The New York state assembly authorized its judiciary committee to open an “impeachment investigation” on allegations of sexual misconduct filed by six women against Andrew Cuomo.
The panel’s investigation, which would take place in parallel with one conducted by state attorney general Letitia James, would be authorized to interview witnesses, subpoena documents and evaluate evidence, said Carl Heastie, the spokesman for the state assembly.
“The accusation reports against the governor are serious,” said Heastie in a statement.
Cuomo, 63, denied all the accusations of women, most of whom were former advisers. The most recent is an unidentified aide who told the Times-Union newspaper on Tuesday that Cuomo had groped her after calling her to the executive mansion last year under the guise of business.
Cuomo denied the groping accusation, reported the Times-Union on Wednesday, saying “I never did anything like that” and calling the details “distressing”. Cuomo officials did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the woman’s identity or her account.
The governor issued a broad apology at a news conference last week for any behavior that bothered women, but said he had never touched anyone inappropriately.
Heastie, who said he decided to launch the investigation after meeting with other Democrats who control the assembly, said last week that Cuomo should “seriously consider whether it can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York.”
The list of New York politicians, including Cuomo’s Democratic comrades, who are calling for the governor’s resignation has been growing, and on Thursday included New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said Cuomo “simply cannot serve anymore as governor ”.
Cuomo said he would not resign and asked the public to wait for the results of the investigation before making the trial.
De Blasio, a longtime political rival to Cuomo, said on Thursday that the latest charge was disturbing.
“The specific claim that the governor called his employee, someone over whom he had power, called them to a private place and then sexually assaulted her, is absolutely unacceptable,” De Blasio told reporters. “It is disgusting to me, and he can no longer serve as governor.”
Calls for Cuomo’s resignation have been growing since the end of February, when Cuomo’s first accuser, Lindsey Boylan, a former aide and current candidate for Manhattan district president, published an essay accusing him of making unwanted advances.
The governor has also faced accusations in recent weeks that his government has sought to minimize the number of nursing home residents killed by Covid-19.
Last weekend, the majority leader in the state senate, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, asked the governor to resign, saying that his style of government created a “toxic work environment” and allegations of sexual misconduct undermined his ability to lead.
On Thursday, more than 55 New York Democratic lawmakers followed suit in a letter calling for Cuomo’s resignation.
“As legislators and as New Yorkers, we must all decide what is best for the future of the state of New York,” said the letter, posted on Twitter by one of its signatories, Democratic Representative Amanda Septimo of the South Bronx.
“Enough,” wrote Septimo.