BURSTFormer New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who is now running for New York City mayor, says he regrets resigning as the state's top executive in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations.
"If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t have resigned," Cuomo told The New York Times in an interview published Tuesday.
"At the time, I thought that I would be a distraction to government functionality, that they would all be involved in impeachment proceedings, blah, blah, blah," he continued. "Looking back, what has really been done in the past four years anyway, right?"
Cuomo resigned days after state Attorney General Letitia James (D) issued a report that found he "sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees" and ran an office "filled with fear and intimidation."
The then-governor had voiced his regret for making women "feel uncomfortable" but denied the allegations against him. He remained defiant when resigning, arguing his move was motivated not by the merits of the claims but to avoid being a distraction to the state's work.
Cuomo, 67, has held a significant lead in polling ahead of the June 24 mayoral contest after launching his campaign in March. He faces State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani (D) and embattled Mayor Eric Adams (D), among other candidates.
"I was done. I was in the private sector, just enjoying life," Cuomo told The Times on Monday. "But then I was looking at what was happening in New York City. You saw Mayor Adams getting into trouble; you saw (President) Trump coming; so, I’m worried about New York City."
Cuomo's work in the private sector after leaving the governor's office has included consulting. He disclosed in campaign finance reports that he earned at least $500,000 in 2024 from consulting work, but he has not revealed his clients.
"A lawyer can't disclose," he told The Times, alluding to his 1982 degree from Albany Law School.
He said he worked in the early stages on a real estate developer and friend's proposal to build a luxury marina on a decommissioned military base in Puerto Rico, but wasn't paid after the project stalled.
"It sounded like a very cool project, and I looked into it a little bit," Cuomo said. "But it didn’t go anywhere."
The former longtime governor filed a lawsuit against James last year seeking more details about her sexual harassment report's findings and made an ethics complaint against his fellow New York Democrat in 2022.
In addition to the numerous harassment allegations, Cuomo also drew broad backlash over his handling of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite playing a prominent role in recovery efforts.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) opened an investigation in April over Cuomo's past testimony before Congress about his administration's pandemic-era nursing home policies.