Assembly Republicans will push to impeach governor

The Assembly Republican Conference announced on Monday it will circulate an impeachment resolution to try to remove Andrew Cuomo from the governor’s office.

The Republicans said the governor cannot lead the state through budget deficits, a pandemic crisis and other critical issues when facing allegations of sexual harassment and that he distorted data for nursing home deaths from Covid-19.

“When you lose trust and credibility, you lose the ability to lead,” said Will Barclay, the Assembly minority leader. “Gov. Cuomo can no longer effectively govern New York.”

Assemblyman Mike Norris, R-Lockport, noted that some Democratic Party leaders also want to see the governor resign. He noted Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called for the governor to step down on Sunday.

“Gov. Cuomo has clearly lost any trust and credibility that he had left,” Norris said. “If the governor does not resign immediately, then the Assembly must do its duty and commence the impeachment process (as I have asked now for over two weeks) to address these very serious allegations against the governor and restore faith and trust in state government.”

Cuomo has refused to resign and has urged the public and the state legislators to hold off on judgement until an investigation of the sexual harassment allegations is complete by the Attorney General’s Office.

The Republican Conference in the Assembly said the governor’s unwillingness to step down is forcing them to pursue impeachment.

“After ignoring the calls my colleagues and I have been making for him to resign, today we had no choice but to set into motion the introduction of an impeachment resolution against the governor,” Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, said on Monday. “Our state is facing dire economic, public health and fiscal challenges that demand our full attention as a Legislature.

“The last thing we need is a prolonged political battle over removing the governor when everyday New Yorkers need our help more than ever, so I am hopeful we can move through this impeachment process quickly to get back to the people’s work,” Hawley said in a statement.