Yahoo Autos Cuomo reverses course, asks New York Attorney General and top judge to appoint independent investigator over sexual harassment claims
New York Attorney General Letitia James asked Gov. Cuomo to allow her office to investigate claims against him.
Two former staffers have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment.
Numerous lawmakers, including Biden, have called for an independent investigation into the claims.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said he planned to revise his widely criticized plan to have a former federal judge with ties to a longtime ally investigate sexual harassment claims against him, but the New York attorney general said she did not accept his plan.
In a Sunday press release, Cuomo's office said he would ask New York Attorney General Letitia James and Janet DiFiore, the chief judge on the highest court in New York, to name "a jointly select an independent and qualified lawyer in private practice without political affiliation to conduct a thorough review of the matter and issue a public report."
"We had selected former Federal Judge Barbara Jones, with a stellar record for qualifications and integrity, but we want to avoid even the perception of a lack of independence or inference of politics," his office said in a statement, referencing the criticism to his initial plan.
Cuomo's announcement Sunday drew a near-immediate backlash, however, because of Cuomo's ties to DiFiore, whom he nominated for her current position atop the New York State Court of Appeals in 2015. Political insiders have previously accused Cuomo of intervening to help DiFiore's daughter, Alexandra Murphy, secure a seat on the state Supreme Court, the New York Law Journal reported earlier in February.
James said Sunday she did not accept Cuomo's latest proposal.
"The state's Executive Law clearly gives my office the authority to investigate this matter once the governor provides a referral," she said in a tweet. "While I have deep respect for Chief Judge DiFiore, I am the duly elected attorney general and it is my responsibility to carry out this task. The governor must provide this referral so an independent investigation with subpoena power can be conducted."
