Cuomo sexual misconduct allegation may jeopardize NY infrastructure funding under Ernst amendment

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on Tuesday filed an amendment to the bipartisan infrastructure package that would ban funds from being distributed to states where leaders have sexually harassed employees, following a bombshell report on the actions of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The text of the amendment states that "none of the funds appropriate or otherwise made available under this act may be provided to 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."

GOV. CUOMO SEXUALLY HARASSED MULTIPLE WOMEN, REPORT FINDS

Ernst, who is a survivor of sexual assault, is also a member of a group of lawmakers who has been working on a bipartisan infrastructure package. The $1.2 trillion bill calls for about $550 billion in new federal spending.

"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," Sen. Ernst said in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday. "Here’s a good place to start."

It is unclear whether the amendment will make it to the Senate floor for a vote.

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The amendment to the widely publicized infrastructure bill comes after an investigation conducted by New York Attorney General Letitia James concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former employees of the state.

The investigation found that Cuomo engaged in "unwelcome and unwanted touching," in addition to "offensive and sexually suggestive comments."

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President Biden on Tuesday stood by his earlier claims that Cuomo should resign if the investigation into his conduct confirmed the allegations brought against him.

Fox News' Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.