State

Saying that the “reports of accusations concerning the governor are serious,” Democratic leaders of the New York State Assembly announced Thursday that they will form a judiciary committee with subpoena powers to begin an impeachment investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Calls are growing for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign in light of allegations of sexual harassment and a cover-up of nursing home deaths. Now New York Republicans are preparing for that possibility and trying to put the microscope on the person who would succeed Cuomo: the lieutenant governor and Buffalo native Kathy Hochul.

A sixth woman has come forward and accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of misconduct. The Albany Times Union reports that the woman says Cuomo inappropriately touched her when she was summoned to the executive mansion for a work assignment.

The federal pandemic relief package moving through Congress would go a long way toward filling New York’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature would still need to plug a smaller gap.

The New York State Legislature on Friday voted to end Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s emergency powers granted to him during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the governor faces new developments on two controversies: sexual harassment charges and his handling of nursing homes during the health crisis.

Cindi McEachon has traveled to jails and prisons across New York State to talk with inmates about their experience behind bars.

“I have met individuals who can tell me,” she said. “Down to the second, how long they were incarcerated. Because that’s the focus when you’re in; getting out.”

The New York State Senate and Assembly plan on Friday to strip Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sweeping emergency powers enacted under the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current system of parole in New York State is costly.

Over the last decade, criminal justice reform in New York State has primarily focused on the front-end of the system; notably the push to change the cash bail system and easing the amount of time someone spends in solitary confinement.

State Attorney General Letitia James said Monday that she’s received from Gov. Andrew Cuomo the referral required to investigate him and his office on two former aides’ allegations of sexual harassment. The accusations include inappropriate touching, an unsolicited kiss and invitations for sex. One day after Cuomo offered his response to the charges, many elected officials, both Democrats and Republicans, said they don’t buy it.

Monday marked the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed coronavirus case in New York. Since then, over 38,000 New Yorkers have died from COVID-19 and more than 1.5 million who were sickened. At this point last year, though, nobody imagined what was in store.

For many who have gone through New York State’s penal system, being paroled is one step closer to freedom.

New York lawmakers are looking to pass sweeping nursing home reforms this legislative session in light of COVID-19. One piece of legislation that predates the pandemic is a safe staffing bill, which would mandate nursing homes meet minimum staffing-to-patio ratios. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his staff were in damage control mode Thursday as they faced two scandals: the governor’s handling of nursing home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and the months-long suppression of the true number of residents’ deaths, and allegations that Cuomo sexually harassed a former staffer.