Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing a referral to the Department of Justice from the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which alleges that Cuomo misled Congress about his involvement in a New York state report on COVID-19 nursing home deaths. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), chairing the subcommittee, signed the referral letter, accusing Cuomo of intentionally concealing his role in drafting the report.
The referral centers on Cuomo’s closed-door testimony to Congress, during which he reportedly denied having reviewed the state health department report. However, emails and records cited by the committee indicate that Cuomo not only reviewed the report but contributed to early drafts. The referral letter was signed solely by Wenstrup, as Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, declined to co-sign.
🚨The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is referring Former New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for criminal prosecution.
Evidence suggests Andrew Cuomo knowingly and willfully made materially false statements about New York’s COVID-19 nursing home disaster and the… pic.twitter.com/kJrOQpXHLn
— Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (@COVIDSelect) October 31, 2024
Cuomo’s attorney, Sarah A. Sulkowski, responded by accusing the subcommittee of partisanship and alleging that Fox News personality Janice Dean, a well-known critic of Cuomo’s nursing home policies, influenced the investigation. Sulkowski’s letter to the DOJ labeled the inquiry as biased and politically driven.
Cuomo’s pandemic policies, especially his March 2020 directive that required nursing homes to readmit COVID-19-positive patients, have drawn criticism. In a 2021 report, New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that over 4,000 nursing home residents died following this directive, raising questions about the policy’s impact on COVID-19 spread.
The subcommittee’s referral also highlights concerns about Cuomo’s 2020 congressional testimony, during which he denied manipulating COVID-19 death data. A 2020 investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation brought these claims to light, alleging that Cuomo’s administration altered classifications to minimize nursing home fatalities.
Evidence now shows what we’ve known all along: Governor Andrew Cuomo willfully lied to Congress about New York’s COVID nursing home disaster.
Referring him for criminal prosecution is the critical next step to finally holding him accountable.
If the DOJ doesn’t immediately… https://t.co/7KCWuty5VE
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 31, 2024
This referral comes as rumors swirl about Cuomo’s potential political comeback, including a possible run for New York City mayor. Mayor Eric Adams is facing his own legal issues amid a federal bribery investigation, adding intrigue to Cuomo’s potential return, though his COVID-19 record remains under intense scrutiny.
