The now-controversial Christopher Columbus statue at Columbus Circle should stay put, Gov. Cuomo said Monday. "The Christopher Columbus statue is really about honoring Italian-Americans and the contribution of Italian-Americans," Cuomo told reporters at the West Indian-American Day Parade — arguing it's not so much about the explorer himself, who he acknowledged had a troubling record of atrocities against Native Americans.

"Nobody is saying that Christopher Columbus did not do bad acts to indigenous people. And I believe the indigenous people, by the way, should be celebrated," Cuomo said. "But if you want to take that kind of retrospective lens, where do you stop? Thomas Jefferson, George Washington — you know, who is without sin?"