New York state Senate votes to strip Gov. Cuomo of emergency powers

New York state lawmakers moved Friday to rescind the emergency powers they granted to Gov. Andrew Cuomo to handle the coronavirus pandemic as outrage over his sexual harassment and nursing home cover-up scandals continues to mount.

The New York state Senate backed the new restrictions on Cuomo’s executive authority by a 43-20 vote on Friday afternoon. The state Assembly is scheduled to take up the measure later today and is widely expected to follow suit.

Both chambers are dominated by Democrats. The measure would then be signed by Cuomo.

“The public deserves to have checks and balances,” Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) said. “This legislation creates a system with increased input while at the same time ensuring New Yorkers continue to be protected.”

The measure would ban Cuomo from creating any new directives without the Legislature’s approval and would bar the extension of any existing directives unless they are deemed “critical” to public health.

The vote fell along party lines with the Democrats in the Senate backing the legislation.

The chamber’s Republicans — long critical of Cuomo ... (Read more)

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