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u.s. news Diahuebs 5 augustus 2021

Majority of NY Assembly would oust Cuomo if he doesn't quit

(AP) — A majority of state clusions about whether he
Assembly members sup- should be criminally charged, At least 40 of the Assembly
port beginning impeach- investigators left the door members who say they are
ment proceedings against open for local prosecutors to ready to start impeachment
Gov. Andrew Cuomo if he bring cases. proceedings are Democrats.
doesn’t resign over inves-
tigative findings that he “We are reviewing the deep- As New York went through
sexually harassed at least ly disturbing findings,” said a harrowing coronavirus
11 women, according to Joyce A. Smith, the acting dis- surge in spring 2020, Cuo-
an Associated Press count trict attorney in Long Island’s mo’s daily briefings garnered
Wednesday. Nassau County. She pledged him fans around the country
her office would “thoroughly and an International Emmy
At least 82 of the body’s 150 and expeditiously investigate Award. Casting himself as a
members have said publicly any potential crimes” that tough-minded yet compas-
or told The AP that they fa- happened there. sionate leader who steered
vored initiating the process of the state through its biggest
ousting the third-term Dem- After James released her re- public health emergency in
ocratic governor if he doesn’t port Tuesday, Democrats a century, the governor even
quit. A simple majority of As- from the statehouse to the wrote a book about it. cles are sent over,” he said. “It a “clear picture” of a gover-
sembly members is needed White House called for Cuo- could happen very quickly.” nor who touched or made
to authorize an impeachment mo to go, with President Joe Now, that book itself is sexually inappropriate com-
trial. Biden saying the governor among the focuses of inves- The 150-member Assem- ments to a series of women,
should resign. But he showed tigations into Cuomo, with bly would need 76 votes to many of whom worked for
Cuomo has denied that he no signs of heeding them, James examining the role impeach Cuomo and send him. One is a state trooper
made any inappropriate saying that some episodes some of his aides played in articles of impeachment to whom Cuomo successfully
sexual advances and insisted described in the report never producing it. the Senate. The Assembly sought to have assigned to his
the findings didn’t reflect happened, others were mis- includes 106 Democrats, 43 security detail.
the facts. But while politi- construed or mischaracter- As complaints and investiga- Republicans and one Inde-
cal pressure grew, so did the ized and the whole exercise tions accumulated in recent pendent. While many of the allegations
potential for criminal charges was tainted. months, Cuomo became an against Cuomo involve ver-
against Cuomo, who basked embattled but unabashed fig- At least two dozen Assembly bal comments, some women
in national attention last year “Politics and bias are inter- ure. He often still touts the Democrats called for im- have also alleged that he gave
as the blunt-but-relatable woven throughout every as- state’s handling of the pan- peachment in public state- them unwanted kisses or
voice of fighting the coro- pect of this situation,” he said demic despite now-rising in- ments issued Tuesday, ac- touches. One aide said the
navirus in an early U.S. hot- in a recorded video response. fection rates amid a national cording to a tally compiled by governor reached under her
spot, only to see his political surge in the more infectious The Associated Press. Some shirt and groped her breast
future imperiled a year later. Assembly Democrats, who delta variant. said the Assembly should at the governor’s mansion in
lead the chamber, debated vote for impeachment now, Albany.
District attorneys in Manhat- virtually for hours Tuesday If the Assembly votes to im- while others said the cham-
tan, suburban Westchester about whether to impeach peach Cuomo, the state Sen- ber should impeach Cuomo The governor denied Tues-
and Nassau counties and the the governor now, wait to ate could launch an impeach- if he doesn’t resign. day that he ever inappropri-
state capital of Albany said see whether he resigns, or ment trial “in weeks,” Deputy ately touched anyone, said
they asked for investigative give the Assembly Judiciary Majority Leader Mike Giana- Assembly Republican Leader that he never intended harm
materials from the inquiry, Committee time to wrap up ris told The Associated Press. Will Barclay urged Speaker and cast doubt on the politi-
overseen by Democratic its wide-ranging investiga- Carl Heastie, a Democrat, cal motivations of investiga-
state Attorney General Letitia tion into topics from sexual Gianaris, a Democrat, said to convene an emergency tors, accusers and critics.
James. misconduct to the Cuomo the chamber has been prepar- special session to vote to im-
administration’s monthslong ing for a potential impeach- peach Cuomo. To date, Cuomo has rebuffed
James’ investigation found obfuscation of the total num- ment trial for months. calls to step down and has
that Cuomo had violated ber of nursing home resi- James’ investigation, con- moved ahead with plans to
civil laws against sexual ha- dents who died from CO- “We’ll be ready to go if and ducted by two outside law- run for a fourth term in 2022.
rassment. Making no con- VID-19. when the impeachment arti- yers, painted what she called

Man who fatally stabbed Pentagon officer had troubled past

(AP) — As officials seek more likely the act of a trou- ters on lockdown and rattled as “inappropriate photo-
clues about what prompt- Austin William Lanz, 27, was bled, violence-prone indi- the nerves of a region already graphs and notes.” He left
ed a Georgia man to fa- arrested last April for a break- vidual than part of a broader primed to be on high alert without taking anything, ac-
tally stab a Pentagon in at a neighbor’s home and conspiracy. for violence and potential in- cording to arrest reports and
police officer, details of drew police attention months truders outside federal gov- court filings.
the suspect’s troubled earlier for an ongoing harass- The FBI on Wednesday said ernment buildings, particu-
past emerged Wednesday ment campaign involving the burst of violence began larly after the Jan. 6 riot at the After the homeowner provid-
through interviews and sexually explicit photos and around 10:40 a.m. Tuesday U.S. Capitol. Defense Secre- ed the video to law enforce-
court records. messages, according to inter- when Lanz exited a bus at the tary Lloyd Austin said flags at ment, Lanz was arrested and
views and records obtained Pentagon Transit Center and the Pentagon would be flown booked on charges of bur-
by The Associated Press. immediately stabbed Gon- at half-staff while the White glary and trespassing charges.
zalez without provocation. House saluted Gonzalez as When informed he was being
Investigators have not re- The two struggled and Lanz having “lost his life protect- charged, Lanz objected to the
vealed a motive in the am- shot himself with Gonzalez’s ing those who protect the na- arresting officer, saying, “but
bush-style killing of Penta- weapon. Other “officers en- tion.” I didn’t take anything,” ac-
gon police officer George gaged the subject, who ulti- cording to the arrest report.
Gonzalez, 37. But Lanz’s past mately died at the scene,” the He was recorded on video He then went on to make
brushes with the law, and FBI said. by the security system roam- statements to a police officer
neighbors’ accounts of recent ing the house for 13 minutes, about how planes had been
menacing behavior, appear The attack temporarily placed turning on all the lights and flying over the neighborhood
to suggest the violence was the U.S. military headquar- leaving what were described and tracking his cellphone.