Cuomo Touts Opinion Piece Calling His Ouster a 'Coup'

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wednesday promoted a Newsday editorial piece that described the New York Democrat’s resignation last month as a "coup."

Newsweek reported the column, written by "self-described 'lifelong Democrat'" David Pikus, appeared in Wednesday’s edition of Newsday. Cuomo shared a link to the article later in the day on his Twitter page along with the caption "This was politics. Every step of the way."

Pikus wrote that he is "appalled by the Albany coup d'êtat in which Andrew Cuomo's political rivals trampled the rights of the electorate and basic due process for their own political gain."

Pikus also claimed Cuomo’s resignation was a result of "the 'cancel culture' mentality supplanted governmental process and fairness, all politically orchestrated."

Cuomo resigned his position as governor in August following a report from the New York Attorney General who found that Cuomo had sexually-harassed 11 women, many of them current or former state employees.

After the report's release, prominent Democrats, including President Joe Biden, called for Cuomo to step down or be removed from his position. State lawmakers also opened an impeachment inquiry into the former governor.

Cuomo denied the findings of the report. In his farewell address, Cuomo claimed he was the victim of "a political and media stampede" and stated he was resigning in order not to distract the government from doing its work.

Pikus disputed the AG’s report stating, "There is a major difference between what an individual may find personally 'offensive' or 'insensitive' and what is 'illegal.' The James report drew no such distinction," he wrote.

He added, "As Democrats, we support the right of sexual harassment victims to come forward. But it need not be at the expense of sacred constitutional rights designed to protect all citizens, individually and collectively, against the seizure of political power from a duly elected leader."

"In the long run, we all should be frightened by the notion that our leaders can be driven out by an insular group of politicians subverting the will of the voters," Pikus concluded. "Elections matter."

• In Farewell Address, Defiant Cuomo Says Truth Will Come Out
• Cuomo Claims He Did the 'Right Thing' for NY by Resigning