The Assembly impeachment investigation into the numerous allegations facing Governor Andrew Cuomo was launched two months ago on March 11.
Since then, the Assembly Judiciary Committee, which is leading the impeachment investigation, has met two times, but without another meeting scheduled, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay pressed the committee to move “expeditiously.”
In a statement he wrote, “We are getting closer to a point where the Committee on Judiciary’s responsibilities will be rendered obsolete by investigations being carried out by the state attorney general and multiple federal agencies.”
In the last update provided, Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Lavine said that the investigation has been narrowed into four categories:
- If the governor used his position to sexually harass or assault women
- If Cuomo misrepresented COVID-19 information to the Legislature including covering up COVID-19 nursing home deaths and resources to write his book on the coronavirus pandemic
- If the governor withheld information surrounding the safety of the Mario Cuomo Bridge
- If the governor tried to obstruct any of the investigations
Governor Andrew Cuomo has denied all of these accusations repeatedly.
Attorney General Letitia James is also currently conducting a separate investigation into just the sexual harassment allegations against Governor Cuomo.
Just recently in a Wall Street Journal exclusive, it was revealed that the attorney general has now also broadened the scope of her investigation to include looking into if Larry Schwartz, a top adviser to Cuomo, linked access to COVID-19 vaccines to support for the governor.
According to numerous county executives, they were contacted by Schwartz while Cuomo was facing mounting calls for his resignation after news broke of these sexual harassment allegations.
There is also an ongoing Department of Justice investigation, launched once President Joe Biden took office, into whether the governor and his staff covered up the number of COVID-related nursing home deaths.
The Assembly’s impeachment investigation is by far the broadest; however there has been doubt cast on its legitimacy since the law firm hired to assist has close ties to Cuomo.
“Assembly Republicans introduced a resolution for a straight up-or-down vote on impeachment in order to avoid a prolonged, drawn-out endeavor and move proceedings and due process into a Senate trial,” Barclay continued in his statement. “Without substantial improvements in pace and progress, the direct approach to impeachment may be the only one able to produce a tangible result.”