Democrats' hypocrisy moment
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Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios. Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images
Gov. Andrew Cuomo should be facing explicit calls to resign from President Biden on down, if you apply the standard that Democrats set for similar allegations against Republicans. And it's not a close call.
Why it matters: The #MeToo moment saw men in power run out of town for exploiting young women. Democrats led the charge. So the silence of so many of them seems more strange — and unacceptable by their own standards — by the hour.
Their only plausible explanation would be to argue that three women are exaggerating or misremembering things.
- This is precisely what Democrats said was unacceptable in GOP cases.
One top New York Democrat told Axios the reaction has been "disheartening" — an approach by both parties of believing women "except if they accuse a member of your party."
- As pointed out by Axios Sneak Peek on Sunday: Democrats hammered Donald Trump after "Access Hollywood," pilloried Brett Kavanaugh over Christine Blasey Ford and defended Joe Biden when he was accused of inappropriate touching.
A Democratic strategist close to the White House pointed to "some PTSD" in the party after former Sen. Al Franken was forced to resign in 2017, in what many Democrats now see as a rush to judgment.
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York was the first Democrat to say Franken should resign. She called the allegations against Cuomo "serious and deeply concerning."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said yesterday that Biden and Vice President Harris "both believe that every woman coming forward should be heard, should be treated with dignity, and treated with respect."
- Psaki noted New York Attorney General Letitia James' "independent investigation with subpoena power, and the governor’s office said he will fully cooperate. And we certainly support that moving forward."
