The New York State Assembly on Wednesday said it hired law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP to carry out an impeachment investigation into Governor Andrew Cuomo.
It’s the first step in a broad investigation into Cuomo that’s intended to look into whether the legislature should begin impeachment proceedings. The probe is expected to span multiple accusations of sexual misconduct and harassment against Cuomo, as well as claims Cuomo’s administration withheld information on Covid-19 nursing home deaths, covered up structural problems on the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, and whether Cuomo’s vaccine czar crossed ethics lines when he called county executives to gauge their loyalty to the governor.
“The addition of Davis Polk will allow my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee and me to fully and fairly investigate the allegations,” said Assemblymember Charles Lavine, who chairs the judiciary committee. “These are serious allegations, and they will be treated with fairness, due process and discretion.”The investigation’s launch comes just weeks ahead of a March 31 deadline for the legislature and the governor to pass a budget. The probe was an effort at finding common ground between a camp of lawmakers who have called for immediate action if Cuomo continues to refuse to resign and another group of lawmakers who want to wait for an investigation to play out before taking action. The investigation is separate from a sexual-harassment investigation by lawyers appointed by New York Attorney General Letitia James.