Sources
tell News 12 that a top aide to embattled Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged him to resign
for weeks before stepping down herself over the weekend.
The
news comes as the state Assembly’s
Judiciary Committee, tasked with investigating whether Gov. Cuomo committed any
offenses worthy of impeachment, wrapped up a crucial meeting in Albany on
Monday afternoon.
Chuck
Lavine, who heads the committee, says it should be ready in several weeks to
make a decision whether or not to recommend a vote on impeaching the governor.
Members
met for three hours, listening to more evidence gathered by
investigators hired by the Assembly. That evidence went beyond the sexual
misconduct allegations outlined by the state Attorney General last week. It
also included evidence regarding the use of state resources to write and
produce a book, the administration’s handling of nursing home patients at the
height of the pandemic, and allegations that the governor provided for
preferential access to COVID-19 testing to certain friends and/or family
members.
The
Judiciary Committee will be meeting again on the next two Mondays. That will be
followed by a public hearing involving an expert on sexual harassment – then a
possible vote on impeachment in several weeks.
On
Sunday night, Cuomo's top aide,
Melissa DeRosa, resigned. She was mentioned
nearly 200 times in the attorney general's report. Among other things,
investigators say DeRosa led efforts to discredit some of the women who accused
Cuomo of sexual misconduct.
Sources
told News 12 that DeRosa urged Cuomo for weeks to resign or at least announce
that he wouldn't seek re-election next year, all in an effort to quell talk of
impeachment.
Assemblyman
Mike Montesano (R-Glen Head) says the governor is “grasping on the last few final
straws that he has.”
“[Legislators]
feel the more he's here, the more damage he's doing. He's going after people,
he's trying to intimidate witnesses,” he says.
Assembly
Speaker Carl Heastie tamped down any speculation that a delay in the impeachment
decision would give Cuomo the chance to cut a deal, perhaps by offering not to
run for reelection next year.
“I'm
not negotiating in deals. I'm not part of any discussion or plan to be a part
of any discussion on cutting deals,” he said.
Earlier
Monday, Time’s Up leader
Roberta Kaplan also resigned over fallout from her
work advising the Cuomo’s administration when the first allegations of sexual
harassment were made against him last year.
AP Wire Services were used in this report.