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New York State Assembly Takes "Step Towards Impeachment," Launching Its Own Investigation Into Cuomo
By
Gwynne Hogan
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Jake Offenhartz
Published Mar 11, 2021
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Hans Pennink/AP/Shutterstock
By
Gwynne Hogan
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Jake Offenhartz
Published Mar 11, 2021
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Democrats in the State Assembly are moving to start their own investigation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a possible precursor to an impeachment vote, after another allegation of sexual harassment against the governor surfaced on Wednesday night.
Speaker Carl Heastie, the leading Democrat in the Assembly and a long-time ally of Cuomo, announced on Thursday night that he would authorize the Assembly's Judiciary Committee to begin an "impeachment investigation" to examine the allegations of misconduct.
"The reports of accusations concerning the governor are serious," Heastie, who represents the Bronx, said in a statement. "The committee will have the authority to interview witnesses, subpoena documents and evaluate evidence, as is allowed by the New York State Constitution."
The announcement followed a tense, hours-long conference of Assembly Democrats, in which Heastie fended off pressure from left-leaning members of the caucus, who argued for a more immediate vote to impeach. As Heastie stressed the need for due process, the pro-impeachment members said that further fact-finding would happen during a Senate trial, after the Assembly made the decision to vote for impeachment.
Instead, Heastie tapped Charles Lavine, a Long Island Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee, to begin a committee investigation — an inquiry that could take weeks and span multiple subjects, from nursing home deaths, sexual harassment allegations, and the coverup of structural issues at the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Heastie said he had spoken with Attorney General Tish James, who assured him the probe would not interfere with her own investigation.
READ MORE: How Would An Impeachment Work In New York?
Jay Jacobs, the leader of the state’s Democratic Party, and a staunch defender of the governor, immediately came out in support of Heastie's decision. But other lawmakers said the move was a stalling tactic by the Assembly.
"We are taking a step toward impeachment, yes. But some of us feel we already have enough evidence to get to impeachment now," said Ron Kim, a Queens Assemblymember, and fierce critic of the governor. “Some of us do feel like we’re just punting it, and buying the governor time, which is not what we want to do."
“He has shown there’s a pattern of abusive behavior," Kim added. "For the sake of the staff members around him, let’s just remove him so he can no longer be a threat to others.”
The exact timeline of the Assembly’s investigation was not yet clear. A spokesperson for Heastie didn’t return a request for comment right away.
Earlier in the day, more than fifty Democratic state lawmakers penned a statement urging Cuomo to step aside and let Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul lead the state. All Republicans in the State Senate have also called for Cuomo’s resignation and said they support impeachment proceedings if he refuses to leave office.
READ MORE: A Timeline of Cuomo's Colliding Scandals
The governor is facing dueling scandals that have intensified over the last two weeks. Six women have now alleged inappropriate sexual conduct in incidents going as far back as 2000 to as recently as late last year. Most recently, the Times-Union reported that a female staffer told supervisors last week that Cuomo had aggressively groped her in the executive mansion.
During the conference on Thursday, some members said that they were not surprised by allegations of Cuomo's bullying, given his previous treatment of the legislative body.
Others who favor impeachment cited the admission from Cuomo’s top aides that the state withheld nursing home deaths from federal officials, as well as Cuomo's tacit concession that he’d made inappropriate sexually explicit remarks to Charlotte Bennett, a former aide.
Heastie, meanwhile, urged caution, at one point reminding lawmakers that the views expressed on Twitter and in the press were not representative of all New Yorkers, according to a lawmaker, who asked not to be named.
The Governor's Office didn’t return repeated requests for comment throughout the day Thursday. Cuomo has previously said that resigning would be “anti-Democratic.”
Also on Thursday, the Attorney General's Office created a website seeking information for own investigation "relating to the investigation into sexual harassment allegations against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo."
This story has been updated.
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Governor Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo in Crisis
andrew cuomo
Gwynne Hogan
Gwynne Hogan is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Brigid Bergin
Brigid Bergin is an award-winning senior reporter on the People and Power desk. She is fiercely committed to telling stories that help people engage and support democracy. In 2022, she hosted a live, ten-week call-in politics show ahead of the midterm elections called The People's Guide to Power. Brigid's reporting in 2017 included some of the first coverage of a political newcomer now known as AOC. In 2016, she broke the news of a voter purge in Brooklyn just days before New York’s presidential primary, triggering city, state and federal investigations. Brigid also guest hosts The Brian Lehrer Show and All Of It. She graduated from the University at Albany and the CUNY Newmark School of Journalism. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-723-4719.
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Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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