Impeachment proceedings against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are set to begin soon as the preliminary investigation nears completion. The New York State Assembly hired law firm, Davis Polk & Wardwell, to conduct the inquiry.
Fox News reports:
“We write to inform you that the Committee’s investigation is nearing completion and the Assembly will soon consider potential articles of impeachment against your client,” the firm said to Cuomo. “Accordingly, we invite you to provide any additional evidence or written submissions that you would like the Committee to consider before its work concludes.”
The Assembly also stated that their attorneys had issued a subpoena to Cuomo for materials related to their investigation, but that he has yet to turn them over.
So far, Cuomo has not turned over any such materials
The Judiciary Committee is next set to meet on Monday. Once their investigation is finished, the 150-member Assembly would have to pass an impeachment resolution with a simple majority of 76 votes for the matter to go to the State Senate for a trial. So far, 80 Assembly members have expressed support for impeachment.
Normally such a trial would be heard by the senators, the seven judges on the New York Court of Appeals, and the lieutenant governor. In the case of a governor’s impeachment, the lieutenant governor and the president pro tempore of the Senate – who is currently Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins – are excluded because they are in the line of succession. Two thirds of the court is needed to convict, which would be 46 votes.
So far, more than 35 senators have publicly said they support moving the impeachment process forward.
Governor Cuomo has repeatedly argued against allegations he sexually harassed multiple women.