Andrew Cuomo: Pressure increases after New York Assembly speaker approves impeachment investigation

Andrew Cuomo: Pressure increases after New York Assembly speaker approves impeachment investigation

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For Cuomo, who is being criticized for accusations of sexual harassment and how to deal with deaths in nursing homes, the developments are the most serious sign that his support within his own party is rapidly waning after a decade of dominance on the political scene. of State. .

State Assembly President Carl Heastie made the decision after meeting with the Assembly Majority Conference, a meeting he announced on Thursday.

The committee led by Democratic MP Charles Lavine is authorized to subpoena documents, interview witnesses and evaluate evidence, the statement said.

“The accusation reports against the governor are serious,” said Heastie.

Heastie said he had “absolute faith” that Lavine and the committee will conduct an “expeditious” investigation.

CNN contacted the offices of Cuomo, Lavine and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul for comment.

In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said the Assembly’s action “will have no influence” on its investigation.

Calls on Cuomo to resign

Cuomo downplayed and deflected questions about nursing home data during daily press conferences last spring

On Thursday, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers asked Cuomo to step down, arguing that he “has lost public confidence” and is “ineffective at this time of most urgent need”.

“In light of the governor’s admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on deaths in the COVID-19 nursing home, he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, making him ineffective in this most urgent time of need,” said the group of 59 Democrats serving in the Senate and New York State Assembly wrote in a letter released Thursday.

The letter represents the biggest demonstration of public pressure that the Democratic governor of New York has ever faced from his own party to resign. Jay Jacobs, the Democratic president of New York State, called for the allegations to be investigated by the legislature. He acknowledged calls by some Democrats for Cuomo to step down, but he refused to do so himself, saying he would call a meeting of county presidents to hear his views.

In their letter, lawmakers recognize that James’ independent civil inquiry into the governor’s behavior must continue, but that they can no longer wait for its conclusion.

“In the meantime, the governor needs to put the people of New York first. We have a vice governor who can intervene and lead for the rest of the term, and that is what is best for New Yorkers at this critical time.” they argue.

“It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign,” they add.

Cuomo said on Sunday that he would not resign and repeatedly denied having touched someone inappropriately.

Signatories to the letter include 19 state senators and 40 members of the state assembly, including Democratic deputy Ron Kim, who claimed last month that Cuomo threatened him and his career.

They add to the top Democrat in the state Senate, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who on Sunday had said “for the good of the state Governor Cuomo must step down.”

Read: Democratic lawmakers in New York state call for Cuomo's resignation
Last week, a handful of Democratic state legislators and US Democratic Congresswoman Kathleen Rice of New York demanded that Cuomo step down after the growing allegations. Since then, as two more women have come forward, the list of New York Democrats calling for her resignation has been growing.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also said on Thursday that Cuomo “simply can no longer serve as governor”. Democrats serving at the national level have been much quieter in their responses, with White House press secretary Jen Psaki this week saying “all women must be heard” but refusing to condemn Cuomo for the allegations and referring to him to the ongoing investigation.

Heastie on Sunday called the charges against Cuomo “deeply disturbing” in a tweet, adding, “I think it is time for the governor to seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York.”

Multiple controversies

Cuomo faces growing reaction from Democrats as New York state lawmakers call for resignation
The Cuomo administration underestimated the number of Covid deaths among New York’s long-term care patients, according to a report by the state attorney general, and then postponed the sharing of potentially damaging information with state lawmakers.

Until the end of January, long-term care residents who died from Covid-19 were classified in this way only if they died within an institution. Those who died after being transferred to or from the hospital were not included in this specific figure. The total number of Covid deaths in New York has remained the same, but the practice has led to a dramatic misrepresentation of the actual number of victims in New York’s long-term care facilities.

Cuomo and his government defended his decision, arguing that, with the Department of Justice and New York state lawmakers asking questions, the federal inquiry has become his priority. The governor denied any suggestion of wrongdoing.

Amid criticism of how to deal with deaths in nursing homes, Cuomo also faces charges by several women of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.

The firestorm, which has consumed New York politics for the past two weeks, began on February 24, when former aide Lindsey Boylan claimed in a Medium post that Cuomo kissed her on the lips against her will in 2018 after a brief I find a meeting in his New York City office.
Last week, Cuomo apologized to women and said he never knew he was “making someone uncomfortable” and denied touching anyone inappropriately. He rejected resignations.

CNN’s Gregory Krieg and Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report.

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