New York’s new legislative session will kick off under a lingering cloud of scandals involving lawmakers, prompting concern from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that people will lose faith in the state Legislature.

Cuomo told reporters Monday that trust in the Legislature is eroding because of bad acts by lawmakers.

Cuomo will deliver his State of the State address Wednesday to the Legislature. The speech comes weeks after Buffalo-area Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak was accused by former aides of harassing them so severely they had to quit.

Gabryszak’s lawyer said his client will defend himself against the civil litigation and seek the remedies available to him in the Legislature.

There also have been lawmakers in both the Assembly and the state Senate charged in recent years after federal public corruption investigations.

(AP)