Rachel Maddow breaks silence on Cuomo, warns MSNBC viewers his scandals are 'developing by the second'
The liberal star referred to the governor's growing political woes as 'quite dramatic'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC star Rachel Maddow addressed the growing scandals plaguing Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the first time since his political woes began six weeks ago.
While her primetime colleagues Chris Hayes and Lawrence O'Donnell similarly waited weeks before finally acknowledging the controversies surrounding the embattled governor, Maddow shocked her viewers Thursday night with an "impeachment inquiry" graphic that loomed over an image of Cuomo.
After taking an audibly deep breath, Maddow began detailing the "dramatic turn" that took place amid the "rising scandals," laying out the sexual misconduct allegations that have surfaced in recent weeks and how an impeachment investigation is being launched by Democratic lawmakers that is set to look into the alleged coverup of nursing home deaths by the governor's administration.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WHEN ASKED ABOUT CUOMO ALLEGATION, SCHUMER APPEARS TO ROLL HIS EYES
"Now, impeachment at the state level works basically the same way that it does at the federal level," Maddow explained to viewers. "If the Assembly were ultimately to vote to impeach Governor Cuomo, the next step is he would then be tried in the state Senate. Well, as of tonight, roughly two-thirds of the senators in the New York state Senate have already called on Governor Cuomo to step down, including the Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins."
Unlike her CNN rivals, Maddow did mention Cuomo's sixth accuser, a former aide who according to the Albany Times-Union newspaper said the governor groped her late last year at the Executive Mansion. Cuomo denies her claims but called them "gut-wrenching."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC's most-watched host concluded the segment by offering a warning to her viewers that Cuomo's troubles were far from over.
"This story is developing by the second. Some of these latest developments, quite dramatic. Watch this space," Maddow said.
Prior to "The Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC offered minimal coverage of the groping allegation on Thursday, giving it only brief coverage in the network's 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. timeslots.
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On Wednesday night, O'Donnell alluded to the Times-Union report about the sixth accuser that broke just hours before his show during an interview with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., though the "Last Word" host did refrain from mentioning the groping claim to the senator.