New York Assembly set to complete impeachment proceedings against Cuomo

The New York State Assembly said Thursday that is about to complete its investigation of the hypotheses sexual harassment case involving Governor Andrew Cuomo, and will examine “soon” the elements of an impeachment procedure.

This was said in a statement by the chairman of the Judicial Committee of the Assembly, Charles Lavine, who announced that Cuomo’s attorneys have until Aug. 13 to present arguments in his defense.

According to the instructions, “The committee’s investigation is drawing to a close and the Assembly will soon consider possible articles of impeachment” against the governor, who has lost the support of fellow Democrats in the legislative chamber following the release this week of a report from the attorney general’s office detailing the alleged harassment cases.

New York Attorney’s Letitia James report is the result of five months of investigation into various allegations of harassment against Cuomo, after interviewing 179 people and obtaining 74,000 pieces of evidence, including documents, emails, messages and photos.

James pointed out that the governor violated “state and federal laws” by “sexually harassing several women, many of them young, with inappropriate touching, kisses, hugs and comments that were unwanted ”, between 2013 and 2020.

Cuomo has consistently denied the allegations and resisted resigning despite repeated calls from many political figures, including the country’s president, Joe Biden.

The State Assembly had already launched an investigation into Cuomo in March, which He has covered several scandals, including allegations of harassment and his management of nursing homes during the pandemic.

New York’s lower house can green light governor impeachment process with simple majority vote, This would be followed by impeachment in the state Senate, which is also controlled by Democrats.

If Cuomo is doomed in this process, he is expected to resign and be replaced by his number two, Kathy Hochul.

Calls for the governor’s resignation have not stopped since Tuesday the attorney general’s office report was released, which left Cuomo without the support of some of the groups who had been most loyal to him.

Today, the mayor of the Big Apple, fellow Democrat Bill de Blasio has warned that Cuomo’s refusal to resign “hurts” New Yorkers.

“Someone who spends 11 hours testifying about their sexual harassment and assault isn’t someone who’s focused on tackling COVID, getting federal help, or rent assistance to those who need it. “said de Blasio, who has had a strained relationship with Cuomo for years.

The mayor recommended the governor to step down and end his political career with “an act of dignity”, although he considered it unlikely that he would.

(With information from Efe)

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