NEW YORK -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, resigned Sunday night.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve the people of New York for the past 10 years," said DeRosa, who as secretary to the governor, sat next to Cuomo at most of his daily COVID-19 briefings.
She added in her statement, "New Yorkers’ resilience, strength, and optimism through the most difficult times has inspired me everyday. Personally, the past 2 years have been emotionally and mentally trying. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such talented and committed colleagues on behalf of our state.”
While she did not provide a more specific reason for her resignation, the move comes after New York's attorney general released a 168-page report that found Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, one of whom filed a criminal complaint with the Albany Sheriff's Office, alleging that the governor had groped her.
The governor has denied the allegations and has refused widespread calls to resign as the state Assembly nears completion of an impeachment investigation.
DeRosa, who often defended Cuomo when he faced public criticism, had been with the administration since 2013 and got the title "secretary to the governor'' in 2017.
DeRosa was mentioned 187 times in the attorney general's report, which detailed the administration's efforts to discredit some of his accusers.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Related
