Top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigns amid investigation

Melissa DeRosa resigned Sunday less than a week after state investigators said she was part of the “retaliation” against one of Gov. Cumo's accusers.

Melissa DeRosa resigned Sunday as the top aide to embattled New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, less than a week after state investigators said he allegedly sexually harassed 11 women and she was part of the “retaliation” against one of his accusers. As secretary to the governor, DeRosa was the most powerful unelected bureaucrat in state government and, until now, stood loyally by Cuomo even through recent controversies, including scandals like the sexual harassment allegations to nursing home death data, to the use of state resources to write his book. Cuomo has denied these allegations and scandals. In a statement, DeRosa did not mention Cuomo by name but said it had been “the greatest honor of my life to serve the people of New York for the past ten years.”