Impeachment could be next for Governor Andrew Cuomo following the release of a report that determined he sexually harassed multiple women. The report by a panel of independent investigators appointed by State Attorney General Letitia James came after five months of investigations, including 11 hours of interviews with Governor Cuomo on Monday. The investigators concluded that Governor Cuomo did sexually harass multiple women — including former and current state employees — by engaging in unwanted groping, kissing, and hugging, and making inappropriate comments.
Calls for him to resign reached as high as President Joe Biden yesterday.
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released a joint statement say the “reported actions of the Governor were profoundly disturbing, inappropriate, and completely unacceptable.” They ended with “No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”
State Senator George Borrello called for Cuomo to resign immediately and for the Senate and Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings.
Assemblyman Andy Goodell stated that if Cuomo does not accept personal responsibility and resign, then he fully supports calling the New York State Assembly into special session for the purpose of impeaching the Governor.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie released a statement also calling for Cuomo’s resignation and said, “The report has been forwarded to the members of the Judiciary Committee as well as all members of the Assembly. We will now undertake an in-depth examination of the report and its corresponding exhibits with our Assembly counsels as well the legal firm we have retained to assist us.”
Congressman Tom Reed was notably silent on the news, having given up running for New York Governor this Spring following an accusation of sexual misconduct for an incident in 2017. Reed has since apologized for that incident.
The Independent Investigation’s full report can be viewed here: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021.08.03_nyag_-_investigative_report.pdf
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