In a renewed effort to charge Andrew Cuomo in the nursing home crisis, House Republicans have escalated their accusations against the former New York Governor. The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is calling out Cuomo for allegedly lying to Congress about his involvement in the COVID nursing home crisis.
This isn’t the first time Cuomo has been in hot water over this issue. The subcommittee had initially referred him for possible criminal prosecution last October, citing what they determined to be criminally false statements made to Congress regarding the undercounting of nursing home deaths. However, the Department of Justice, under the previous administration, chose not to act on this referral. Undeterred, the subcommittee has resurfaced the issue once again, claiming that Cuomo’s statements were indeed criminally false.
The crux of the matter revolves around Cuomo’s alleged denials during his transcribed testimony last summer. The House Republicans assert that Cuomo denied any involvement in the drafting or reviewing of the report during this testimony, a claim that is contradicted by documents in their possession. Furthermore, Cuomo purportedly denied discussing the peer review of the July 6 report, despite evidence to the contrary. The committee also alleges that Cuomo misled Congress when he claimed he did not know individuals outside the health department involved in the report’s creation.
Adding fuel to the fire, the panel presented handwritten notes on a draft of the July 6 report, believed to be penned by a former executive assistant to Cuomo. Additionally, an email from June 23, 2020, reportedly showed the assistant forwarding the governor’s edits for review. These pieces of evidence are being used to bolster the case against Cuomo.
In response to the renewed referral, a spokesperson for Cuomo dismissed the allegations as “meritless lawfare,” attributing the move to political motivations. The spokesperson pointed out that similar referrals had been made against other prominent figures without the need for resubmission under a new administration. Cuomo’s camp insists that the accusations lack substance and are merely a product of political maneuvering.
The Cuomo administration’s policy regarding nursing homes, particularly in the early stages of the pandemic, has been a subject of intense scrutiny. Requiring these facilities to readmit recovering COVID-19 patients was a controversial decision aimed at preventing hospital overload, a move that has since come under harsh criticism. As the saga continues, the spotlight remains fixed on Cuomo and the unfolding legal battle surrounding his actions during the nursing home crisis.
