Joe Biden says Andrew Cuomo should resign if sexual harassment claims are true

Members of Andrew Cuomo's party have urged him to quit

Credit: AP

President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a powerful member of his Democratic party, should resign if accusations that he sexually harassed women are proven.

"Yes," Mr Biden told ABC News when asked if Mr Cuomo should step down in those circumstances.

"I think he’ll probably end up being prosecuted, too," Mr Biden said.

These were Mr Biden’s strongest remarks yet in the Cuomo scandal, although he once again stopped short of joining others — including Democrats — in calling for the governor’s immediate resignation.

Eight women have come forward since last month to denounce what they said were inappropriate words and gestures from Cuomo. One former employee said he slipped his hand under her blouse last year.

Mr Cuomo denies sexual harassment and is refusing to resign.

The 63-year-old is fighting for his political life following the allegations and has faced calls to resign from within his own party.

US Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jerry Nadler and other Democratic congress members from New York, have called for Mr Cuomo to step down.

He is facing an investigation by lawyers working with the New York Attorney General.

Last week, he told reporters it would be "dangerous" and "reckless" to resign while he worked on New York’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Let the review proceed," he said. "I’m not going to resign. I was not elected by the politicians. I was elected by the people.

"The people of this state have known me for 40 years."