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Head of New York State Assembly impeachment inquiry into Governor Andrew Cuomo warns of “serious repercussions” after a senior governor’s official tweeted alleged “attempts to demean the government. Attorney General”.
A tweet from Richard Azzopardi, Cuomo’s senior aide, discussing Attorney General Letitia James’ potential political ambitions served “to undermine [her] investigation [into Cuomo] and send deeply negative signals to witnesses, ”according to a Wednesday letter from Charles Lavine, the chairman of the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, which was addressed to Cuomo Melissa DeRosa’s aid.
Lavine letter said he warned Cuomo’s office in a March 15 written notice: “In such a sensitive matter, it is both obvious and imperative that neither you nor anyone around you engage in bullying, retaliation or any attempt to intimidate or retaliate against a complainant or potential witness. “
“So it’s hard for me to understand your communications director tweeting that Attorney General James, whose office is conducting a parallel investigation,” said she might run against the governor, “” Lavine wrote on Wednesday, saying that Azzopardi’s tweet “sends a frightening signal to any potential witness” and “may deserve serious repercussions.”
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On July 11, Azzopardi referred to the gossip that James would challenge Cuomo in the gubernatorial contest in a snapping tweet John Samuelsen, the international president of the Transport Workers Union. Samuelsen had recently announced that he would no longer support Cuomo.
“Sameulson [sic] is an extortionist who tries to undo pension reform. We also understand that he is a political supporter of Tish James and she says she could run against the Governor and that he wants more advantages in her contract. Everyone understands that “, Azzopardi wrote.
It was reported earlier today that Samuelson, a former Cuomo supporter, said he was “over” Cuomo due to growing allegations against him, including accusations of sexual harassment by at least 10 women.
James and Lavine have opened two separate investigations into the women’s allegations. Both Azzopardi and Cuomo have spoken to investigators in James’ office, which means his investigation may be coming to an end.
Although James has yet to reveal the findings of his investigation, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said on Friday that James’ report “should be part” of the Assembly’s investigation but should not. necessarily “himself, alone … give rise to an action [of impeachment]. “
Counsel for a Cuomo accuser called Heastie’s comments “alarming and scandalous.”
“President Heastie has made it clear that he will actively obstruct efforts to hold Governor Cuomo accountable even though, as we expect to be, Attorney General investigators corroborate the multiple allegations of sexual harassment made against the governor. … President Heastie’s statement is a betrayal of the duties of his office and demonstrates that his loyalty goes to Governor Cuomo, not to the rule of law or to the women who have been victimized by the Governor in flagrant violation of the law, ”Debra Katz, attorney for Cuomo’s accuser Charlotte Bennett and a frequent critic of Heastie, said in a press release Friday.
Cuomo, who has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, faces several scandals threatening his governorship, including accusations he has used his office inappropriately to grant members of his entourage special access to COVID testing -19 and to promote his book on leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governor received good news on Friday, however, when the Justice Department announced it would drop investigations into Cuomo and several other Democratic governors after reviewing documents relating to their nursing home policies during the pandemic.
“Based on this review, we have decided not to open any [Civil Rights of Institutional Persons Act] investigating a public nursing facility in New York, Pennsylvania or Michigan right now, ”the department wrote to House Minority Whip Steve Scalise.
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The federal government previously opened an investigation into Cuomo Nursing Home Policy after DeRosa admitted the governor’s office withheld the number of coronavirus deaths at state nursing homes out of fear of political retaliation from President Donald Trump.
Despite pressure within his own party to quit, Cuomo refused to resign, saying the charges against him were false. He announced that he was planning to run for a fourth term, hosting a fundraiser of $ 10,000 per person last month in which he raised more than $ 1 million for his re-election efforts.
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Keywords: News, Andrew Cuomo, New York, Law, Sexual Harassment, Impeachment, Twitter
Original author: Carly Romain
Original location: Cuomo impeachment inquiry chief warns of “serious repercussions” after senior assistant tweet
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