Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly expresses regret over resignation

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) expressed regret over his resignation following sexual harassment allegations during an interview published Monday by Bloomberg News. 

Cuomo resigned in August following allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. He called the claims "bogus" and told Bloomberg he has been "vindicated." 

He also reportedly said he would not resign if he could do it all over again. 

"I never resigned because I said I did something wrong," he told the outlet. "I said, I'm resigning because I don't want to be a distraction."

"It turns out in a remarkably short period of time that it did become all bogus. 11 became zero," Cuomo stated. "If you do an honest summary, which is what I get from people on the street, I have been vindicated."

While Cuomo may have been cleared of wrongdoing legally at the moment, prosecutors did not deny the events.

When Oswego, N.Y., District Attorney Gregory Oakes dropped the final criminal investigation into allegations against Cuomo earlier this month, the prosecutor said it is "not an exoneration."

Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah (D) "found credible evidence to conclude" the misconduct "did occur," but charges could not be pursued due to the statute of limitations.

The Nassau County acting District Attorney in December called the allegations "deeply troubling," but not criminal.

Cuomo will not rule out another campaign for public office. Because he was not impeached, he is able to run again.

"I'm still focused on communicating what happened here. Because as a precedent, it has to be exposed," Cuomo told Bloomberg. "Vindication is not the reason to run for office."

"You know, I've had the time and the space to get a little philosophical about this," Cuomo told the outlet. "Too many people do run for office because it's about them. It's about their ego, their need."

The allegations and subsequent investigation of Cuomo later resulted indirectly in his brother Chris Cuomo being fired from CNN, followed by CNN President Jeff Zucker's resignation. The former governor did not comment on either event, other than to say that his brother's firing "hurt him more than his own resignation," according to Bloomberg.

"I think what they did here undermines the MeToo movement and the women's movement and undermines the law," Cuomo said, commenting on the New York Attorney General's report on the misconduct allegations. "Because when you politicize claims, or trivialize claims, the next woman who has a legitimate claim is going to get painted with the same brush."

The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James fired back. 

"No one, including Andrew Cuomo, can dispute the fact that multiple investigations found allegations of sexual harassment against him to be credible," a spokesperson told Bloomberg. "Only he is to blame for inappropriately touching his own staff and then quitting so he didn't have to face impeachment. His baseless attacks won't change the reality — Andrew Cuomo is a serial sexual harasser."