Source: Politics<\/p>\n
ALBANY, N.Y. \u2014 Democrats with the power to impeach New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo plan to meet privately on Thursday to discuss \u201cpotential paths forward\u201d after the emergence of serious new allegations led to a surge in calls for the governor to leave office.<\/p>\n
More than 50 Democrats in the state Legislature issued a joint letter on Thursday calling on Cuomo to resign after the Times Union, an Albany newspaper, reported that an unnamed aide had recently accused Cuomo of groping her<\/a> at the state\u2019s Executive Mansion, where the governor lives.<\/p>\n Cuomo is accused of inappropriate behavior by six women and is also embroiled in scandal over claims his administration hid the number of deaths tied to Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes.<\/p>\n \u201cIn light of the Governor\u2019s admission of inappropriate behavior and the findings of altered data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths he has lost the confidence of the public and the state legislature, rendering him ineffective in this time of most urgent need,\u201d <\/b>the Democratic lawmakers wrote in their letter. \u201cWe have a Lieutenant Governor who can step in and lead for the remainder of the term, and this is what is best for New Yorkers in this critical time. It is time for Governor Cuomo to resign.\u201d<\/p>\n A majority of the members in the state Assembly \u2014 the chamber that would launch any potential impeachment of the governor \u2014 now support an end to Cuomo\u2019s tenure. A total of 36 Democrats have now called for the governor to resign and seven for him to be impeached. Those 43 members, coupled with the chamber\u2019s 43 Republicans, adds up to 86 \u2014 10 more than would be required to impeach the governor.<\/p>\n Calling for the governor\u2019s resignation is not the same as supporting the politically disruptive process of impeachment. And it\u2019s unlikely the Assembly would move ahead with impeachment unless at least 54 Democrats, a majority, support doing so.<\/p>\n But Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said his Democratic conference will discuss what to do about Cuomo in a private meeting on Thursday. Options could include impeachment, at least one source said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn light of the allegations concerning the Governor over the last several weeks, I will be meeting with members in conference today on potential paths forward,\u201d Heastie said in a Thursday morning statement.<\/p>\n The Times Union on Wednesday night detailed allegations that Cuomo fondled an aide <\/b>under her blouse late last year<\/a> when they when they were alone in the governor\u2019s private residence. They followed an initial report<\/a> from the day prior that the aide had told a supervisor she had been touched without her consent.<\/p>\n The aide told colleagues she was summoned to the Executive Mansion, which is a short walk from the governor’s office in the state Capitol, to help him with an issue on his cell phone, the newspaper reported. The allegation is under investigation by state Attorney General Tish James.<\/p>\n The latest allegation marked the fourth claim of harassment or inappropriate behavior to be raised by an employee of the governor. Two other women \u2014 Anna Ruch, who first met Cuomo at a wedding, and Karen Hinton, a former aide to Cuomo during his time at HUD \u2014 have also accused him of inappropriate behavior.<\/p>\n Cuomo has denied that he ever “inappropriately touched” anyone and specifically denied the newest accusation in a statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n “As I said yesterday, I have never done anything like this. The details of this report are gut-wrenching,” Cuomo said. “I am not going to speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given the ongoing review, but I am confident in the result of the Attorney General\u2019s report.\u201d<\/p>\n The governor has repeatedly said that he will not resign and has encouraged the public to withhold judgment until James completes her investigation of the allegation.<\/p>\n