Cuomo attorney assails AG James, asks to see Assembly impeachment report before it goes public

ALBANY, N.Y. — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s attorney wants the chance to review the state Assembly’s soon-to-be-released impeachment report before it’s made public.

Cuomo’s attorney Rita Glavin said Thursday she wants to see all the evidence collected by the law firm contracted to probe a host of allegations against the disgraced Democrat.

“The fact that we have not been given access to the evidence puts us in a position where we can not respond adequately,” she said during a virtual news conference.

The pitch comes as the Assembly readies to release the results of its aborted impeachment probe, which is expected to back many of the damning sexual harassment allegations outlined in an August report from investigators working under Attorney General Letitia James.

Lawmakers, who cut their work short when Cuomo resigned three months ago, were also probing the misconduct claims as well as several other scandals that engulfed his administration including allegations that family and associates of the ex-governor received preferential treatment for COVID-19 testing, issues related to the former governor’s $5.1 million pandemic-themed book and problems with the construction of the Mario Cuomo Bridge.

Glavin also called on Assembly to redact any information they have that may overlap with other investigations, noting in particular that federal prosecutors from the U.S. Eastern District are currently probing the Cuomo administration’s “reporting on COVID data.”

Cuomo and health officials have faced intense criticism over how the state failed to provide accurate information about nursing home deaths to lawmakers and the public at the height of the pandemic.

Members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee are meeting this week to review a draft version of the impeachment report, drafted by attorneys with Davis Polk & Wardwell who interview hundreds of witnesses.

The report “is going to be available to the public for public consideration in the next few days,” Democratic Assemblyman Charles Lavine, chair of the judiciary panel, told Spectrum News.

Glavin, meanwhile, once again went on the offensive against James, calling on her to recuse herself from any further investigations related to Cuomo and any decisions about amending the Aug. 3 report that torpedoed the former governor’s political future.

Cuomo’s legal team has repeatedly assailed James, who announced her own run for governor last month, arguing that her political ambitions clouded the independent investigation into Cuomo’s behavior.

“Her judgment was absolutely compromised because of her political considerations,” Glavin said, adding that the report was intended to “inflict damage” on Cuomo.

James made thousands of pages of transcripts from the probe public last week, something Glavin had called for in the past.

Glavin dismissed comparisons between James and Cuomo when asked about the fact that when serving as attorney general himself, Cuomo investigated former Gov. David Patterson.

James’ office is conducting a criminal investigation into whether Cuomo illegally enlisted staffers to assist with his pandemic-themed memoir last year. Earlier this week the state’s ethics panel voted to rescind approval of the $5.1 million book deal, meaning Cuomo must reapply or forfeit millions and face penalties.

Cuomo, meanwhile, is scheduled to appear in court in early January to face misdemeanor groping charges filed after a former aide accused him of fondling her at the Executive Mansion late last year.

Asked what the endgame is for the former governor, Glavin did not rule out legal action.

“This is about truth,” she said. “He wants me to fight for the truth and that’s what I do. All options are on the table here and this may result in some type of us pursuing some type of legal action.”