BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - The chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee said the impeachment investigation into Governor Andrew Cuomo will take months.
“At this early stage it’s not possible to say precisely how long the investigation will take,” Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Lavine said. “After all, these counsel have only been working us for less than a week right now. Given the breath and seriousness of the issues under investigation, we expect the timing will be in terms of months, rather than weeks.”
Davis Polk & Wardwell Law Firm is leading the impeachment probe in the New York State Assembly. New York Attorney General Letitia James is conducting a separate investigation into the governor.
The Assembly’s probe will not only investigate the multiple claims of sexual harassment by the governor, but also allegations of misrepresenting or withholding data related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as nursing homes. Investigators will also look at whether there was information withheld by the governor or his office about the Mario Cuomo bridge and other related investigations.
“Davis Polk is one of the premiere enforcement and investigation law firms in the world,” Lavine said. “They have unparalleled experience investigating high profile allegations of fraud, corruption, obstruction, and other matters of extreme sensitivity…In just the last three years alone, they’ve conducted more than 20 sensitive investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.”
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Still, the hiring of the law firm raised eyebrows. One of the governor’s accusers called the Assembly investigation a “sham” and another said they had no intention of cooperating with the investigation due to a perceived conflict of interest. Dennis Glazer, a former partner at the law firm, was appointed by Cuomo to serve on the board of directors at SUNY Purchase. Glazer is also the husband of Janet DiFiore, the Chief Judge of the New York State Supreme Court.
Assemblywoman Monica Wallace was among the local lawmakers who asked about the perceived conflict of interest.
“In order for the public to have confidence in our results, the public has to have confidence in the process and the investigation,” Wallace said.
Angela Burgess, one of the investigators from Davis Polk & Wardwell, said there is no conflict of interest.
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“We have a very robust process within Davis Polk for ensuring that for any assignment that we take on, we do not begin that matter with any conflicts of interest,” Burgess said. “We do a search throughout the firm and our management committee to make sure there are no conflicts of interest that would, either as a matter of ethics of appearance, create an issue.”
She later said that Glazer left the law firm in 2012 and has not been involved with the firm since.
“Certainly not with respect to this matter has he, nor will he, going forward,” Burgess said.
Lavine said there are plans for the Assembly’s probe to be transparent, though he also said discussions between the law firm’s findings and the Assembly will be done in executive session, closed door meetings that cannot be made public.
“Due process is not just a precept,” Lavine said. “It’s not just at the heart of what makes us New Yorkers tick, it’s at the heart of our American democracy as well.”