NY Assembly Takes First Step Toward Impeachment Of Cuomo, Police Report Filed Over Groping Allegations

The New York State Assembly has taken its first step in pursuing the possible impeachment of Governor Andrew Cuomo, as calls continue to mount for his resignation.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Thursday gave the chamber a green light to open a probe which would include full subpoena power.

Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim confirmed the move to Fox News.

“The Democratic Conference is taking the first step toward impeachment by opening an investigation with full subpoena power to obtain facts and testimonies under oath,” he said in a statement.

Kim, who has accused Cuomo of trying to help cover-up his ongoing nursing home scandal, vowing to destroy his career if he didn’t go along, said he felt the impeachment process could have begun immediately.

“Some members, including myself, argued that we had enough admission to proceed with impeachment today but the conference is leaning toward setting up the process and structure toward impeachment,” he said.

RELATED: Bill de Blasio Calls On Cuomo To Resign After Sixth Woman Comes Forward With Groping Allegations

Assembly Sets Forth on Path to Cuomo Impeachment

The Assembly’s actions in moving to possibly impeach Cuomo come as a sixth woman has come forward with sexual misconduct allegations.

The latest claim involves a female aide whose description of events – through a source with direct knowledge – could land in the category of assault. 

The Albany Times Union reports that Cuomo “aggressively groped” the woman “in a sexually charged manner” after summoning her to the Executive Chamber.

The incident allegedly involved the Democrat “reach(ing) under her blouse” and fondling her.

“The reports of accusations concerning the governor are serious,” Heastie said in a statement adding, “the committee will have the authority to interview witnesses, subpoena documents and evaluate evidence, as is allowed by the New York State Constitution.”

Cuomo, aside from the impeachment probe, is currently being investigated on multiple fronts by Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James.

One involves a cover-up in which the administration is accused of hiding data on deaths of the elderly in nursing homes which may have been the result of the governor’s March executive order forcing the facilities to take on COVID-positive patients.

The second is an independent investigation into the numerous sexual harassment claims.

The impeachment probe is not expected to interfere with James’ investigations.

RELATED: Cuomo Lawyers Up: Executive Chamber Hires Criminal Defense Attorney Who Represented Harvey Weinstein

Police Report Filed Over Groping Allegations

Albany police also revealed Thursday they received a report from the New York State Executive Chamber about an incident with potential criminal activity.

The incident, which aligns with the new accuser’s groping allegations, involved a female aide and took place at Cuomo’s executive mansion.

The New York Times reports that the police department has not opened an official investigation, but is offering its services to the alleged victim.

The latest allegations have not only started the ball rolling on Governor Cuomo’s impeachment, but it has also prompted dozens of Democrat lawmakers to call on his resignation.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded to the groping allegations as “troubling” and “disgusting,” saying it’s time for Cuomo to resign.

“It is disgusting to me. And he can no longer serve as governor. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

Earlier this week, the New York governor practically dared lawmakers to impeach him.

“Cuomo told [Senate Majority Leader Andrea] Stewart-Cousins he wouldn’t quit and they would have to impeach him if they wanted him out of office,” the Associated Press reported.

 

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Bill de Blasio Calls On Cuomo To Resign After Sixth Woman Comes Forward With Groping Allegations

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign after a sixth woman has come forward with sexual misconduct allegations.

The latest claim involves a female aid whose description of events – through a source with direct knowledge – could land in the category of assault. 

The Albany Times Union reports that Cuomo “aggressively groped” the woman “in a sexually charged manner” after he had summoned her to the Executive Mansion late last year.

“They were alone in Cuomo’s private residence on the second floor when he closed the door and allegedly reached under her blouse and began to fondle her,” a source tells the newspaper.

The Democrat governor described the new allegations as “gut-wrenching” but insisted again, “I have never done anything like this.”

RELATED: Sixth Cuomo Accuser Comes Forward, Claiming Governor Touched Her Inappropriately

De Blasio Calls Allegations Against Cuomo Troubling and Disgusting

Cuomo up until this point has denied all of the sexual harassment claims being levied against him, asserting he simply felt he was “being playful” and that he was “joking,” something even de Blasio (D) wasn’t buying.

“Sexual harassment is not funny,” he fumed. “Who the hell tries to explain that by saying I was just joking around?”

The sixth woman’s claims have really angered de Blasio, referring to them as “troubling” and “disgusting.”

De Blasio called on Cuomo to resign.

“It is disgusting to me. And he can no longer serve as governor. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

RELATED: Cuomo Defiant As Top Democrats Call On Him To Resign: You’ll Have To Impeach Me

Cuomo Won’t Resign

Governor Cuomo has thus far remained defiant, refusing to resign even as alleged victim after alleged victim comes forward to tell their story.

In fact, he reportedly dared one prominent Democrat lawmaker to impeach him if they want him to leave the office.

“We need to govern without daily distractions. For the good of the state, Governor Cuomo must resign,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins – a Democrat – said in a statement.

Cuomo, according to the Associated Press, engaged in a phone conversation with Stewart-Cousins in which he practically dared her to impeach him.

“In a brief phone conversation Sunday prior to the press conference,” they write, “Cuomo told Stewart-Cousins he wouldn’t quit and they would have to impeach him if they wanted him out of office.”

And that was before the sixth woman had her claims reported.

“The latest report, and the fact that we can talk about how many people are bringing forward accusations, that it’s not one, it’s not two, it’s not three, it’s not four, it’s not five, it’s six women who have come forward, it’s deeply troubling,” de Blasio said.

Added the mayor, “The specific allegation that the governor called an employee of his – someone he had power over – called them to a private place and then sexually assaulted her is absolutely unacceptable.”

Fox News reports “85 members of the state legislature have called for Cuomo’s resignation or impeachment.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has blasted the former media darling as the “worst governor in America” and called for him to step down.

More importantly, she provides an important reminder that the sexual harassment allegations are one of many concurrent scandals Cuomo is currently facing.

“Governor Cuomo has been enveloped by multiple scandals,” Stefanik said in an interview with Fox News. “First, you have the nursing home scandal and the cover-up, which I believe is criminal. It’s a crime, a federal crime, and an obstruction of justice.”

“We now know that it’s over 15,000 vulnerable seniors who died because of Governor Cuomo’s nursing home edict forcing positive covid patients into nursing homes,” she added.

Secretary to the Governor, Melissa DeRosa, admitted in a conference call that the administration hid information on COVID nursing home deaths from federal investigators.

But it may be the salacious harassment allegations that actually bring him down.

“He just can’t serve as governor anymore,” de Blasio said Thursday.

 

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