On Saturday, Senator Alessandra Biaggi, a second-term Democrat who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester, issued a statement calling for Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign in the wake of sexual harassment allegations:

“The assertions against Governor Andrew M. Cuomo by Charlotte Bennett detail behavior that is unacceptable. I am especially horrified by the comments the governor made to Charlotte about her experience with sexual assault -- comments he did not deny making. They are the epitome of a hostile work environment.”

You can read more about the sexual harassment allegations made by Charlotte Bennett and Lindsey Boylan here from Spectrum News’ Nick Reisman. 

Biaggi is one of a handful of Democrats who have called for quick action to be taken against the third-term governor.

Aside from Biaggi, lawmakers looking for Cuomo to either resign or be impeached include at least three Assemblymen, Charles Barron (D – Brooklyn), Ron Kim (D – Queens) and Angelo Santabarbara (D - Schenectady).

During an appearance on Capital Tonight, Biaggi was asked why the governor should resign prior to any investigation into the allegations. 

Biaggi, who chairs the Senate Ethics and Investigations Committee, and is also a survivor of sexual assault, said that she has seen a pattern of behavior from the governor that she cannot dismiss.

“For me, I’m looking at the totality of information that I know about the governor’s behavior,” she said. “For me, it’s a pattern of behavior. It’s a pattern of abusive and manipulative behavior.”

When asked if she stands by her tweet from Saturday in which she called Governor Cuomo “a monster,” Biaggi said she did.

“The allegations include the governor asking (Bennett) questions about her sex life…and then having known what her history was, as a sexual harassment survivor, asking questions and repeating statements such as, ‘You were raped and abused and attacked and insulted’ over and over and over again. He hasn’t denied these statements,” Biaggi told Capital Tonight.

The tweet was reported by the New York Post. 

“These are things we should have a zero-tolerance policy for,” Biaggi said of her fellow Democrats. “Because we are Democrats, and because we were so outspoken about Trump for so many years. If we are going to hold others to this standard, we have to hold ourselves to this standard.”

Cuomo has denied the allegations made against him by Lindsey Boylan, a former economic developmental official and now candidate for Manhattan borough president. On Sunday, a day after former aide Charlotte Bennett alleged the governor made inappropriate remarks to her, Cuomo acknowledged he sometimes attempts to make jokes in the workplace, and apologized to anyone who may have felt uncomfortable.