An investigation by the State Assembly is expected to reiterate the findings of a previous investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James which found former Gov. Andrew Cuomo harassed at least 11 women.
The findings from the new report are expected to be published in October, according to The New York Times.
Lawmakers who had been briefed on the more recent investigation told the Times that a part of the Assembly’s findings looked similar to what James found and detailed in her 163-page report which said Cuomo contributed to a toxic workplace and sexually harassed 11 women.
Cuomo has maintained that he did not intentionally behave inappropriately and has attempted to discredit the attorney general’s investigation.
“Mr. Cuomo has a lot to say on these matters, but he’s never taken responsibility for his own conduct,” James said yesterday in a speech to a New York City civic group. “He’s never held himself accountable for how his behavior affected our state government.”
Last week, the former governor tweeted, “This was politics. Every step of the way.”
The State Assembly’s investigation began six months ago when there was talk about a potential Cuomo impeachment. After the former governor resigned, they continued their inquiry, per the Times.
The new findings could prompt some lawmakers to resume calls for Cuomo’s impeachment in an effort to prevent him from running for office again.
But Carl E. Heastie, the speaker of the Assembly, said that move would be unconstitutional given that Cuomo is no longer in office, the Times reported.
The Times added the Assembly’s investigation will also examine Cuomo’s potential use of state resources to write his pandemic memoir in addition to investigating claims that he intentionally manipulated the number of nursing home COVID-19 deaths.