Allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Scott Stringer by his former subordinate could change the course of the race for mayor, in which Stringer was considered one of the favorites.
He is losing the support of his influential supporters. The Working Families Party has already withdrawn its approval. For a candidate, this is a sensitive blow. Party officials said they would support the other two racers, Diane Morales and Maya Wiley. Both in the Democratic camp are left-wing.
A growing number of legislators at both national and state level are withdrawing further support from Stringer. This list includes Congressman Jamaal Bowman, New York State Senators Alessandra Biaggi, Julia Salazar, Gustavo Rivera, Assembly Members Yu-Lin Niu and Catalina Cruz.
There are demands for Stringer to resign from his current position as City Auditor and withdraw his candidacy in the race for mayor.
He himself continues to insist that Jin Kim’s accusations against him are groundless. Stringer says she was not his subordinate, as they say in the media, but a friend and volunteer in his political campaign. He does not deny that they had a short-lived romantic relationship when Kim was 30 and he was a 41-year-old member of the Assembly. “The relationship was mutual and voluntary,” he explains. “I have never used force and threats, as she now claims.”
Why is she doing this? Stringer sees this as a political intrigue and reminds that Jin Kim signed a petition in support of one of his most important rivals, Andrew Young.
Newspaper headline:
The favorite can go out of the race