26 July 2021: Cuomo Directly Seeking to Undermine NY AG Investigations

Cuomo again questions integrity of AG's sexual harassment investigation

Governor Cuomo used the opportunity of his Monday COVID press briefing to directly pursue his strategy of undermining New York State Attorney General Letitia "Tish" James' investigation of several of his scandals:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday continued to question the integrity of Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into the numerous sexual harassment allegations that have been lodged against him.

“I have concerns as to the independence of the reviewers,” Cuomo said at a press conference. “That's what I've said. And is this all happening in a political system? Yes, that is undeniable.”

Cuomo authorized the attorney general's investigation on February 28, after the first three women stepped forward to accuse the governor of inappropriate behavior. Numerous other women came forward in the weeks after the investigation was first launched.

And then he kept trying to make it political:

When pressed further on Monday what specific concerns Cuomo has about the independent investigators hired by the AG’s office, Cuomo skirted the question.

“Do a little history. Go to Google,” Cuomo said.

The governor presumably is referring to Kim, one of the top prosecutors appointed to lead the probe. Kim was a part of former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s team which investigated Cuomo’s closure of the Moreland Commission. This commission was charged with looking into corruption in state government several years ago.

Cuomo attempted to promote the "legitimacy" of the NY Assembly's impeachment probe, over which Cuomo ally NY Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has influence:

Cuomo, however, seemed to place more faith in this investigation rather than that of the attorney general.

“The Assembly investigation is broader and has a broader mandate and is independent,” Cuomo said.

On 23 Friday 2021, Heastie drew a rebuke from the lawyer representing one of Cuomo's alleged sexual harassment victims for statements indicating the fix was in on the Assembly's impeachment probe. Heastie has been instrumental in slow-walking the Assembly's probe of Cuomo's scandals, which has raised the question of whether Andrew M. Cuomo has succeeded in putting the fix in on its outcome.