“Despite initial resistance, I am pleased that Andrew Cuomo has done the right thing and resigned from his position as Governor of New York. The brave women who came forward with their experiences, despite smear campaigns and pressure to stay silent, have paved the way for others to be heard and believed. I am also thankful for the courage displayed by Attorney General Tish James who leaned into political discomfort in her quest for the truth, completing a thorough and unbiased investigation that has shone a light on an unacceptable culture of sexual harassment and abuse of power perpetrated by a man who represented himself as an outspoken champion for these issues. There is no room for this kind of behavior in government or any segment of American society.
Senator Lauren Book is the Democratic Leader of the Florida Senate and founder and CEO of nonprofit Lauren’s Kids, which works to prevent sexual abuse and help survivors heal. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Book has been an outspoken champion against sexual abuse, harassment, and coercion long before the “Time’s Up” or #MeToo movements, working for the past two decades to usher forth cultural and legislative change in the state of Florida and beyond.
Originally published at https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/4372
