He added, “His response has indicated to me that he is fixated on getting his version out.”
The State Assembly, which Democrats control, had launched a sprawling impeachment investigation into Mr. Cuomo in March that focused not only on the sexual harassment claims but also on the governor’s handling of nursing home deaths data during the pandemic and his possible use of state resources to write a book on leadership that netted him $5.1 million last year.
The inquiry was moving slowly, but gained urgency after Ms. James, the state attorney general, unveiled her 165-page report last week. The report’s findings, based on a monthslong investigation conducted by outside lawyers deputized by Ms. James, brought immediate additional support for impeachment in the Assembly, including among those who had been previously hesitant.
On Saturday, the attorney general’s office began handing over volumes of evidence from its investigation to the Assembly, including transcripts from interviews with witnesses and troves of documents, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The governor and his team have until Friday to submit additional evidence in his defense before the conclusion of the investigation.
Mr. Cuomo’s lawyers have criticized the attorney general’s investigation as biased, politically motivated and rushed, saying it was conducted to fit a “predetermined narrative” about Mr. Cuomo’s behavior. In public appearances, they have particularly tried to dismantle Ms. Commisso’s story and that of Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to openly accuse the governor. They have also asked the attorney general’s office for the underlying evidence from the investigation.
The judiciary committee could convene again on Aug. 16 and, by Aug. 23, lawmakers could finalize a schedule of hearings to present the evidence against the governor to the public, said the person, who requested anonymity to discuss ongoing deliberations among lawmakers.
The purpose of the hearings, which could last several days, will be to determine whether there is cause to believe Mr. Cuomo engaged in impeachable conduct, which the State Constitution defines very vaguely.
