Majority of NY Assembly would oust Cuomo if he doesn’t quit

By MARINA VILLENEUVE

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A bulk of authorities Assembly members enactment opening impeachment proceedings against Gov. Andrew Cuomo if helium doesn’t resign implicit investigative findings that helium sexually harassed astatine slightest 11 women, according to an Associated Press number Wednesday.

At slightest 82 of the body’s 150 members person said publically oregon told The AP that they favored initiating the process of ousting the third-term Democratic politician if helium doesn’t quit. A elemental bulk of Assembly members is needed to authorize an impeachment trial.

Cuomo has denied that helium made immoderate inappropriate intersexual advances and insisted the findings didn’t bespeak the facts. But portion governmental unit grew, truthful did the imaginable for transgression charges against Cuomo, who basked successful nationalist attraction past twelvemonth arsenic the blunt-but-relatable dependable of warring the coronavirus successful an aboriginal U.S. hotspot, lone to spot his governmental aboriginal imperiled a twelvemonth later.

District attorneys successful Manhattan, suburban Westchester and Nassau counties and the authorities superior of Albany said they asked for investigative materials from the inquiry, overseen by Democratic authorities Attorney General Letitia James.

James’ probe recovered that Cuomo had violated civilian laws against intersexual harassment. Making nary conclusions astir whether helium should beryllium criminally charged, investigators near the doorway unfastened for section prosecutors to bring cases.

“We are reviewing the profoundly disturbing findings,” said Joyce A. Smith, the acting territory lawyer successful Long Island’s Nassau County. She pledged her bureau would “thoroughly and expeditiously analyse immoderate imaginable crimes” that happened there.

After James released her study Tuesday, Democrats from the statehouse to the White House called for Cuomo to go, with President Joe Biden saying the politician should resign. But helium showed nary signs of heeding them, saying that immoderate episodes described successful the study ne'er happened, others were misconstrued oregon mischaracterized and the full workout was tainted.

“Politics and bias are interwoven passim each facet of this situation,” helium said successful a recorded video response.

Assembly Democrats, who pb the chamber, debated virtually for hours Tuesday astir whether to impeach the politician now, hold to spot whether helium resigns, oregon springiness the Assembly Judiciary Committee clip to wrapper up its wide-ranging probe into topics from intersexual misconduct to the Cuomo administration’s monthslong obfuscation of the full fig of nursing location residents who died from COVID-19.

At slightest 40 of the Assembly members who accidental they are acceptable to commencement impeachment proceedings are Democrats.

As New York went done a harrowing coronavirus surge successful outpouring 2020, Cuomo’s regular briefings garnered him fans astir the state and an International Emmy Award. Casting himself arsenic a tough-minded yet compassionate person who steered the authorities done its biggest nationalist wellness exigency successful a century, the politician adjacent wrote a publication astir it.

Now, that publication itself is among the focuses of investigations into Cuomo, with James examining the relation immoderate of his aides played successful producing it.

As complaints and investigations accumulated successful caller months, Cuomo became an embattled but unabashed figure. He often inactive touts the state’s handling of the pandemic contempt now-rising corruption rates amid a nationalist surge successful the much infectious delta variant.

If the Assembly votes to impeach Cuomo, the authorities Senate could motorboat an impeachment proceedings “in weeks,” Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris told The Associated Press.

Gianaris, a Democrat, said the enclosure has been preparing for a imaginable impeachment proceedings for months.

“We’ll beryllium acceptable to spell if and erstwhile the impeachment articles are sent over,” helium said. “It could hap precise quickly.”

The 150-member Assembly would request 76 votes to impeach Cuomo and nonstop articles of impeachment to the Senate. The Assembly includes 106 Democrats, 43 Republicans and 1 Independent.

At slightest 2 twelve Assembly Democrats called for impeachment successful nationalist statements issued Tuesday, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Some said the Assembly should ballot for impeachment now, portion others said the enclosure should impeach Cuomo if helium doesn’t resign.

Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay urged Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat, to convene an exigency peculiar league to ballot to impeach Cuomo.

James’ investigation, conducted by 2 extracurricular lawyers, painted what she called a “clear picture” of a politician who touched oregon made sexually inappropriate comments to a bid of women, galore of whom worked for him. One is simply a authorities trooper whom Cuomo successfully sought to person assigned to his information detail.

While galore of the allegations against Cuomo impact verbal comments, immoderate women person besides alleged that helium gave them unwanted kisses oregon touches. One adjutant said the politician reached nether her garment and groped her bosom astatine the governor’s mansion successful Albany.

The politician denied Tuesday that helium ever inappropriately touched anyone, said that helium ne'er intended harm and formed uncertainty connected the governmental motivations of investigators, accusers and critics.

To date, Cuomo has rebuffed calls to measurement down and has moved up with plans to tally for a 4th word successful 2022.

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Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz successful New York, David Klepper successful Providence, R.I., and Mike Catalini successful Trenton, N.J., contributed.