Investigators grilled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) for 11 hours over his alleged misconduct and harassment of women.
The recorded interview came as part of New York Attorney General Letisha James’ investigation into numerous accusations against the governor by current and former female aides. During the interview, Cuomo reportedly became testy with one of the lead investigators, accusing Joon Kim, a former prosecutor, of being biased against the governor.
“Few details have emerged from the meeting, which took place on Saturday, July 17; the participants are barred under state law from publicly discussing the interviews, but five people briefed on the encounter shared some details on the condition of anonymity,” The New York Times reported. “The confidential nature of the meeting was underscored by the investigators’ exit: They were whisked away at night through a loading dock to avoid photographers staking out the entrance to the governor’s building.”
Members of Cuomo’s inner circle of aides and advisors have already been interviewed. The governor’s interview could be a signal that the investigation is nearing completion and that a report will soon be sent to the attorney general’s desk.
On March 1, Cuomo approved the investigation into his past conduct and treatment of women as he faced numerous calls to resign. Cuomo has repeatedly denied accusations that he ever touched women inappropriately, though he has conceded that some of his comments may have made women uncomfortable.
Top aides for Cuomo have suggested that the investigation into the governor is being driven by politics, citing Kim’s history of investigating the governor when Kim ran the U.S. attorney’s office of the Southern District of New York in 2017 and 2018.
“This investigation started at the request of the governor after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. It is being carried out by independent investigators who have decades of experience,” attorney general spokeswoman Delaney Kempner told CNN in a statement. “The continued attempts to undermine and politicize this process are dishonest and take away from the bravery displayed by these women.”
The investigation into Cuomo’s treatment of women also came amid a slew of other inquiries into the governor, including one launched by the Democratic-controlled New York legislature into whether Cuomo should be removed from office. The governor is also facing investigations into his handling of nursing home residents amid the pandemic and an alleged effort to cover up the true extent of COVID-19 deaths among New York’s elderly population.
The impeachment inquiry covers a wide range of potential misconduct committed by the governor. As the Times reported:
The impeachment lawyers are also scrutinizing the allegations of sexual harassment and toxic workplace culture; concerns over the safety of the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge over the Hudson River; the possible introduction by a close Cuomo adviser of political considerations into vaccine distribution; and the use by Mr. Cuomo of state resources to help write his pandemic memoir, which the state attorney general is also looking at as part of a separate inquiry.
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