the city's comptroller and a mayoral candidate, Brad Lander, renewed his criticism of what the public paid in legal bills to defend Cuomo.

"I’m demanding that Andrew Cuomo return every last penny of the $28 million taxpayer dollars he spent defending his sexual harassment accusations," Lander posted on X.

Azzopardi said the law entitles any public official in the circumstances to have his legal bills covered by the government.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.