Gov. Andrew Cuomo repeatedly huddled with lawyers in his Manhattan office this week to get ready for his grilling this weekend over allegations he sexually harassed current and former female aides, according to a report Friday.
Cuomo spent several days preparing to be questioned Saturday by outside lawyers hired by state Attorney General Letitia James, the Albany Times Union said.
The three-term Democrat is expected to be placed under oath prior to giving answers, the Times Union said, citing unidentified sources.
That move would expose Cuomo to potential perjury charges were he to make any intentionally false statements.
Details of the high-stakes showdown in Albany remained unclear, including where and when it will take place and whether there’s any time limit on the questioning.
James hired former Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim and leading employment-discrimination lawyer Anne Clark to conduct the independent investigation as part of an agreement with Cuomo’s office.
James is expected to issue a report on the probe’s findings before the end of the summer, the New York Times reported Thursday.
In addition to the AG’s investigation, federal authorities are probing Cuomo’s handling of nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic — including his administration’s admitted cover-up of the total number of resident deaths — as well the governor’s $5.1 million deal for his coronavirus memoir.
The state Assembly’s Judiciary Committee is also conducting a wide-ranging impeachment investigation and last month unanimously voted to begin issuing subpoenas for witnesses to be questioned under oath.
When given an opportunity to comment on the Times Union report, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi reissued a Thursday statement that said, “We have said repeatedly that the governor doesn’t want to comment on this review until he has cooperated, but the continued leaks are more evidence of the transparent political motivation of the Attorney General’s review.”
Cuomo — who is raising money for an expected re-election bid next year — has repeatedly denied any misconduct.
