"Just on the nursing home question alone there are over half a million pages of documentation," Lavine said.īut many members of the Assembly may have already made up their minds, according to Heastie. Lavine stressed the inquiry is more sweeping than James' report. The public is barred from attendance.Īssembly Speaker Carl Heastie said at a press conference after the hearing that the goal of the Judiciary Committee is to move forward "with all due haste."Īt a press conference after the hearing, Lavine said he expects public hearings to take place "after August 23" and "we anticipate that this process will conclude very veral weeks." "As early as later this month, we will discuss the evidence publicly in an open and transparent manner," Lavine said before motioning to go into executive session. Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine, speaks as the Judiciary Committee meets to discuss the next steps in its impeachment investigation of Gov, Andrew Cuomo following multiple allegations of sexual harassment Monday, Aug. Lavine stressed the importance of keeping the evidence against Cuomo confidential. The inquiry's hearings have been largely closed to the public, but Lavine said during brief remarks Monday that may change soon. For three months, a law firm selected by the committee has been collecting evidence related to sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, as well as his administration's handling of Covid-19 in nursing homes, allegations related to the use of state resources in connection with Cuomo's memoir and other issues. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced last week that an independent investigation spearheaded by her office found that the governor had sexually harassed 11 women, including those who worked for the state as well as women who did not work in his administration, in violation of state and federal law.Īt the start of Monday's hearing, Judiciary Committee chair Charles Lavine called the allegations in James' report "deeply disturbing" and said the committee will review the report in addition to its own findings. Cuomo would often only make an appearance in Albany if he had some specific news to share, a point he wanted to make or an obligation to sit for questions after so many days.īut during these days, with the news constantly changing, the briefings have provided some consistentcy during an otherwise unpredictable year.New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Monday that the goal of the Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry into Governor Andrew Cuomo is to conclude "all due haste." The committee last week sent a letter to Cuomo's legal team asking him to provide any additional evidence before it concludes its inquiry on August 13. News conferences with him had been few and far between. It's been unusual for the press to have this much direct access to Cuomo on a day-to-day basis. The briefings have continued even as mayors, county executvies and the president have dropped their news conferences from the daily schedule.Īnd the briefings are now a mix of an update on the pandemic and what's being done to address police policy in New York. Sometimes he is in his less ceremonial offices in New York City or elsewhere in the state, speaking with a different press corps. "We're not there yet, but as soon as we're on the other side of the mountain," Cuomo said, "I'll end the daily briefings and go back to the normal briefing schedule."Ĭuomo has held briefings for more than 100 days in a row, often in Albany in the governor's ceremonial office known as the Red Room on the second floor of the Capitol. The powerpoint slides and a homily that does not change much day to day depending upon the news surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and, in recent weeks, anti-police brutality demonstrations.Īt some point, Cuomo acknowledged on Monday in an interview with WAMC, these briefings will end. The briefings began to update people on coronavirus, and now on efforts to combat police brutality.Cuomo hinted on Monday they could end soon.Cuomo has held daily briefings, even on holidays, for more than 100 days in a row.
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