Cuomo investigation: What we know and what’s next

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s monthslong autumn from grace reached a nadir Tuesday, when investigators said they substantiated intersexual harassment allegations against him from 11 women, many of whom person worked for him.

Cuomo, once wide beloved for his telegenic response to the coronavirus pandemic, continues to contradict the allegations and maintains helium isn’t going anyplace — but his governmental aboriginal mightiness soon beryllium retired of his ain hands.

Here are the takeaways from the study and Cuomo’s response, on with what happens next:

WHAT WAS CUOMO ACCUSED OF DOING?

Multiple women accused Cuomo of intersexual harassment and assault. The nationalist allegations, which started successful December and cascaded implicit the winter, ranged from inappropriate comments to forced kisses and groping.

DID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S PROBE FIND CUOMO GUILTY?

Well, no. A probe can’t find anyone blameworthy — that’s for a justice and assemblage to decide. Plus, the probe was civil, not criminal, successful nature. But investigators did find the 11 women were telling the information astir Cuomo’s behaviour and that Cuomo created a hostile enactment situation “rife with fearfulness and intimidation.”

BUT WILL CUOMO BE CHARGED?

State Attorney General Letitia James, who oversaw the probe, said determination would beryllium nary transgression referral but section constabulary and prosecutors tin usage the grounds and findings to physique their ain cases. The territory lawyer successful New York’s capital, Albany, said Tuesday helium was requesting James’ investigative materials and encouraged victims to travel forward.

CUOMO TOLD THE PUBLIC TO WAIT TO JUDGE HIM UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION WAS COMPLETE. WHAT DOES HE SAY NOW?

Cuomo is much defiant than ever, disputing allegations successful a taped effect and saying “the facts are overmuch antithetic than what has been portrayed” and that helium “never touched anyone inappropriately oregon made inappropriate intersexual advances.” He besides alleged that the probe itself was fueled by “politics and bias.”

HOW IS CUOMO EXPLAINING HIS BEHAVIOR?

Cuomo apologized for making staffers consciousness uncomfortable, but chalked up immoderate of the allegations to misunderstandings caused by generational and taste differences (he’s Italian American) portion flat-out denying the much superior allegations. Accompanied by aggregate slideshows of Cuomo and different politicians embracing members of the public, the politician said the motion was inherited from his parents and meant to convey warmth.

IS ANYONE PRESSURING CUOMO TO RESIGN?

Lots of people. President Joe Biden — once Cuomo’s adjacent ally — said Tuesday that, portion helium hadn’t work the report, helium thought Cuomo should quit. Both U.S. senators for New York, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, accidental helium should resign. So does U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the governors of neighboring New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and galore different Democrats.

OK, SO WHAT’S NEXT IF CUOMO DOESN’T RESIGN?

The authorities Assembly has the powerfulness to bring impeachment charges against Cuomo and aims to wrapper up its ain probe “as rapidly arsenic possible,” according to Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat who said it was wide Cuomo could nary longer stay successful office. The Assembly could theoretically ballot to motorboat impeachment proceedings earlier the probe is finished.

WHY CAN’T NEW YORKERS JUST RECALL CUOMO?

This isn’t California. New York has nary mechanism to region elected officials via recall.

FINE. HOW DOES IMPEACHMENT IN NEW YORK WORK?

New York impeachments commencement successful the Assembly, and if a bulk of members ballot to impeach Cuomo, the substance moves to the Impeachment Court. In this case, that tribunal would comprise the authorities Senate — minus its bulk person — and the 7 judges of the state’s highest court. Two-thirds of the tribunal would request to ballot to convict to region Cuomo.

HAS A GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK EVER BEEN IMPEACHED?

Once, successful 1913. Gov. William Sulzer was ousted aft little than a twelvemonth successful office. He claimed his impeachment was retribution for turning his backmost connected the almighty Tammany Hall Democratic machine.

IF CUOMO LEAVES OFFICE, WHO WOULD BECOME GOVERNOR?

Kathy Hochul, the 62-year-old lieutenant governor. The Democrat from occidental New York erstwhile served successful Congress, but has a constricted nationalist illustration successful the state.

IS CUOMO IN ANY OTHER TROUBLE?

James is besides investigating into whether Cuomo broke the instrumentality successful having members of his unit assistance constitute and promote his pandemic enactment book, “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” for which helium was acceptable to gain much than $5 million. Federal investigators are besides probing the state’s handling of information related to nursing location deaths.

IF HE ISN’T OUSTED, WILL VOTERS HAVE A SAY?

So far, each signs constituent to him moving for a 4th word successful 2022, and helium has begun fundraising. Some polling earlier this twelvemonth suggested the public’s enactment for Cuomo had slipped, but not dramatically so. No different Democrats person officially issued a superior challenge. On the Republican side, imaginable opponents include U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin and Andrew Giuliani, lad of Rudy.

WAS THIS PROBE POLITICAL?

James has denied having immoderate governmental motivations for the probe, which was authorized by Cuomo, and has not said publically whether she is funny successful moving for governor. While her bureau oversaw the probe, it was conducted by two extracurricular lawyers, Anne Clark and Joon Kim, who spoke with 179 radical — including Cuomo himself.

DID THE INVESTIGATION UNCOVER ANY ALLEGATIONS THAT WE DIDN’T ALREADY KNOW ABOUT?

Yes — according to the report, a authorities trooper connected Cuomo’s information item said Cuomo ran his manus oregon fingers crossed her tummy and her back, kissed her connected the cheek, asked for her assistance successful uncovering a woman and asked wherefore she didn’t deterioration a dress. The study besides included an allegation from a pistillate moving for an vigor institution who said Cuomo touched her thorax astatine an lawsuit and brushed his manus betwixt her enarthrosis and breasts.

HOW DID CUOMO RETALIATE AGAINST A FORMER EMPLOYEE?

The former worker successful question is Lindsey Boylan, Cuomo’s archetypal nationalist accuser. Investigators said Cuomo’s squad sent reporters Boylan’s unit records wrong hours of Boylan’s December tweet alleging intersexual harassment. They besides said the governor’s ellipse circulated a missive that “attacked” Boylan’s alleged enactment behaviour and theorized she was funded by far-right Republicans.

WHAT WERE CUOMO’S ACCUSERS’ RESPONSES TO THE REPORT?

Charlotte Bennett, a erstwhile aide to whom Cuomo personally apologized successful a taped effect to the findings, called the apology “meaningless” and said that if the politician were genuinely sorry, helium would measurement down. A lawyer for 2 accusers called Cuomo’s effect “laughable” and “manipulative.” Boylan’s lawyer expressed gratitude toward investigators.

WILL CUOMO TALK ABOUT THIS ON HIS BROTHER’S SHOW?

Probably not. The governor’s brother, Chris Cuomo, is simply a CNN anchor. The fraternal duo — sons of the precocious Gov. Mario Cuomo — grabbed headlines successful the aboriginal days of the pandemic for their banter connected the younger Cuomo’s primetime show, but Chris Cuomo has since been barred from covering his brother. Tuesday’s report also elaborate however Chris Cuomo advised his older brother.