New York Lawmakers Conclude Cuomo Sexually Harassed, Misappropriated Resources, Lied About Covid

The New York Assembly’s highly-anticipated investigative report into former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) was released Monday morning, covering a wide variety of allegations including sexual harassment, abuse of state resources for personal gain, and misleading the public about Covid-19 related deaths.

The report, compiled by the New York City law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell and released by Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, is the end result of the impeachment inquiry by the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Cuomo, a once-popular governor and rising star in the Democratic Party, resigned as governor in August following allegations of sexual harassment and was formally charged with “forcible touching” by the Albany County Sheriff’s Office in October.

“We conclude that there is overwhelming evidence that the former Governor engaged in sexual harassment,” the Assembly’s report reads.

The report additionally details how, after receiving a $5.1 million book deal, the then-governor “used state resources” and staff to “write, publish and promote” it.

Cuomo was heavily criticized while in office for Covid-19 related deaths and underreporting the data related to nursing homes. The report “confirmed press reports that the state Department of Health wanted to include hospital deaths in the state’s nursing home fatality count,” which would account for gaps in data that the Associated Press and other news outlets had previously reported on in New York state.

The report noted, “we are mindful of ongoing law enforcement issues regarding these issues.”

“The investigation showed that as they were considering these matters, the book deal was going on, there’s a chapter in the book about nursing homes. They were trying to make it as what they thought was least damaging to the governor instead of just telling the truth,” Assembly Member Phil Steck, a Democrat, told the AP.