The Assembly Judiciary Committee convened for an executive session Monday morning, discussing the ongoing impeachment investigation of Governor Andrew Cuomo — but it didn’t last very long.
Committee chair, Assemblyman Charles Levine, said he would allow the governor to provide additional information to the panel to review in their independent investigation into multiple sexual harassment allegations made against Cuomo.
Levine commended Attorney General Letitia James for her report on the sexual misconduct allegations.
“The findings and the content of this report are deeply disturbing,” Levine said. “We will review that report in detail, including the underlying evidence, and consider it together with this Committee’s own independent investigation.”
The Committee will specifically be looking into allegations of sexual harassment, the use of public resources to write Cuomo’s book, as well as allegations relating to the nursing home deaths and the preferential access to COVID-19 testing.
“Our investigation remains confidential, as it should be,” Levine said. “At the appropriate time, and as early as later this month, we will discuss the evidence publicly in an open and transparent manner once the investigation is completed or very close to completion.”
Levine said that keeping the investigation confidential will protect the witnesses from retaliation of any sort.
“Beyond normal considerations, here there are sensitive issues with respect to sexual harassment and sexual assault, including very personal information which we must protect,” Levine said.
After Monday’s executive session, Levine said he would release a detailed statement on the Judiciary Committees contemplated schedule for completing the investigation. He will also allow Cuomo to provide additional information to the Committee before making recommendations to the Assembly.
Those recommendations could be articles of impeachment seeking to remove Cuomo from office if the panel determines that the governor’s actions violated his oath of office and/or the law.
Public and private hearings will be held throughout the month as the investigation continues.
