GOP lawmakers unveil Cuomo impeachment resolution

Republican members of the New York State Assembly will introduce a resolution to begin impeachment proceedings against Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).

The Post-Standard in Syracuse reported that Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R) said that although his GOP colleagues cannot force the Democratic-controlled Assembly to take up the measure, they are “going to keep pounding on this issue.”

A multitude of Democratic New York lawmakers have called on Cuomo to resign amid a scandal involving his office altering numbers having to do with nursing home deaths as well as accusations by multiple women of sexual harassment, including by his former aides.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, both Democrats, called on Cuomo to resign on Sunday.

“Every day there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government. We have allegations about sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the Covid-19 nursing home data and questions about the construction of a major infrastructure project,” Stewart-Cousins said.

“If they really believe in resignation, why not start impeachment?” said Barclay on Monday. “The real problem now is the governor has lost so much credibility and trust that we don’t feel like he can go forward and govern.”

Cuomo on Monday rejected the calls to resign, saying there was “no way” he would do so. He cited the independent investigation being carried out by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) as reason to not resign.

“[James] is very good. She’s very competent. And that will be due process, and then we’ll have the facts. That’s why Sen. [Charles] Schumer [D-N.Y.] said let the attorney general do her investigation, Sen. [Kirsten] Gillibrand [D-N.Y.] said let the attorney general do her investigation, Congressman [Hakeem] Jeffries [D-N.Y.] said let the attorney general do her investigation, the White House spokesperson said let the attorney general do the investigation, because that’s democracy. So no, there is no way I resign,” the governor said during a press briefing Sunday.