Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faced criticism from fellow Democrats as he navigates a potential mayoral run in New York City. There are allegations, propagated by Republicans, that he misled Congress regarding his involvement in drafting a report from the New York Department of Health. This matter is currently under investigation by the Trump administration.
During a discussion on Wednesday night, Cuomo dismissed claims that he lied to Congress about the report, which is under scrutiny for allegedly downplaying the number of deaths in nursing homes due to COVID-19. Instead, he characterized the ongoing investigation as mere partisan politics, insisting that the report did not minimize the impact of the deaths.
Cuomo’s opponent, Michael Blake, remarked on the situation, pointing out that Cuomo failed to provide any clear answers about the allegations. Blake noted, “People are dead, but he still doesn’t answer your questions.”
Cuomo, on the defensive, stated, “No, I told the truth to Congress,” and maintained that they did not manipulate the death tolls. He claimed, “When all numbers are counted, we believe it’s number 38 out of 50,” suggesting that New York’s performance was favorable compared to other states.
However, his ambiguous responses prompted laughter among his critics. New York City Director Brad Lander claimed, “It’s perjury that Andrew Cuomo lied to Congress—he lied to the grieving families of those sent to nursing homes to protect his $5 million book deal.” He added charges of corruption.
Last month, the Trump Administration’s Department initiated a criminal investigation to determine whether Cuomo misrepresented his decisions during the pandemic, when he was still the governor.
Back in March 2020, Cuomo issued an order that prohibited nursing homes from refusing COVID-positive patients, aiming to free up beds in hospitals that were overwhelmed. Unfortunately, it resulted in over 9,000 coronavirus patients being sent to nursing homes, an order he later rescinded amid rising concerns about the outbreak.
A report from the New York State Secretary in March 2022 criticized Cuomo’s Health Department for its lack of transparency in reporting COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents, noting that at certain points during the pandemic, reported deaths had been underestimated by as much as 50%. Attorney General Letitia James had also released findings highlighting the growing fatalities in New York nursing homes amid the pandemic.
