New York Assembly calls off Cuomo impeachment probe, leaving open possibility the disgraced governor could run for office again

• The NY Assembly suspended its impeachment investigation after Gov. Cuomo said he would resign.
• Heastie said on Friday the investigation uncovered evidence of impeachable offenses.
• Without impeachment, Cuomo could run for office in NY again, which he hasn't ruled out.

New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced in a Friday press release that the Assembly is suspending its investigation into Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Heastie said this move was prompted by the governor's resignation, which will take effect on August 25. He also said that NY Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine said that impeachment would be unconstitutional once Cuomo leaves office.

But Heastie also noted that the impeachment investigation uncovered evidence of misconduct, including sexual harassment, "the misuse of state resources in relation to the publication of the governor's memoir," and misleading disclosure of data about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

All of those, in addition to alleged safety concerns with the Mario Cuomo Bridge, were scandals months in the making that had been plaguing Cuomo.

"The evidence - we believe - could likely have resulted in article of impeachment had he not resigned," said Heastie. The committee will now turn over evidence to law enforcement, per the statement.

-Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) August 13, 2021

The decision to suspend the impeachment investigation means Cuomo could run for office in New York in the future, which some suspect the governor may attempt to do. A recent poll found Cuomo with a wide lead over potential challengers in 2022.

-David Freedlander (@freedlander) August 9, 2021

Heastie was accused by critics in the legislature of dragging his heels on the impeachment investigation, which had minimal developments before New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation dropped.

The constitutional issue did not deter some of Cuomo's strongest opponents on both sides of the aisle from wanting to pursue some sort of sanction measures against the governor with what the impeachment investigation had already uncovered.

However, with the Cuomo dynasty ending and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul taking over the week after next, lawmakers in Albany have their first chance in months to get down to business without the shadow of gubernatorial scandals looming over them.