Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., and Pete King, a former GOP representative from New York, agreed Thursday on Newsmax that the sexual harassment allegations against Gov. Andrew Cuomo paint a bleak picture for his future.
"I don't see how he hangs on now," King commented on Newsmax's "John Bachman Now." "He has no friends. During the height of his impeachment, Bill Clinton had a solid base of support, and Bill Clinton had a solid base. Nobody is supporting Andrew Cuomo and that is saying a lot."
New York lawmakers told Cuomo Thursday that their impeachment investigation, which has been going on since March, is almost finished and gave him a deadline of Aug. 13 to provide further evidence. In addition to the sexual harassment allegations outlined in report from state Attorney General Letitia James this week, Cuomo has also been accused of misleading the public about COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes and of using state resources and staff for his $5 million book deal.
King said he's known the governor for many years, and also knew his father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, and he does not see him resigning in the wake of the allegations unless he "absolutely has to."
He also said Cuomo has the right to have his case heard by the state assembly and Senate, but "every Democratic leader, and of course, all Republicans are calling on him to resign."
That means Cuomo would probably be impeached and removed by a 99% vote by the state's lawmakers, King added, so "he should do the right thing and resign."
Tenney, meanwhile, spoke out against Cuomo's brother, CNN star Chris Cuomo, and said there is a conflict of interest where he is concerned for his role in helping the governor.
"CNN is guilty," she said. "They know they've had this cozy relationship between the governor and one of their top anchors and it really is time probably for Chris Cuomo to step aside at this point."
She agreed with King that Cuomo "doesn't really have a lot of friends" but the matter is worse than just the sexual harassment claims.
In other matters, the lawmakers told Newsmax that many of the policies in place through the Biden administration are allowing more COVID-carrying migrants to enter the country and add to the spread of the disease.
"It's interesting, if you want to come into this country, whether you're coming to Canada or the southern border, you have to be vaccinated if you just want to vacation in the United States, but if you're an illegal immigrant coming across the border, none are actually required," Tenney commented during their panel discussion on Newsmax's "John Bachman Now." "Not only that, we transport you to your destination free of charge, you know, at the expense of the taxpayers without any regard or respect for the people that are here."
King, meanwhile, said he agrees with President Joe Biden on the dangers of the Delta variant of COVID-19, but still called him "almost criminally negligent" for not having more strict policies about the border situation.
"Allowing people in with even the remotest chance of them having COVID to me is irresponsible," said King. "Knowing that thousands and thousands are coming in with COVID at a time when we're (banning) people in restaurants, saying that kids in schools have to wear a mask. There's just no way this can be defended."
Tenney, meanwhile, argued against mandatory vaccinations for Americans, pointing out that the vaccines "went through in a hurry" and still do not have full approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
King and Tenney also talked about Biden's reinstatement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium, with both agreeing that it has to end to keep landlords from losing too much money because they can't collect rent.
"Joe Biden is actually admitting he's probably violating the law," said King. "We can't be saying that landlords have to continue to allow tennants to stay in their apartments without having to pay rent. I mean, if we do that, we are truly becoming a socialist country."
Tenney added that most landlords are small businesses and they can't pay their costs and taxes without being able to collect rent
"The CDC has no power to tell us in commerce that we can't collect rent," said Tenney. "Where is the outrage about just giving this authority to unelected bureaucrats?"
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