Vice President Kamala Harris ignored a question from a reporter on Wednesday about the scandals facing New York Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Harris has faced criticism for not calling out Cuomo as he faces allegations of sexual misconduct because Harris was quick to go on the attack against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Harris blew off the question after she spoke briefly with reporters after the House passed the Senate’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package.
“…for the families of America, for the small businesses, it’s a very important day in terms of what we are now going to be able to do to make sure that everyone has access to the help they need,” Harris said. “I know people call this a stimulus package, but in so many [inaudible] people are just trying to survive, and I give full credit to Joe Biden because this was his vision and he really put a lot of work and thought into this.”
“To do what this will do, in terms of intergenerational impact, lifting half of America’s children out of poverty, [it’s a] big deal,” she claimed.
Harris then immediately started to leave the area when she was asked, “And Madam Vice President, do you have comment on Governor Cuomo?”
WATCH:
NEW: @VP Kamala Harris makes first comments on the passage of the American Rescue Plan pic.twitter.com/nrsG9Ll3ht
— Tim Perry (@tperry518) March 10, 2021
Cuomo has faced accusations from female aides that he has sexually harassed them. One of the aides allegedly claimed that Cuomo reached under her blouse and groped her.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki dodged questions last week about why Harris had not spoken out on Cuomo.
“Vice President Kamala Harris was one of the most vocal critics of justice Brett Kavanaugh, of Senator Al Franken, when they faced similar allegations. She said repeatedly, ‘I believe them, the women,’ but she hasn’t said anything about the three women who are accusing Governor Andrew Cuomo,” Fox News reporter Kristen Fisher said. “And now this third accuser in Anna Ruch, she actually worked for the Biden-Harris campaign. So at what point is the first female vice president going to say something about this?”
“Well, I know that’s how the vice president continues to feel and the benefit of doing a briefing every day is that I can certainly speak on behalf of the president and the vice president,” Psaki responded. “And so let me reiterate that they both believe that every woman coming forward should be heard, should be treated with dignity, and treated with respect. As you all know, the New York Attorney General will oversee an independent investigation with subpoena power and the governor’s office said he will fully cooperate, and we certainly support that moving forward.”
Fisher again pressed Psaki on whether the public will hear either from President Joe Biden or Vice President Harris on the issue, to which Psaki said that she represents them both and “that’s the representation of their points.”