White Plains CitizeNetReporter

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“I stand with all the women who have been humiliated, demeaned, and assaulted by Governor Cuomo, as
confirmed by the Attorney General’s independent investigative report, and I call on Governor Cuomo to
immediately resign.

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2021. Special to WPCNR from the Westchester Republican Party. August 4, 2021:

Christine Schulti, The Republican Candidate for County Executive issued this statement on the ongoing Governor Cuomo situation today:

“I stand with all the women who have been humiliated, demeaned, and assaulted by Governor Cuomo, as
confirmed by the Attorney General’s independent investigative report, and I call on Governor Cuomo to
immediately resign.

Sadly, I am not surprised that it took until now for Mr. Latimer to break his silence and condemn the
Governor’s behavior. After a decade in Albany as one of Cuomo’s closest allies – and given how
pervasive Governor Cuomo’s behavior is now known to have been – one wonders what Latimer knew
and when he knew it.

George Latimer’s reputation as one of Andrew Cuomo’s top enablers is known
and he is now working overtime to distance himself from the disgraced
governor. Westchester voters won’t be fooled. George Latimer is Andrew
Cuomo’s handpicked County Executive. During George Latimer’s inauguration,
Cuomo even bragged that he was sharing a “secret” and boasted of his invitation
to Latimer for coffee at the Governor’s Mansion, where Cuomo recruited
Latimer to run for county executive.

While many courageous Democrats called for the Governor’s resignation months ago, George Latimer
remained silent until the very same day President Biden, the entire Democratic Congressional
Delegation – and even Cuomo’s own Lieutenant Governor – stated the obvious and repudiated him.
Simply put, Latimer was the last man in line to break with his closest political ally.

Westchester voters should also know that Latimer has chosen to ignore: the Moreland Commission
(Cuomo corrupted his own anti-corruption commission), a $5 million book deal to profit from his alleged
“leadership” during Covid, Cuomo’s senior associates indicted and incarcerated, renaming the Tappan
Zee Bridge and worst of all the 15,000 senior deaths (and subsequent coverup) following Cuomo’s order
to place Covid patients in nursing homes, for which he should be prosecuted. After a decade of
swimming comfortably in Albany’s cesspool, George Latimer has failed to demonstrate any leadership
on any of these vital issues.

(Editor’s Note: Governor Cuomo has long defended his sending covid patients back to nursing homes, saying nursing homes were asked if they could care for their own patients coming back from the hospitals. If the nursing homes had said they could not care for these patients, they would not have been sent there.)

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. Special to WPCNR August 4, 2021:

WPCNR has learned the long medical coverage standoff between Montefiore Hospital, new owners of White Plains Hospital refusing to honor United Medical Resoures UMR the Unithed Health Care affiliate, coverage held by county employees was not accepted initially by the Montefiore insurance network has been settled.

County employees were notified by the county that Montefiore has settled with the county and now the Montefiore-owned White Plains Hospital will accept county employees medical coverage. The agreement “restores in-network access to all eligible County employees, retirees and their dependents who have UMR coverage.”

Covered county employees are now able to continue to use their UMR insurance card, by telling providers they are part of the “UMR Westchester County Government Plan” when calling to make appointments.

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WPCNR CUOMO CRISIS ROUNDUP: From the Wires. August 4, 2022:

WHEC-TV Rochester reported today that Westchester District Attorney Miriam Rocah will review the Leticia James “investigation materials” the Attorney General found “very credible” Tuesday that the Investigative Report cited in determining the Governor guilty of sexually harassing 11 women.

 WHEC-TV reported the Westchester D.A. is interested in determining if Governor Cuomo “committed any criminal sexual misconduct while in her jurisdiction.”

NBC News, the station reported, said a letter revealed Rocah’s office is looking into an alleged incident Cuomo had with a female state trooper while in the county.

WHEC-TV notes “any police agency or District Attorney may review the report and decide whether to move forward with criminal charges.  Women who testified can decide whether to move forward with a civil charge.”

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office of Cyrus Vance, Jr, David Soares D.A. of Albany County and the Nassau County District Attorney’s office are also requesting the report for review.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the New York State Assembly yesterday gave this statement:

“After our conference this afternoon (Tuesday) to discuss the Attorney General’s report concerning sexual harassment allegations against Governor Cuomo, it is abundantly clear to me that the Governor has lost the confidence of the Assembly Democratic majority and that he can no longer remain in office,” Speaker Carl Heastie (D) said in a statement. “Once we receive all relevant documents and evidence from the Attorney General, we will move expeditiously and look to conclude our impeachment investigation as quickly as possible.”

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POLITCO reported Tuesday that State Attorney General Leticia James in a news conference this morning said she found

all 11 women accusing the Governor of sexually harrassing incidents towards them “credible.” She announced the ivestigators’ report found Governor Andrew Cuomo engaged in “inappropriate touching,” and “offensive and sexual” comments .

“I am inspired by all the brave women who came forward, but more importantly, I believe them, and I thank them for their bravery, ” the Attorney General said.

Governor Cuomo denied the incidents again in a news conference this afternoon, saying these will be “settled in a court of law.” He said he would not resign at this time.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins issued this statement:

“This report highlights unacceptable behavior by Governor Cuomo and his administration. As I said when these disturbing allegations first came to light, the Governor must resign for the good of the state. Now that the investigation is complete and the allegations have been sustained, it should be clear to everyone that he can no longer serve as Governor,”

Assemblyman Chris Burdick of the 93rd Assembly District also called for the Governor’s resignation moments ago

“The Attorney General’s report, following a thorough and impartial review by independent investigators of the allegations against Governor Cuomo, determined that he sexually harassed multiple women, violating state and federal laws. These findings are both credible and disturbing. Such behavior would be inappropriate for anyone, but that it was committed by the state’s Chief Executive makes it absolutely inexcusable. I commend all those who came forward to share their stories, and I applaud them for their bravery. No one should be subjected to a culture of harassment, toxicity and retaliation. The Governor must resign immediately.

If the Governor refuses to resign, as a member of the Assembly I call on the Assembly Judiciary Committee to immediately introduce articles of impeachment and for the full Assembly to adopt them.”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer issued this statement: “The Attorney General’s findings are clear and compelling.  The Governor must resign.  The patterns of sexually harassing, intimidating and inappropriate behavior towards women cannot be tolerated.”

The Westchester County Board of Legislators issued this statement:

“The conclusion of independent investigators, as described in the report released Tuesday by Attorney General Letitia James, that “the Governor engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law,” makes it untenable for him to remain in the position of the highest authority in New York.

We cannot tolerate sexual harassment, intimidation and retaliation in any workplace, let alone in the State’s Executive Chamber. We call on Governor Cuomo to resign immediately, and if necessary, for the State Legislature to take appropriate action; and we commend the women who came forward to speak with investigators for their courage.”

The New York Congressional Delegation, Senators Gillebrand and Schumer and Congressman Mondaire Jones followed up on their March reaction to the charges and now the finding:

“As we have said before, the reported actions of the Governor were profoundly disturbing, inappropriate and completely unacceptable. Today’s report from the New York State Attorney General substantiated and corroborated the allegations of the brave women who came forward to share their stories — and we commend the women for doing so.

“The New York State Attorney General has conducted an independent, thorough and professional investigation that found the Governor violated state and federal law, had a pattern of sexually harassing current and former employees, retaliated against at least one of the accusers and created a hostile work environment.

“No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”

Congressman Mondaire Jones of the Congressional District 17 interviewed on CNN issued this statement:

New York State Attorney General Tish James’ report that found Governor Cuomo sexually harassed current and former New York State employees and violated state and federal law, Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY) reiterated his call for the Governor to resign in an interview on CNN’s Inside Politics with John King. 

The full interview can be found here. 

In another development yesterday, Hezi Aris, Editor of The Yonkers Tribune reported that James has closed her investigation, saying it is up to the courts and the state legislature to decide how to move forward. He also suggests the political landscape has been turned upside down and that Hillary Clinton has become the front runner for governor in certain circles. Here is his analysis (reprinted with permission):

Attorney General Letitia James has released a long-awaited report outlining her office’s investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The report under the aegis of attorneys Anne Clark and Joon Kim confirmed the accounts by women who had already come forward and included new information and accounts from additional women, including a state trooper in Cuomo’s protective detail.

James advised that investigators Clark and Kim had interviewed 179 people, 11 complainants and reviewed 74,000 pieces of evidence, including audio files, documents, images and texts.

James office advised the conclusion of the investigation concluded the investigation. She said it is now up to local prosecutors, police departments, as well as legislators to determine future conduct and ramifications gathered.

James said, “I am inspired by all the brave women who came forward, more importantly I believe them.”

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, has previously called for Cuomo to step down. “The Governor must resign for the good of the state,” concluded Stewart-Cousins.

Read the NYS Attorney General’s Report 

NYS AG James is expected to be pushed out of the running (for governor) eclipsed by none other than former First Lady Hillary Clinton, diminishing the prospects for Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano’s game plan because he was contemplating a run for NYS Lieutenant Governor under Letitia James. James’ prospects are unlikely with the prowess of Clinton climbing to the forefront.

NYS Republican Gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino is likely to evaporate because of Hillary Clinton’s climb to the top eclipsing all other by name recognition and financial capacity.

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WPCNR VAX REPORT. By John F. Bailey, based on the New York Covid-19 VACCINATION TRACKER. August 2, 2021:

Westchester County effort to vaccinate more Westchester citizens against coronavirus reports 6,298 total vaccinations were given since last Thursday (July 29) through Sunday, August 1.

The number of Westchester residents now with two doses of the Covid Vaccine, (making them fully vaccinated) is reported as 598,235 compared with last Thursday morning (595,240), indicates 2,997 received second shots.

Persons receiving first shots over the last three days (now with first dose of the vaccine) rose from 649,898 to 653,829.

In the last 4 weeks, vaccinations have averaged 7,000 a week (first and second shots).

The over the week total 6,298 is an increase in interest getting the shots and perhaps will see more persons coming in for shots to perhaps double the 7,000 shots a week of the previous three weeks.