Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay on the Ongoing Impeachment Investigation
“Exactly two months ago, it was announced that the Assembly Committee on Judiciary would open an investigation into the actions of Gov. Cuomo, to determine if impeachment proceedings would be forthcoming. After eight weeks, where are we? What progress has been made?
Countless news articles have offered revealing details about the administration’s nursing home cover-up, politically-slanted health reports, data hidden for months, multiple sexual harassment claims, public employees working on the governor’s $4 million book, hard-to-find COVID tests going to family and friends and political support tied to vaccine distribution.
While these alarming stories outlining misconduct have emerged almost daily, the Committee on Judiciary has held a total of two public meetings which offered little more than introductory remarks and unspecific overviews. Another meeting hasn’t even been scheduled.
I have stated that the governor should immediately resign. When the Committee on Judiciary’s investigation was announced on March 11, I expressed my concern that this approach could not be used as a stall tactic and the process must move expeditiously. We are getting closer to a point where the Committee on Judiciary’s responsibilities will be rendered obsolete by investigations being carried out by the state attorney general and multiple federal agencies.
Assembly Minority members introduced a resolution for a straight up-or-down vote on impeachment in order to avoid a prolonged, drawn-out endeavor and move proceedings and due process into a Senate trial. Without substantial improvements in pace and progress, the direct approach to impeachment may be the only one able to produce a tangible result.”