Investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 Handling

The Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump, has initiated a criminal investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. He faces accusations of providing misleading information about his management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to reports from The New York Times, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington began this inquiry nearly a month ago, particularly after DOJ senior officials requested to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

This investigation was partly prompted by Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He called for Cuomo to be prosecuted for comments he made during the committee’s investigation into his actions related to the pandemic, particularly concerning nursing homes.

Cuomo had directed that over 9,000 recovering COVID-19 patients be discharged from hospitals to nursing homes in New York state. In March 2020, he issued a directive that barred nursing homes from refusing patients who had tested positive for the virus, but later rescinded it amidst growing concerns that it may have exacerbated the situation.

Brad Wenstrup, a former representative from Ohio and the then-chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, claimed that Cuomo had made “multiple criminally false statements” regarding his management of nursing home deaths during the 2020 pandemic.

Currently, Cuomo is running for the mayoral position in New York, competing against Adams, who is seeking re-election as an independent candidate. Cuomo is among 11 Democrats vying for their party’s nomination in the primary scheduled for June 24.