Andrew Cuomo
The State Assembly Judiciary Committee has released a report saying Former Governor Andrew Cuomo used extensive state resources and property to write a book on the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The report from attorneys retained by the Assembly Judiciary Committee also further substantiated claims of sexual harassment against the former governor and concluded his administration “was not fully transparent” about the number of nursing home residents who died of the virus in the early days of the pandemic.
The Assembly released the 63-page report eight months after first launching an impeachment investigation while Cuomo was still in office.
State Asssemblyman Andy Goodell said the use of state employees and resources by Cuomo was both illegal and reflects a miscarriage of resources, “During the Pandemic, we as taxpayers would hope and expect that our Governor was focused solely on doing what’s in the best interest of the public and not dividing his time with using state resources to write a highly profitable book that is a self-promotion of what he was doing.”
The report was intended to determine whether lawmakers would move ahead with impeachment proceedings against the embattled governor, who had faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment, workplace bullying, misuse of state resources and various other misconduct at the time.
Goodell said the extensive interviews and research done for the report cost the state an estimated $5 million. He added that the Joint Commission on Public Ethics revoked its prior approval for the book deal due to Cuomo violating the terms and conditions of that approval, “That approval was conditional on Governor Cuomo not using any state staff for resources and it’s clear that he did. One of the consequences of the revocation of the approval of the book deal is that it opens the door for the state to basically fine Governor Cuomo $5 million that he made on the book deal, which ironically would cover the cost the state incurred in examining that book deal itself.”
State Senator George Borrello issued a statement saying, “The release of the Assembly’s impeachment investigation report offers more confirmation of the harassment, duplicity, gross abuse of power and potentially criminal actions committed by our former Governor.
Evident in the report is the extent to which Cuomo and his aides strong-armed officials at state Department of Health, JCOPE and other agencies for the governor’s own personal and political benefit. These accounts reflect a truly Machiavellian mindset and underscore how profoundly New York, and New Yorkers, suffered under his leadership.
The report provides the most detailed evidence to date that the timelines for the book deal and the release of the figures on nursing home deaths directly intersected. More investigation, both civil and criminal, of this apparent conspiracy to hide the truth for political and personal gain must be a priority.”
Cuomo ultimately resigned in August after state Attorney General Letitia James issued a report concluding he sexually harassed 11 women, including nine state employees.
The Assembly’s report, conducted by attorneys from law firm Davis Polk, further backed up several of the accusations in James’ report, including one that claimed he groped a state aide.
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