Cuomo, facing criticism, offers new plan to investigate harassment charges

[ad_1]

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed that State Attorney General Tish James and State Chief Justice Janet DiFiore appoint a lawyer to lead the investigation. | Seth Wenig / AP Photo

ALBANY New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, facing a torrent of criticism over plans to appoint a former judge to examine the sexual harassment allegations against him, presented a new proposal on Sunday morning even as Attorney General of the state said she would seek a referral that would allow her office to investigate the charges.

Cuomo’s move came after New York’s top legislative leaders, both Democrats, made it clear on Saturday night that they supported an independent inquiry and that the governor’s initial proposal did not fit that description. Similar criticisms were leveled Sunday morning, leading Cuomo to pivot by proposing that state attorney general Tish James and state chief justice Janet DiFiore appoint a lawyer to conduct the investigation.

The governor’s initial proposal, unveiled on Saturday night after the New York Times published new allegations of sexual harassment by a former staff member, reportedly had former federal judge Barbara Jones leading the inquiry . Critics have questioned the independence of any investigation by a person named by Cuomo. Representative Kathleen Rice (DN.Y.), a former prosecutor, noted in a tweet that “The accused CANNOT name the investigator.”

New accuser Charlotte Bennett told The New York Times that the governor repeatedly asked her intimate personal questions, which sounded like something out of a horror movie. They included questions about her love life and whether Bennett, 25, had ever been with an older man.

Earlier last week, another former Cuomo staff member, Lindsey Boylan, detailed Cuomo’s harassment allegations. Among other things, Boylan said Cuomo kissed her on the lips and asked her to play strip poker on a plane trip.

The accusations came after a string of revelations about Cuomo’s handling of Covid-related deaths of nursing home residents. James, the attorney general, released a report saying the administration severely underestimated the death toll of nursing home residents, and the governor’s senior assistant said the administration “froze” when asked for an account of these deaths. These revelations in turn led to a series of stories critical of Cuomo’s aggressive leadership style, all of which led to a crisis in Albany even before the sexual harassment accusations.

Meanwhile, James released a statement on Sunday saying his office could only initiate an investigation “through a formal referral to the governor’s office.” But she made it clear that she was looking for one. “There must be a truly independent investigation to thoroughly examine these disturbing allegations against the governor, and I am ready to oversee this investigation and make any necessary appointments,” she said.

At the same time that James released his statement, Cuomo’s lawyer Beth Garvey released one of her own, saying the administration wanted to avoid even the perception of a lack of independence or political inference.

[W]We asked the New York State Attorney General and the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals to jointly select an independent and qualified lawyer in a private practice with no political affiliation to conduct a thorough review of the case. and publish a public report, she wrote. The work product will only be monitored by that independent lawyer personally chosen by the Attorney General and the Chief Justice.

Garvey released a second statement about half an hour later, apparently denying James’ request: “We will leave all decisions regarding the investigation to the discretion of the independent counsel chosen by the attorney general and the chief justice. ”

DiFiore, a person named by Cuomo, agreed to the governor’s plan.

“At the request of the governor’s office, Chief Justice DiFiore agreed to work with Attorney General James to select a person to conduct an independent investigation and report on recent complaints about the governor,” her office said in a statement. communicated.

James does not seem ready to sign the last plan, which would leave her without subpoena power to conduct an investigation.

“Our statement speaks for itself,” said a spokesperson for James.

This article tagged under:

[ad_2]