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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks to reporters throughout a information convention at a COVID-19 pop-up vaccination website in William Reid Residences in Brooklyn, New York Metropolis, U.S., January 23, 2021.
Mary Altaffer | Reuters
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday backed off his plan to nominate a former federal decide, who has a detailed connection to one of many governor’s prime advisors, to supervise an investigation of sexual harassment allegations in opposition to him.
The Cuomo administration stated it would ask New York state legal professional normal Letitia James and Janet DiFiore, chief decide on the state’s highest court docket, to decide on who will oversee an impartial probe. The choice would assist “keep away from even the notion of a scarcity of independence or inference of politics,” Beth Garvey, particular counsel to Cuomo, stated in a press release.
“We are going to go away all choices in regards to the investigation to be made within the discretion of the impartial counsel chosen by the Legal professional Basic and Chief Choose,” Garvey stated.
James, in a press release Sunday, stated she was able to oversee an investigation and make any essential appointments. Nevertheless, she stated this may solely be executed via an official referral from the governor’s workplace, and should embrace subpoena energy.
“I urge the governor to make this referral instantly,” James stated.
The governor’s reversal comes after a slew of Democrats criticized the governor’s preliminary decide to guide a evaluate and known as for an impartial probe of allegations after a second feminine aide got here ahead to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment. Some Democratic lawmakers additionally joined some Republicans to name on Cuomo to right away resign.
Cuomo’s workplace initially stated it might select former federal decide Barbara Jones to guide the evaluate. Jones had labored with Cuomo’s prime adviser Steven Cohen.
The requires an impartial investigation comply with a New York Instances report printed on Saturday night that described the accusations of Charlotte Bennett, a 25-year-old former aide to the governor, who stated Cuomo had requested her about her intercourse life and whether or not she was monogamous in relationships and had ever “been with an older man.”
It was the second allegation in opposition to the governor in per week. Former aide Lindsey Boylan, a former state financial growth official, detailed sexual harassment claims in opposition to Cuomo final week, together with a kiss with out her consent in his Manhattan workplace. Cuomo has denied Boylan’s accusations.
Cuomo responded to Bennett’s allegations in a press release on Saturday, saying he supposed to function a mentor and “by no means made advances towards Ms. Bennett, nor did I ever intend to behave in any means that was inappropriate.”
Stress from Democrats
White Home press secretary Jen Psaki stated Sunday Cuomo ought to face an impartial evaluate over each units of allegations in an interview on CNN, including that it is one thing President Joe Biden helps and “we consider ought to transfer ahead as shortly as potential.”
A spokesperson for Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stated the senator believes the allegations “ought to be totally and independently investigated.” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., additionally known as for an “impartial, clear and swift investigation into these severe and deeply regarding allegations.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., joined different Democrats in calling for an impartial probe of the governor that’s not led by somebody Cuomo has chosen, however relatively by the state legal professional normal.
“Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett’s detailed accounts of sexual harassment by Gov. Cuomo are extraordinarily severe and painful to learn,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a tweet Sunday morning. “There have to be an impartial investigation — not one led by a person chosen by the Governor, however by the workplace of the Legal professional Basic.”
The brand new allegations additionally come after a report in January that Cuomo’s administration didn’t report hundreds of Covid-19 deaths within the state’s nursing properties.
New York Mayor Invoice De Blasio, a Democrat, stated on Sunday that the state legislature should instantly revoke Cuomo’s emergency powers that overrule native management and known as for 2 separate impartial probes into the sexual misconduct allegations and the undercounting of deaths at nursing properties.
“New Yorkers have seen detailed, documented accounts of sexual harassment, a number of situations of intimidation, and the admitted withholding of data on the deaths of over 15,000 individuals,” De Blasio stated in a press release. “Questions of this magnitude can’t cling over the heads of New Yorkers as we battle off a pandemic and financial disaster.”
New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi counseled the 2 ladies for coming ahead with their allegations and known as on the governor to resign in a press release posted on Twitter Saturday night.
“The harassment skilled by these former staffers is a part of a transparent sample of abuse and manipulation by the governor, and that sample makes him unworthy of holding the best workplace in New York,” Biaggi wrote.
Republicans additionally renewed requires Cuomo to resign following the second allegation, together with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who in a press release on Saturday known as the governor a “felony sexual predator” and stated he should resign instantly.
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