Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R, C, I-Medford) has joined the Assembly Minority Conference in support of an impeachment resolution to begin the impeachment process for Gov. Cuomo, as two more women stepped forward over the weekend with sexual harassment accusations. This brings the total number of women up to five. The governor’s questionable decision making has led to numerous scandals including the cover up of over 15,000 nursing home deaths.

“The governor has made it abundantly clear he will not resign, so the Legislature must take action to begin the impeachment process,” said DeStefano “Now five brave women have stepped forward with sexual harassment allegations against the governor, more details regarding the nursing home cover-up are being uncovered, and yet another scandal has emerged in that Gov. Cuomo hid structural deficiencies related to the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge for the past 5 years. The governor has failed the state, I think we have all heard enough, it is past time for him to resign. Because he is unwilling, we as a Legislature must take action.”

The resolution proposed today would call for a simple vote in the Assembly and if passed the process would move to the senate for an impeachment trial. According to NY law the standard for impeachment in New York is “willful and corrupt misconduct.” Here are very clear reasons as to why Cuomo should face impeachment. The governor:

• Issued a mandate which readmitted COVID-19 positive patients back into nursing homes, which contributed to rapid spread in these facilities;
• Failed to properly disclose accurate data on nursing home pandemic deaths in a timely manner to the state Legislature, watchdog groups, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), FOIL requests and the public;
• Covertly inserted in the 2020-21 budget language giving legal immunity to hospital and nursing home executives at the request of lobbyists and large donors to his campaign coffers;
• Threatened Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Queens) to publicly corroborate all or part of the governor’s claims about the DOJ investigation;
• Profited on the pandemic by selling a book about his leadership and had a law firm which was contracted in relation to the pandemic purchase hundreds of copies of the book;
• Has been accused by five women of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, one of whom was known to him as a sexual assault victim; and
• Hid structural deficiencies related to the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, despite the Legislature’s request for information.