Almost 50 NY Lawmakers Want Governor’s Resignation or Impeachment

By Staff, Agencies

Nearly 50 New York lawmakers reportedly urged Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down or be impeached as harassment accusations against the New York governor show no signs of ceasing.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said on Sunday that Cuomo "Must resign for the good of the state", adding, "Every day there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government."

"We have allegations about harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the COVID-19 nursing home data, and questions about the construction of a major infrastructure project. […] New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health, and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction,” Stewart-Cousins added.

In January, Cuomo was accused of covering up nursing home COVID-19 deaths in New York as a report by the state attorney general put the tally at 13,500 versus the official figure of 8,500. That same month, Cuomo announced a $306 billion infrastructure upgrade program that he called the largest project ever undertaken by any state in the US.

According to Fox News, a total of 37 legislators, including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, reportedly called for Cuomo's resignation, while another 10 lawmakers demanded his impeachment, a process that would require a majority vote in the 150-seat assembly.

The developments followed the New York governor on Sunday underscoring that "there is no way" he is resigning amid the harassment accusations against him.

"We have to get a budget done in three weeks. We have a lot of work to do, a lot of work to do for this state. This is not about me and accusations about me. The attorney general can handle that. This is about doing the people's business and this next six months I believe will determine the future trajectory for New York State," Cuomo told reporters.