Impeachment off the table for Cuomo after his resignation

On Friday, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced that the Assembly will "suspend" its impeachment investigation into Governor Andrew Cuomo following his shocking announcement earlier this week that he will be resigning from office amidst his sexual harassment scandal.

"After consulting with Chair Lavine and my majority colleagues, the Assembly will suspend its impeachment investigation upon the governor's resignation taking effect on August 25," said Heastie in a statement released by his office Friday.

According to the statement, Heastie said that "we have been advised by Chair Lavine—with the assistance of counsel—of the belief that the constitution does not authorize the legislature to impeach and remove an elected official who is no longer in office."

The decision to suspend the investigation comes just days after Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he would be resigning from his post after the 168-page report from Attorney General Letitia James's office found that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women.

In his statement, Heastie revealed that the investigation had uncovered "credible evidence in relation to allegations that have been made in reference to the governor."

"Underscoring the depth of this investigation, this evidence concerned not only sexual harassment and misconduct but also the misuse of state resources in relation to the publication of the governor's memoir as well as improper and misleading disclosure of nursing home data during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Heastie.

"This evidence—we believe—could likely have resulted in articles of impeachment had he not resigned," he continued.

Heastie said that he has advised Chair Lavine to hand over any evidence uncovered to relevant investigatory authorities who have launched separate independent investigations into Cuomo's actions.