March 9, 2021
From Assemblywoman Byrnes:
Assemblywoman Marjorie Byrnes (R,C-Caledonia) today called for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation. She said if the governor continues to refuse to do so, he should be impeached.
Byrnes was one of few lawmakers who opposed legislation in March 2020 to extend extraordinary emergency powers to the governor. As time went on, it became clear that the governor had used these powers to overextend his reach, passing over 200 orders, including an order that resulted in the deaths of over 15,000 nursing home patients. Despite numerous attempts by state lawmakers, the media and the public to obtain information (including Freedom of Information Requests and court orders), the Cuomo administration stonewalled attempts, lied and covered-up data. This has now been proven by recent reports from the state attorney general. The FBI and the Department of Justice are also investigating.
Further, a steady stream of elected officials and former employees have stepped forward to share their accounts of the governor’s harassment, threats and bullying. Five women have also stepped forward to share their accounts of inappropriate sexual misconduct by the governor which is now being investigated by the state attorney general.
On February 18, 2021, Byrnes and her colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference called for the creation of a commission to investigate whether impeachment should be pursued by the state Legislature. It is clear there is no other option if the governor will not resign. Byrnes also continues her on-going efforts to push for answers for constituents regarding the nursing home deaths by calling for independent legislative hearings on that matter. She further believes all allegations of sexual harassment should be vigorously investigated.
Although Democrats in the state Legislature were provided with multiple opportunities to completely revoke the governor’s emergency powers throughout the pandemic, and especially during recent weeks, they voted along party lines against the measure. Instead, they chose last week to support a measure, that the governor publicly endorsed, that would extend his powers indefinitely.
She issued the following statement:
“When we elect our representatives, it’s always a matter of trust. The governor has irrevocably broken that trust. The governor should resign in order to allow the business of the state to move forward during this precarious time. However, if he continues to put his own personal ambitions before the good of the people, he should be impeached.”
