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The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Another politician who demanded Cuomo resign as governor now endorses him for NYC mayor
A growing number of Democrats who called on Andrew Cuomo to resign as governor amid sexual harassment allegations are now backing his comeback bid for New York City mayor -- including one of his opponents in the race. On Friday, state Sen. Jessica Ramos became the latest to flip-flop on Cuomo and endorse him, casting the former governor as the candidate best suited to run the city. 'We need results, we need experience and someone who knows how to deliver under pressure,' she said at a press conference held by the Cuomo campaign in Manhattan. Though she is backing Cuomo, Ramos said she will remain in the race to advocate for 'higher wages, more housing, and a stronger voice for working people.' The reversal from Ramos, who had called on Cuomo to resign in 2021, came just months after she described him a 'corrupt bully' who 'brings nothing to this race but baggage" when he entered the race. With her endorsement, Ramos joined lawmakers such as Rep. Adriano Espaillat, state Assembly member and Brooklyn Democratic Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, along with others who have changed positions on Cuomo and now welcome his leadership ahead of the city's Democratic primary later this month. 'There are a lot of elected officials that have decided they want to look past any bad behavior because they want to look at more immediate needs,' said Basil Smikle, a Democratic political strategist and professor at Columbia University. 'They seem him as a strong person. They probably think he's the only one that can push back against Donald Trump.' Cuomo left office after the state attorney general released a report that determined he sexually harassed at least 11 women. He has said he did not intentionally mistreat the women but had instead fallen behind what was considered appropriate workplace conduct, while at the same criticizing the pressure for his ouster politically motivated. For Cuomo, securing the endorsements of those who once castigated him could ease voter concerns about his past scandals and bolster his long-held thesis that he was wrongfully forced to resign. In a statement, Cuomo said he was proud to have Ramos' support and looked forward to working with her to "put this city back on the right track and make this a stronger and more affordable place for all working men and women.' 'We're both proud Queens kids and with it comes a 'Queens attitude' that is both tough and protective of our families and our neighbors and by extension all New Yorkers,' he said. Ramos' endorsement came a day after U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threw her weight behind mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who has surged in the months leading up to the primary. Ramos has grown critical of Mamdani as the left flank of the Democratic Party has coalesced behind him. She jabbed at the social media-savvy Mamdani during a debate this week, saying she wished she'd run for mayor sooner but 'I thought I needed more experience but turns out you just need to make good videos."
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Another politician who demanded Cuomo resign as governor now endorses him for NYC mayor
A growing number of Democrats who called on Andrew Cuomo to resign as governor amid sexual harassment allegations are now backing his comeback bid for New York City mayor -- including one of his opponents in the race. On Friday, state Sen. Jessica Ramos became the latest to flip-flop on Cuomo and endorse him, casting the former governor as the candidate best suited to run the city. 'We need results, we need experience and someone who knows how to deliver under pressure,' she said at a press conference held by the Cuomo campaign in Manhattan. Though she is backing Cuomo, Ramos said she will remain in the race to advocate for 'higher wages, more housing, and a stronger voice for working people.' The reversal from Ramos, who had called on Cuomo to resign in 2021, came just months after she described him a 'corrupt bully' who 'brings nothing to this race but baggage' when he entered the race . With her endorsement, Ramos joined lawmakers such as Rep. Adriano Espaillat , state Assembly member and Brooklyn Democratic Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and Rep. Gregory W. Meeks , along with others who have changed positions on Cuomo and now welcome his leadership ahead of the city's Democratic primary later this month. 'There are a lot of elected officials that have decided they want to look past any bad behavior because they want to look at more immediate needs,' said Basil Smikle, a Democratic political strategist and professor at Columbia University. 'They seem him as a strong person. They probably think he's the only one that can push back against Donald Trump.' Cuomo left office after the state attorney general released a report that determined he sexually harassed at least 11 women. He has said he did not intentionally mistreat the women but had instead fallen behind what was considered appropriate workplace conduct, while at the same criticizing the pressure for his ouster politically motivated. For Cuomo, securing the endorsements of those who once castigated him could ease voter concerns about his past scandals and bolster his long-held thesis that he was wrongfully forced to resign. In a statement, Cuomo said he was proud to have Ramos' support and looked forward to working with her to 'put this city back on the right track and make this a stronger and more affordable place for all working men and women.' 'We're both proud Queens kids and with it comes a 'Queens attitude' that is both tough and protective of our families and our neighbors and by extension all New Yorkers,' he said. Ramos' endorsement came a day after U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threw her weight behind mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani , a 33-year-old democratic socialist who has surged in the months leading up to the primary. Ramos has grown critical of Mamdani as the left flank of the Democratic Party has coalesced behind him. She jabbed at the social media-savvy Mamdani during a debate this week, saying she wished she'd run for mayor sooner but 'I thought I needed more experience but turns out you just need to make good videos.'
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"When you are attacked, you have no choice but to respond," US Lawmakers back India's stance against terror
Washington D.C. [United States], June 5 (ANI): Group 5 of the all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, held a high-level interaction with the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) in Washington, D.C., as part of its diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor. The delegation, which met with key U.S. lawmakers including HFAC Chairman Brian Mast, Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove, and Congressman Bill Huizenga, received strong bipartisan support and condemnation of the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam region. HFAC Chairman Brian Mast underlined the depth of bipartisan consensus on supporting India. 'This was a very important meeting. This is a bipartisan delegation from the House of Representatives receiving India. We are proud to receive our friend and our ally. Every one of us strongly condemned the terrorist attacks that took place. There's no room in this world for those kinds of attacks,' he said. 'The world was holding its breath, watching what had taken place, both in disgust and also in anticipation of the response. When you are attacked, you have no choice but to respond. The world does not allow anything else, and those responses needed to take place. We have a great friendship and partnership between our nations, and we see nothing but growth and expansion in the future,' he added. 'Certainly, I think all of us were very concerned about the terrorist attack in northern India, and I certainly personally condemn it. I know all of my colleagues also condemn that. That is something that we need to work cooperatively on -- to root out those terrorists and make sure that they are not able to strike any country,' said Congress leader Bill Huizenga. Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove echoed similar sentiments. 'I condemned the attacks in Pahalgam and am grateful for the ceasefire, hoping that there can be lasting peace. I also recognise how strong the U.S.-Indian partnership has been, and it's so important that we continue that. Representing Los Angeles, issues around visa access for the World Cup and the Olympics are a priority, as well as how we can build our relationships with the tech industry in India and with Bollywood. So those were some of the things I raised,' she said. Congressman Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the Committee, stressed shared democratic values. 'The relationship between the United States and India -- we are bound together, the oldest and the largest democracies in the world. Our values are the same,' he said. 'We shared our condolences because we cannot tolerate terrorism anywhere. We support India's right to defend itself and ensure that terrorism does not take place there. Just as important is the dialogue we had about working collectively globally. India has been a great partner -- whether it's on QUAD, trade, or working together on issues like Ukraine and Russia in a responsible manner,' Meeks added. Leading the Indian delegation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor thanked the U.S. lawmakers for their 'strong and unconditional' support. 'There was, as the Chairman said, complete unanimity in condemning the terrorist attacks and in defending India's right to defend itself. We are very grateful for that support because it was strong and unconditional,' Tharoor said. 'Equally, of course, we talked about broader issues involving our countries ' trade, the economy, students, visas -- broader concerns about the relationship. But everybody in the meeting, on both sides -- the Indian side and the American side -- wants to see this relationship becoming stronger, more effective, and covering more aspects of life and geopolitics,' he added. The Indian all-party delegation's visit to Washington follows stops in Brazil and Europe, aimed at consolidating international support against terrorism and highlighting India's strategic interests post Operation Sindoor. (ANI)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
"When you are attacked, you have no choice but to respond," US Lawmakers back India's stance against terror
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Group 5 of the all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, held a high-level interaction with the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee ( HFAC ) in Washington, D.C., as part of its diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor The delegation, which met with key U.S. lawmakers including HFAC Chairman Brian Mast, Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove, and Congressman Bill Huizenga, received strong bipartisan support and condemnation of the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam Chairman Brian Mast underlined the depth of bipartisan consensus on supporting India. "This was a very important meeting. This is a bipartisan delegation from the House of Representatives receiving India. We are proud to receive our friend and our ally. Every one of us strongly condemned the terrorist attacks that took place. There's no room in this world for those kinds of attacks," he said."The world was holding its breath, watching what had taken place, both in disgust and also in anticipation of the response. When you are attacked, you have no choice but to respond. The world does not allow anything else, and those responses needed to take place. We have a great friendship and partnership between our nations, and we see nothing but growth and expansion in the future," he added."Certainly, I think all of us were very concerned about the terrorist attack in northern India, and I certainly personally condemn it. I know all of my colleagues also condemn that. That is something that we need to work cooperatively on -- to root out those terrorists and make sure that they are not able to strike any country," said Congress leader Bill Kamlager-Dove echoed similar sentiments. "I condemned the attacks in Pahalgam and am grateful for the ceasefire, hoping that there can be lasting peace. I also recognise how strong the U.S.-Indian partnership has been, and it's so important that we continue that. Representing Los Angeles, issues around visa access for the World Cup and the Olympics are a priority, as well as how we can build our relationships with the tech industry in India and with Bollywood. So those were some of the things I raised," she Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the Committee, stressed shared democratic values. "The relationship between the United States and India, we are bound together, the oldest and the largest democracies in the world. Our values are the same," he said."We shared our condolences because we cannot tolerate terrorism anywhere. We support India's right to defend itself and ensure that terrorism does not take place there. Just as important is the dialogue we had about working collectively globally. India has been a great partner , whether it's on QUAD, trade, or working together on issues like Ukraine and Russia in a responsible manner," Meeks the Indian delegation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor thanked the U.S. lawmakers for their "strong and unconditional" support."There was, as the Chairman said, complete unanimity in condemning the terrorist attacks and in defending India's right to defend itself. We are very grateful for that support because it was strong and unconditional," Tharoor said."Equally, of course, we talked about broader issues involving our countries ' trade, the economy, students, visas -- broader concerns about the relationship. But everybody in the meeting, on both sides -- the Indian side and the American side -- wants to see this relationship becoming stronger, more effective, and covering more aspects of life and geopolitics," he Indian all-party delegation's visit to Washington follows stops in Brazil and Europe, aimed at consolidating international support against terrorism and highlighting India's strategic interests post Operation Sindoor.
The Hill
15-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Foreign Affairs Dems press Rubio on Burma earthquake response, USAID cuts
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and 18 other Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee pressed the Trump administration to urgently provide aid for those impacted by the deadly Burma earthquake last month. In a Tuesday letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the group addressed their concerns amid the 'shuttering' of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and 'gutting' of U.S. foreign assistance programs. 'The United States has long been a leader in humanitarian assistance and disaster response globally, including in Asia after the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami. These efforts have enhanced America's reputation, bolstered our diplomatic influence, and strengthened our military-to-military cooperation and bilateral relationships with nations in the region,' Democrats wrote. 'The Trump Administration's disastrous response to the earthquake in Burma severely undercuts that leadership, and, unless corrected, will damage our influence and interests in the region,' they added. The 7.7 magnitude quake killed more than 3,000 and injured over 4,500 people. 'To make matters worse, the horrific Burmese military continued to bomb its citizens in the aftermath of the earthquake. President Trump initially confirmed to reporters after the quake that the U.S. would be rushing assistance to the region,' the Democrats wrote. 'Instead, public reporting suggests that the United States has been missing in action,' they added. The Hill has reached out to the State Department for comment. The group of Democrats said the administration sent a small response team of three personnel to the region to assess the damage—and then dismissed them from their roles two days later while China sent over 600 rescue workers. The House Foreign Affairs committee members added that USAID workers in the region received termination notices on the same day the natural disaster occurred. 'If the Administration does not act quickly to turn things around on its response to the current disaster in Southeast Asia, U.S. credibility risks being severely damaged within ASEAN and the broader region,' the letter reads. 'Your statement last week that 'we are not the government of the world' and have 'other needs' and 'other priorities' burns friendships we have built and commitments we have made in the region—including with treaty allies and through bilateral security cooperation agreements that anchor humanitarian and disaster response as shared national security priorities. This will only encourage our partners and allies to look to and work with China instead,' it continued. The committee members laid out a list of questions, including why a Disaster Assistance Response Team was not deployed, why USAID workers sent to the region were terminated after arrival, direct requests for assistance from the nation impacted, how much money the U.S. has pledged to disaster relief efforts and how the administration would ensure humanitarian aid was not obtained by the Burmese military junta. Senate Democrats sent a letter with similar inquiries in early April. 'The U.S. response thus far has betrayed our moral leadership and U.S. national security interests,' House Democrats wrote. 'We seek answers to the questions above so that we can partner with you to remedy the damage and restore the U.S. foreign assistance tools we need to be a global leader,' they added.
