Six months after he resigned from office over sexual harassment allegations, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to be hinting at a political comeback.
The Democrat made a campaign-like stop at a Brooklyn church Sunday, delivering a speech in which he claimed he was cancelled by the social media mob.
The public appearancecame a week after Cuomo’s campaign launched a digital and television advertising campaign pushing a similar message: He was driven from office unfairly.
Cuomo quoted the Bible several times as he described his travails then went on the offensive to attack the “political sharks” in Albany who, he said, “smelled blood” and exploited the situation for political gain.
“The actions against me were prosecutorial misconduct,” Cuomo said. “They used cancel culture to effectively overturn an election.”
Cuomo resigned in August after an investigation found evidence of sexual misconduct.
On Sunday, Cuomo acknowledged his behavior wasn’t appropriate but quickly added that nothing he did violated the law.
“I didn’t appreciate how fast the perspectives changed,” he said. “I’ve learned a powerful lesson and paid a very high price for learning that lesson. God isn’t finished with me yet.”
Cuomo hasn’t said he’s running for office, but is still sitting on a multimillion dollar campaign war chest he could use to finance another run.
Several district attorneys in New York said they found Cuomo’s accusers “credible,” but said the available evidence wasn’t strong enough to press criminal charges against him.
Cuomo used his platform Sunday mostly to condemn a social media-fueled climate he said is growing and dangerous.
“Any accusation can trigger condemnation without facts or due process,” he said. “We are a nation of laws, not a nation of tweets. Woe unto us if we allow that to become our new justice system.”
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
