Biden says Cuomo should resign if allegations are proven true — and he should face prosecution

President Joe Biden (D) said that the embattled governor of New York should resign if the sexual harassment allegations against him are proven true, and added that he would likely face prosecution as well.

Biden made the comments in an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News. A snippet of the interview was released on Tuesday evening.

"I know you said you want the investigation to continue," Stephanopoulos said. "If the investigation confirms the claims of the women, should he resign?"

"Yes," Biden responded. "I think he'll probably end up being prosecuted, too."

The president had been under pressure for not taking a hard stance against Gov. Andrew Cuomo after speaking out so forcefully about the "Me Too" movement. He had previously been non-committal about the subject, saying, "I think the investigation is under way and we should see what it brings us."

Stephanopoulos pressed him on the issue by pointing out that both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) had already called for him to resign.

"How about right now?" asked Stephanopoulos. "You said that you want the investigation to continue, you saw Chuck Schumer, Sen. Schumer, Sen. Gillibrand, the majority of the congressional delegation, don't believe he can be an effective governor. Right now, can he serve effectively?"

"Well that's a judgement for them to make about their state whether he can be effective. Here's my position, it's been my position since I wrote the Violence Against Women Act," responded Biden.

"A woman should be presumed to be telling the truth, and should not be scapegoated and become victimized by her coming forward. Number one. But there should be an investigation to determine whether what she says is true, that's what's going on now," he explained.

"And by the way, it may very well be, there could be a criminal prosecution that is attached to it," he concluded. "I just don't know."

A report in December said Cuomo had been a strong contender for U.S. attorney general.

Here's the video of Biden's comments: