Kathy Hochul was set to become the first woman to rule New York at midnight, taking over the reins of a state government desperate to get back to work after months of distraction from the sexual harassment allegations against Andrew Cuomo.
The western New York Democrat is scheduled to be sworn in as governor in the opening minutes of Tuesday in a brief private ceremony, which will be presided over by the state’s chief judge, Janet DiFiore.
Her rise to the top office of the state will be a historic moment in a capital where women have only just begun to break through what was long a male-dominated political culture.
Cuomo was slated to step down from office at 11:59 p.m. Monday, less than two weeks after he announced his departure rather than face probable impeachment proceedings.
On his last day in office, Cuomo released a previously recorded farewell speech in which he defended his decade-long career as governor of New York and portrayed himself as the victim of a “media frenzy.”
Hochul’s swearing-in ceremony was scheduled for Tuesday morning at the state Capitol. He planned to meet with legislative leaders later and hold a public address at 3 p.m.
For the first time, most of the most influential officials in New York’s government will be women, including Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Attorney General Letitia James, and the state’s top judge. DiFiore. The State Assembly is headed by one man, President Carl Heastie.
Hochul will inherit significant challenges once he takes office as head of a government facing criticism for Cuomo’s inaction in recent months.
COVID-19 has returned, and new cases have risen about 1,370% since the end of June. Hospitalizations for the disease are on the rise even as schools prepare to return to school.
Important decisions will need to be made about the possibility of ordering the use of masks or vaccination against COVID-19 in some groups, or about the possibility of implementing social distancing measures again in case the most recent wave of infections in the state worsens. . Hochul has said that he is in favor of ordering the use of masks in schools, a difference from the position of Cuomo, who said he lacked that authority.
The economy remains unstable. Jobs lost during the pandemic have returned, but the unemployment rate is still twice as high as in 2019.
Cuomo’s resignation came after an independent investigation overseen by State Attorney General Letitia James found there was credible evidence that the Democratic official had sexually harassed at least 11 women.
In his farewell speech, Cuomo was defiant, noting that the James report that prompted his resignation was intended to be a “political firecracker on an explosive issue, and it worked.”
“There was a political and media stampede,” he said.