Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has offered up a "Cuomo amendment" to the $555 billion infrastructure bill, which would prohibit funds for any state “in which the governor of such State has been found, by the relevant State or Federal authorities, to have sexually harassed employees while holding the position of governor.”
"A sitting governor who harasses and abuses women on his own staff and members of law enforcement must be held accountable, and shouldn’t be getting a dime of #Iowa taxpayer money," Ernst tweeted of her proposed amendment, which would withhold infrastructure money from New York state while Andrew Cuomo is governor.
There is no expectation that the amendment, which was introduced Wednesday, will get a vote, as it would require support of all 100 senators to allow the roll call. Not to mention, the Senate is run by the senior senator from New York.
In a 165-page report released Tuesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James alleged that Cuomo violated state and federal laws by harassing almost a dozen women, touching some of them inappropriately and using the power of his office to retaliate against one. Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing, and has ignored calls from his fellow Democrats, including President Joe Biden, to resign.
Cuomo's office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Ernst, a sexual assault and domestic violence survivor, has said she was sexually harassed during her time in the military.
