To be consistent (after calling for the impeachment of a President), I am endorsing the impeachment of the Governor of the State of New York.
During the COVID-19 pandemic's early stages, many politicians saw their approval ratings reach historic highs, and now it's starting to decline. A big example is of incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, of New York State. In August, 2019, he had an approval rating of 33%, By March of 2020, it stood at 87%, a 54% increase. By the time it was October, 2020, it stood at 73%, a drop of 14%, but that still is very strong. By the time it's March, 2021, it's down to 38%, a drop of 34%, and 57% of voters want a new Governor.
What happened?
Well, it was a strong rise and fall, for sure. Governor Cuomo has been a controversial politican, as the Housing department from March, 1993 to January, 2001 (serving as the 11th Housing Secretary from from 1997-2001) during the Administration of William J. Clinton (D-AR), to 64th New York State Attorney General under Governors Elliot L. Spitzer (D-N.Y.C) and David A. Patterson (D-N.Y.C), and eventually as the 56th Governor of New York.
The Nursing Home Scandal:
On March 1, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued a statement regarding novel coronavirus in New York wherein he mentioned the first positive case of novel coronavirus in New York State.
On March 2, 2020, Governor Cuomo said that community transmission of the new coronavirus is "inevitable". He also mentioned New York City's plans to aggressively ramp up diagnostic testing for the new virus and said that he would like to see New York City conducting "1,000 tests per day". He announced the "world-renowned" Wadsworth Center was partnering with hospitals to expand surge testing capacity to "1,000 tests per day statewide" for the novel coronavirus.
On March 3, 2020, Governor Cuomo signed a $40 million emergency management authorization for coronavirus response and claimed that "New York's overall risk remained low".
On March 4, 2020, Governor Cuomo confirmed nine new cases in the state and said that it was "literally like trying to stop air" and reaffirming that it was inevitable that it would continue to spread.
On March 6, 2020, Governor Cuomo criticized the federal government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, calling it "absurd and nonsensical".
Early in the coronavirus response efforts, Governor Cuomo received widespread praise from epidemiologists for his handling of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic in New York State, which included a statewide lockdown and a shutdown of nonessential businesses in an effort to help flatten the curve of the virus. Like many other national leaders, however, Governor Cuomo also received criticism for failing to grasp the gravity of the pandemic before its risks were fully visible to the American public.
Side note: There's no such thing s "nonessential businesses", unless your definition of "nonessential" is not completely arbitrary.
On March 25, 2020, Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health issued an advisory requiring the admission of patients to nursing homes who test positive for the coronavirus and barred testing prospective nursing home patients. This order was revoked on May 10 after widespread criticism from medical experts. By then, as many as 4,500 COVID-19 infected patients had been sent to nursing homes in NY state. Over 6,000 New York state nursing home residents had died of COVID as of June 2020.
On March 28, 2020, Governor Cuomo threatened Rhode Island with a lawsuit over a new state quarantine policy of stopping incoming New Yorkers to enforce quarantine.
He lead alright... he lead the elderly to their deaths with his actions.
Despite the Governor's false claims of defeating COVID-19, reality hasn't been too kind. Read the whole article (linked under this image), to get a full list on the deception of this Governor.
Sexual Harassment Allegations:
In addition to the Nursing Home Scandal, Governor Cuomo faces seven (so far) accusations of sexual misconduct. On December 13, 2020, Lindsey Boylan, a former aide for Governor Cuomo who is a Democratic candidate for Manhattan Borough president in 2021, alleged "[Governor Cuomo] sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched." Boylan further alleged that Governor Cuomo "exists without ethics", "takes advantage of people, including me" and ran a "toxic team environment". A spokesperson for the Cuomo administration denied the accusation. Boylan further elaborated on her accusations in February 2021, claiming Governor Cuomo goaded her to play strip poker with him while on a flight in 2017 and forcibly kissed her on the mouth in his Manhattan office, the Governor's office said Boylan's claims were false.
On February 27, 2021, Charlotte Bennett, an executive assistant and health policy advisor of Governor Cuomo, also accused him of sexual harassment, saying that he asked her about her sex life on several occasions in late Spring 2020 and if she had been in sexual relationships with older men. She also suggested that Governor Cuomo was open to relationships with women "above the age of 22". In a statement on February 27, Governor Cuomo denied making advances to Bennett and acting inappropriately towards her. In a February 28 statement, Governor Cuomo said: "I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended." He apologized and acknowledged "some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation."
He also said, "At work sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business." On March 1, a third woman came forward alleging Governor Cuomo had sexually harassed her and touched her without consent on her bare lower back. Anna Ruch was not on the Governor's staff, but encountered him socially at a wedding reception in September 2019. The Attorney General of New York State, Letitia James, was reported to be investigating options for an independent investigation. A fourth woman came forward on March 6 and alleged Governor Cuomo had touched her inappropriately on her lower back and kissed her hand.
That same day, a fifth woman came forward, claiming that he hugged her too long and too tightly. On March 9, a sixth woman alleged that Governor Cuomo inappropriately touched her at the governor's mansion. On March 11, 2021, the Democratic-controlled New York Assembly approved an impeachment investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations made against Governor Cuomo. On March 12, a seventh woman came forward, claiming he reached under her shirt while she was at his mansion.
Articles of Impeachment that I would vote "aye" on, if I were serving in the New York State Assembly, or "Guilty", if I were serving in the New York State Senate:
Article I: Reckless Homicide
"Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo sent elderly COVID-19 positive patients into nursing homes, and forbade tests being done unto them before they were admitted, and knew that the nursing homes would become a super- spreader location, leading to the deaths of 6,000 nursing home residents died from COVID-19. The actions of the Governor -in context- set in course a death trap for New Yorkers who were most at risk from the coronavirus. Wherefore, Andrew Mark Cuomo, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to public health, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. Andrew Mark Cuomo thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the State of New York."
I'm certain that the language would be more formal, but you get the idea.
Article II: Falsifying Records
"Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo, in his capacity as Governor of the State of New York, engaged in a conspiracy with his administrative staff to decieve the people of New York -and the United States at large- by intentionally underreporting the number of nursing home deaths that he -as Governor- was responsible for due to his executive actions of requiring nursing homes to admit patients, and barring any testing of them. The Governor underreported nursing home deaths by 50%, out of a desire to avoid a federal investigation, and to avoid being the subject of political attacks. The Governor imperiled public trust and public health in so doing, intentionally misleading the public on the serverity of the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in thousands of deaths, and thousands of infections. Wherefore, Andrew Mark Cuomo, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to public health, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. Andrew Mark Cuomo thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the State of New York."
I was going to draft "Article III: Sexual Harassment", but I'll hold off on that, and I'd say that if the charges are proven, then he could be arrested on those charges. For Governor Cuomo to removed from office, a simple majority (76-74) of the State Assembly would need to vote in favor of adopting articles of impeachment. The Senate (with the exeception of the temporary President/Majority Leader, as well as the Lieutenant Governor), and all seven of the Judges on the New York Court of Appeals would sit together as a Court of Impeachment. A two thirds majority (46-23) would have to vote "Guilty" for him to be removed, and by a simple majority (35-34) would be required to disqualify the ousted Governor. Currently, Democrats control both chambers of the Legislature with a 2/3 majority, and with all Republicans and a growing number of Democrats, it's not out of the question that Andrew Mark Cuomo could become the second Governor in New York history, and the then U.S Governor to be removed from office through impeachment. In the end, the Governor has been proven (by the A.G's report) to have lied about the number of COVID-19 deaths, and he has been proven to have sent elderly people to their deaths with his nursing home policies.
He needs to either resign, or be removed. Either sounds good, to me. Ciao.
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