Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo made his first public appearance Saturday since recently announcing his return to public life, showing up in the Bronx to join a relief effort for Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Fiona.
“I want to say to the people of Puerto Rico that the people of New York State are with you always, on good days and bad days; we have your back because we are family,” crowed Cuomo, sounding like he was still in office.
“Whatever Puerto Rico needs, New York is going to be here to help you.”
Cuomo, who resigned under fire more than a year ago amid a sexual harassment scandal, was joined by clergy leaders, community leaders, former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and ex-Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr.
Cuomo showed up in response to a tweet Diaz Sr. posted last week asking for help with “humanitarian” efforts for Puerto Rico’s flood victims. The ex-governor on Saturday also donated $2,500 to help the former councilman to buy a van to send to Puerto Rico to assist with the relief efforts.
Cuomo has remained allies with Diaz Sr. even though the ex-councilman and pastor has a long history of irritating other fellow Democrats by making controversial remarks about the gay community.
Cuomo didn’t directly address his own future.
However, when asked later if Cuomo is eying a return to public office, his spokesman Rich Azzopardi cryptically said: “Who knows what the future holds? But the governor made his immediate plans known to the public last week.
“Today was all about Puerto Rico and helping our fellow Americans.”
Azzopardi was referring to an eight-minute video the three-term Democratic governor released Wednesday.
In it, Cuomo said he plans to start a political action committee “to elect the right people to politics” — without naming names. He also said he plans to start a gun-control group and his own weekly podcast.
